{"id":980,"date":"2020-06-24T20:47:57","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T01:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freewalkingtoursperu.com\/museos-de-lima-copy\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T23:44:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T04:44:40","slug":"museums-in-lima-peru","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freewalkingtoursperu.com\/en\/blog\/museums-in-lima-peru\/","title":{"rendered":"Lima: The City of Museums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lima is a museum in itself<\/strong>\u2014not just because of the architecture in its Historic Centre<\/a>, declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, but also for the impressive archaeological, artistic and cultural collections displayed in its magnificent public and private museums<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no exaggeration to say that skipping these museums<\/strong> when planning your visit to the \u201cCity of Kings\u201d would be a serious travel mistake. These spaces will help you uncover the pre-Hispanic<\/strong>, colonial and republican history of both Lima and Peru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We won\u2019t rank<\/em> them\u2014it’s tough to say which museum is the best in the city<\/strong>. We\u2019d rather let you decide based on your own interests and preferences. What we can assure you is this: whichever museum you choose, you\u2019ll have a great time while expanding your knowledge<\/strong> and cultural perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lima awaits not only for you to wander its streets, enjoy the ocean breeze, and savour its cuisine<\/a>\u2014it also wants to show you its past<\/strong>, its stories, and its cultural treasures. These are proudly displayed and preserved in the stunning museum spaces<\/strong> we recommend, and many more you\u2019ll discover as you explore the Peruvian capital<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gold Museum of Peru and Weapons of the World (MOdP)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two museums in one place. One displays an extensive collection of gold<\/strong>, silver and bronze artefacts, while the other showcases a vast array of weapons<\/strong> and uniforms from different eras and regions. At first, this combination may seem unusual\u2014but in truth, it\u2019s both appealing and fascinating<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Both are private museums that originated from the personal collections of founder Miguel Mujica Gallo<\/strong>, who opened them to the public in 1966. Here, you\u2019ll find funeral masks, tumis<\/a><\/em> (ceremonial knives), and pre-Columbian ornamental pieces, as well as unique weaponry from around the world<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gold Museum<\/a> of Peru and Weapons of the World<\/a> is located at Jir\u00f3n Alonso de Molina 1100<\/a>, Santiago de Surco.
Opening hours<\/em>: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: Peruvian and foreign adults \u2013 S\/40; seniors over 60 \u2013 S\/30; children (ages 5 to 17) and students \u2013 S\/17; children under 5 enter free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larco Museum \u2013 Treasures of Ancient Peru<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Its halls display over 5,000 years of Peru\u2019s ancestral history<\/strong>. A fascinating journey that, as stated on the website<\/a> of this private museum founded in 1926<\/strong> by archaeologist and researcher Rafael Larco Hoyle<\/a>, \u201chelps you understand the development of pre-Columbian societies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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The museum is housed in an 18th-century colonial mansion<\/strong> with beautiful gardens that will surely charm you. You\u2019ll also love the open storage rooms and diverse exhibition halls<\/strong> showcasing an extraordinary collection of archaeological artefacts from various regions of Peru\u2014including the famous erotic huacos<\/em><\/a> of the Moche culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Larco Museum is located at Avenida Sim\u00f3n Bol\u00edvar 1515<\/a>, Pueblo Libre.
Opening hours<\/em>: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. On December 24, 25, 31 and January 1, the museum is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: General \u2013 S\/40; seniors over 60 (with ID) \u2013 S\/30; minors (under 17) and students (with ID) \u2013 S\/20; children up to 8 years old enter free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru (MNAAHP)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This museum is a must-visit as it is \u201cPeru\u2019s first museum\u201d and \u201cthe largest<\/strong>, oldest and most representative.\u201d According to its official website<\/a>, it houses \u201caround 300,000 pieces<\/strong> that make up the legacy of our pre-Hispanic, colonial and republican past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Among the archaeological treasures<\/strong> on display are the Crossed Hands of Kotosh<\/em>, the Tello Obelisk<\/a><\/em> from the Chav\u00edn culture, Paracas<\/a> textiles, as well as colonial paintings from the Cusco School<\/strong> and the republican era. It truly is a rich summary of Peru\u2019s national history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MNAAHP is located in the historic Palacio de la Magdalen<\/strong>a<\/em>, once home to the liberators Jos\u00e9 de San Mart\u00edn and Sim\u00f3n Bol\u00edvar<\/strong>. The building itself \u201ccombines features from the late colonial and republican periods,\u201d as the museum\u2019s website points out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll find the museum in Plaza Bol\u00edvar<\/a><\/em> in Pueblo Libre\u2014a peaceful and evocative urban space.
Opening hours<\/em>: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM; Mondays from 12:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
Admission<\/em>: Peruvian and foreign adults \u2013 S\/10; guided visits \u2013 S\/20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural History Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dinosaur bones, fossilised whales<\/a>, and taxidermy animals are just part of the impressive collection<\/a> at this museum, which belongs to the National University of San Marcos<\/em>\u2014the oldest university in Peru and the Americas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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If you’re particularly interested in the evolution of fauna or travelling with children<\/strong> who love learning through play<\/strong>, this museum is a fantastic choice. Its exhibits help visitors of all ages understand the species that once lived\u2014and still live\u2014in Peru. You\u2019ll find the museum at Avenida Arenales 1256<\/a>, Jes\u00fas Mar\u00eda.
Opening hours<\/em>: Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: Adults \u2013 S\/10; children from age 3, school pupils and university students \u2013 S\/10; visitors aged 60 and above enter free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Museum of the Nation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The main mission of this museum is to preserve Peruvian art. It holds over 15,000 archaeological, historical and ethnographic objects from the pre-Hispanic, colonial and republican eras.<\/p>\n\n\n

