Travelers spending one or two days in Lima at the beginning or end of their Peru vacation should not miss the chance to visit the capital’s excellent museums.
The capital of Peru is home to some of the nation’s finest museums. The National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History was established in 1822 and is the country’s oldest museum. It was here in the 19th century that the leading scholars of the new republic embarked upon the study and conservation of the archaeological heritage of Peru, as a way of defining the identity of the fledgling nation. The museum’s collection offers an excellent chronological introduction to the cultures of ancient Peru for travelers wanting to learn more about the attractions on their vacation itinerary.
Also located in Pueblo Libre, the Larco Museum was founded in the city of Trujillo in 1926 by the pioneering Peruvian archaeologist Rafael Larco Hoyle. The current building has been the museum’s home since 1958 and is an 18th century mansion built over the remains of a Pre-Hispanic shrine. It houses one of the finest collections of Pre-Columbian art in Peru, with particular emphasis on the Pre-Inca cultures of Peru’s northern coast and their work in pottery and precious metals.
Peru’s Gold Museum is situated in the district of Surco and is owned by the Mujica Gallo Foundation. It houses one of the best collections of ancient Peruvian work in precious metals, as well as an impressive collection of weapons from different periods and parts of the world.
Peru’s Museum of the Nation was created in 1988, in the Lima district of San Borja. In addition to archaeological artifacts, its galleries display ethnographic objects from different regions of Peru, as well as hosting contemporary art exhibitions.
Located in the residential and commercial district of Miraflores, the Amano Pre-Columbian Textile Museum was founded in 1964 by Yoshitaro Amano, a Japanese immigrant to Peru who became fascinated by ancient Peruvian textiles. This small but excellent museum was fully renovated in 2016 and also houses an important collection of Chancay culture pottery, as well as objects from other northern and highland Pre-Hispanic Peruvian cultures.
If you’d like to experience the destinations and activities mentioned in this article, contact us and we’ll help you create your Peru vacation!
