Cusco is the birthplace of a hybrid culture and the overlapping of two cultures that marked the history of our country. Therefore, beyond its authentic architectural design, the Imperial City’s artistic expression has certainly prevailed.
There are many museums in Cusco with exhibitions of the pre-Inca, Inca, and colonial cultures that add great value to these lands. However, during the colonization process many artifacts, textiles, pottery, and other items corresponding to the Quechua civilization were lost in battle.
Luckily, thanks to research led by different archeologists, some objects were found that have been traced to the Inca culture and other civilizations that preceded them. Nowadays, the immersion of both pre-Columbian and Columbian art survives until the actual date.
If you wish to be part of this back-in-time Journey, make sure to add at least one of these significant museums and get to know our cultural expression to its fullest!
As you may know, there’s a famous plant known for its healing properties called Coca. This medicinal plant has been used since pre-Columbian times for curative and ceremonial purposes. The Coca Museum explores the medicinal uses of these plants, as well as their importance to our ancient civilizations from a cultural, historical, and scientific point of view.
The Museo de la Coca in Cusco is divided into twelve exhibitions and is one of the most sought-after museums within the Imperial City.
- Address: Cuesta San Blas 618, Cusco.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday - From 09:00h to 21:00h.
- Entrance: General S/. 10.00 - Students S/. 5.00
It is located within the Palacio Municipal del Cusco, which was built in 1972. This museum was founded thanks to the donation of art pieces with the mission to provide a platform to explore local and foreign artistic expression.
Nowadays, it has over 280 pieces and counts with 14 exhibition rooms. One of the most significant artworks in this facility is the famous oil painting of Remigia Mendoza: Río Vilcanota (1897).
- Address: Calle Espinar 270, Cusco.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00h to 18:30h
- Entrance: Cusco Tourist Ticket (Already included in all our travel packages)
It is a non-profit organization that looks forward to the empowerment of traditional weavers in the region of Cusco. It started with the mission of working with female weavers from Chinchero in the 1980s since these communities were starting to feel that their ancient customs were disappearing due to racism and the convenience of using cheap chemical dyes and synthetic yarns.
Nowadays, it has promoted traditional Peruvian textiles across the country and internationally, giving a more intimate point of view of the ancient culture of these communities assuring the continuity of this ancestral practice.
- Address: Av. El Sol 603, Cusco.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday - 09:00h to 20:00h
- Entrance: Free Entry
It is a small museum located within the Qoricancha or Santo Domingo Convent in Cusco. It has 5 rooms that show the development of the civilization of Cusco where pre-Inca, Inca, and Colonial artifacts are displayed.
- Address: Av. El Sol 526, Cusco.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday - 08:00h to 17:00h / Sunday - 14:00h to 16:00h
- Entrance: Cusco Tourist Ticket (Already included in all our travel packages)
It is located within the Santa Catalina Church and Convent, founded in 1605 as a religious enclosure that houses several nuns during the Colonial times. Nowadays, it remains open to the public, and over 10 nuns are living there currently.
The Santa Catalina Museum holds a collection of important art pieces that date back to the XVII and XVIII centuries, most of them are paintings of Spanish, mestizos, and native artists. In addition to its historical value, the museum was built on top of an Acllahuasi, a place that served as the House of the Virgins of the Sun during the Inca Times.
- Address: Calle Santa Catalina Angosta 401, Cusco
- Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday - 08:30h to 17:30 / Sunday - 14:00h to 17:00h
- Entrance: General S/. 8.00 - Students - S/. 4.00
It was founded in 1969, though its structure was built in the first half of the XVII on top of the ancient palace of Inca Roca, the sixth ruler of the Tahuantinsuyo Empire. Nowadays, it is known as the Palacio Arzobispal de Cusco.
The Museo de Arte Religioso is one of the principal museums of the city, it gathers significant artworks of the Cuzqueñan School that date back to the XVII and XVIII centuries, being the Corpus Christi paintings the most precious colonial relic in its exhibitions.
- Address: Calle Herrajes 38, Cusco.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday - 08:00h to 18:00h
- Entrance: Cusco Tourist Ticket (Already included in all our travel packages)
The Popular Art Museum in Cusco looks to promote local artists and artisans of the Cusqueñan region. It has been functioning since 1937 and holds an impressive collection of sculptures, paintings, photographs, and pottery.
Among its more significant exhibitions is a collection of pictures from the XIX and XX centuries that show how the city was severely damaged by an earthquake.
- Address: Av. El Sol 103, Cusco.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday - 08:00h to 18:00h
- Entrance: Cusco Tourist Ticket (Already included in all our travel packages)
These are a few of the many popular museums in Cusco. If you wish more information about other galleries and exhibitions, please check our Cusco travel guide.
Planning a trip couldn’t be easier if you have the necessary information. If you want to visit Cusco or any other region in Peru, please contact our local expert team, they will surely help you with any inquiry you may have. Dare to uniquely uncover the secrets of our lands with Viagens Machu Picchu.
Would you like to know more about Peruvian history? Here we have gathered 5 of the best museums in Cusco that you shouldn't miss during your trip. There's so much to know about the ancient Peruvians and we would love to show you everything about our cultural expression while you're here!