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You can find the Museum of the Nation at Avenida Javier Prado Este 2465<\/a>, in the district of San Borja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Museums in Lima\u2019s Historic Centre<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Museum of Art of Lima (MALI)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even before stepping inside, you\u2019ll be amazed by its building: the Palacio de la Exposici\u00f3n<\/strong>, described on MALI\u2019s<\/a> website as \u201cone of the finest examples of Lima\u2019s eclectic architecture<\/strong>. It was conceived and built as the venue for the first major public exhibition in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Inaugurated on 10 March 1961<\/strong>, MALI is one of the most dynamic cultural spaces in the capital. Its outstanding temporary exhibitions<\/a> and its collection<\/a> of over 17,000 works of Peruvian art<\/strong> span 3,000 years of history, making it a truly exceptional attraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a deep and inspiring cultural experience<\/strong>, visit MALI at Parque de la Exposici\u00f3n<\/em>, Paseo Col\u00f3n 125<\/a>, in Lima\u2019s Historic Centre.
Opening hours<\/em>: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Saturdays until 5:00 PM. On the last Friday of each month, open from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: General \u2013 S\/40; Peruvians and residents \u2013 S\/15; students (over 8 years) \u2013 S\/7.50; children under 8 and adults over 65 enter free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italian Art Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opened on 11 November 1923, this is the only museum in Latin America with a collection of around 200 pieces of Italian art from the early 20th century<\/strong>. Its sculptures, paintings, engravings, watercolours, drawings and ceramics were acquired from galleries across Italy between 1921 and 1922.<\/p>\n\n\n

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If you’re interested in a unique display of early 20th-century Italian art, visit this neo-Renaissance museum<\/strong> located at Avenida Paseo de la Rep\u00fablica 250<\/a>, in the Historic Centre of Lima.
Opening hours<\/em>: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. On the first Sunday of each month, open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: Adults \u2013 S\/6; higher education students \u2013 S\/3; school pupils \u2013 S\/1.50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jos\u00e9 Carlos Mari\u00e1tegui Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most influential thinkers of republican Peru, Jos\u00e9 Carlos Mari\u00e1tegui, spent the last five years<\/strong> of his life at Jir\u00f3n Washington 1938<\/a>, in the heart of Lima. Born in Moquegua, Jos\u00e9 Carlos Mari\u00e1tegui La Chir<\/a>a (1894\u20131930) wrote his most renowned work, Seven Interpretive Essays on Peruvian Reality<\/strong><\/em>, in this humble house.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A Marxist intellectual<\/strong>, Mari\u00e1tegui carried out intense work during his short life. The traces of his thought remain in the museum<\/a>, where you\u2019ll find his documents, books and personal belongings<\/strong>. He is affectionately remembered as El Amauta<\/em>, or \u201cthe wise one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening hours<\/em>: Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: Free entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Afro-Peruvian Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opened on 4 June 2009 in a historic colonial house in central Lima, this museum\u2019s nine rooms trace the historical and cultural journey of Afro-Peruvians\u2014a group whose ancestors endured slavery during the colonial period and the early republic.<\/p>\n\n\n

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For centuries, thousands of Africans\u2014mainly from Angola\u2014were brought to Peru\u2019s coast as slaves. This forced migration is explained through infographics, alongside shackles once used on hands and feet in a time of lost freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Located at Jir\u00f3n Ancash 542<\/a>, the museum<\/a> also highlights the cultural contributions of Afro-Peruvians to today\u2019s Peru\u2014a country ready to welcome you with its rich diversity.
Opening hours<\/em>: Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Admission<\/em>: Free entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What are the opening hours of the museums?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opening days and times vary, but most museums are open to the public from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is the best museum in Lima?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no definitive answer\u2014it all depends on your personal interests and expectations<\/strong>. However, if you’re passionate about history, we recommend the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru<\/strong> and the Larco Museum<\/strong>. You won\u2019t be disappointed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I need to book in advance to visit the museums?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No booking is required. You can buy your ticket at the museum\u2019s entrance<\/strong>. It\u2019s best to carry cash in soles to make the process easier.
If you\u2019re visiting as part of a large school group or tour, it\u2019s a good idea to notify the museum in advance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are museums open every day?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Not all of them. Most museums are closed one day a week, and on weekends they may have shorter opening hours.<\/strong> Before your visit, check each museum\u2019s schedule to make sure it\u2019s open<\/strong>.
Many museums are closed on Mondays<\/strong>, so keep this in mind when planning your itinerary in Peru\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which districts have the best museums in Lima?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to visit several museums, head to the Historic Centre of Lima<\/strong>, and also explore the districts of Miraflores, Pueblo Libre, San Borja and Barranco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On which days can you visit Lima\u2019s museums for free?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a Peruvian national, you can enjoy free entry to the following museums on the first Sunday of each month<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n