The best museums Peru

In a colonial casona marvel of modern Lima, the most important pre-Columbian private collection gathers more than 45,000 pieces. Beautiful Paracas textiles, including a fabric with 398 strands in a square inch and stone sculptures from Chavín de Huantar. Without forgetting the bóveda, the chest containing objects made of metals and precious stones, of which a fabulous complete set of chimú dignitary: pectoral, bracelets, diadem, earrings.

The Larco Museum owes much of its well-deserved reputation to its erotic ceramics. Here, the objects of the Mochica culture are exhibited. These fine craftsmen, whose morals were unbridled, depicted all the stages of the sexual life of their contemporaries, with great crudity, without omitting either the most scabrous details or the venereal risks incurred. The other unique curiosity of this museum is the "depósito", a store where thousands of ceramics are stored on shelves and by category (women - a rare theme in these cultures - vampires, wars, sacrifices, flowers...). Another good point: the panels are written in Spanish, English, French, Italian, German and Japanese. Nice café-restaurant with a terrace under a bougainvillea (pasta, local Creole dishes, dishes for children). This is THE visit to make, as the staging and presentation of the exhibits is quite unique in Peru. Specialist professional guides are available, in French, please book.

This museum offers a lot of information on discoveries made in 1994 and 1995, including a mummy, Juanita, "the ice princess", discovered near Arequipa, on the summit of the Ampato volcano, by Johan Reinhardt. The mummy is now exposed in a refrigerated showcase. A 20-minute film on this discovery is shown. The collection is growing month by month and makes this museum, along with the Santa Catalina monastery, an essential part of the visit to the city. The guided tour is compulsory and free (available in French). Please allow for a tip.

This new museum opened in 2002 is the pride of the region! It houses the collection of archaeological objects from the tomb of the Lord of Sipán, in gold, silver and copper. The reconstitutions of the tombs and the daily life in Sipan are impressive. Very beautiful museography. A must-see, with the site of Tucume quite close. Don't forget to visit the handicraft stands just behind. Ask for the aldea mochica (you can enter it without going to the museum).

Attention, this museum is under renovation, but its reopening was announced soon, inform you before programming a visit. This museum has priceless treasures of the different pre-Inca cultures. Not to be missed, the mochica room and the showcases dedicated to the wari culture, the few erotic ceramics, the Paracas textiles, the chimú jewels and utensils, the mummies with the deformed and trepanned skulls of the coastal peoples (a particularly impressive mummy veils his face with his left hand where the nails shine). The engraved stones - including the Raimondi stele from the Chavín period, 2 m high, and the Tello obelisk found in Chavín de Huantar, with its engravings of fantastic animals - as well as the crossed hands of Kotosh, are all breathtaking subjects.

Also fascinating is the Museo Nacional de Historia, with furniture and paintings from the colonial and republican periods (including a remarkable gallery of some 35 portraits of the viceroys of Peru). This part is located in the Quinta de los Libertadores, a large colonial house with a flowered patio, which was inhabited successively by José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, the liberators of the country. Guide service in French (S/ 15). Around the Plaza de Pueblo Libre, colorful houses and some traditional addresses. Quite dense, we hope that the renovation will allow a beautiful enhancement of these treasures that will illuminate what we will see later in the trip.

This private museum is undoubtedly the richest of Cusco. On two floors, it takes us into the world of pre-Columbian civilizations in a seductive way, each of the rooms recreating the atmosphere of the dedicated civilization. The Sala Formativa exhibits ceramics from the Cupisnique and Pacopampa eras (from 1250 BC to the present day); the Sala de Madera, sculptures of wooden gods from the Chimú and Inca civilizations (1300-1532 AD); the Sala Nazca, Nazca vases and sculptures (1 to 800 AD); the Sala Mojito, the Sala de Málaga, and the Sala de MálagaC.); the Sala Mochica (1 to 800 A.D.), frightening bottles with owl heads mounted on pumpkin bodies; the Sala Huari (800 to 1300 A.D.), ceramics and terracotta objects on the theme of women and fertility; the Sala Chancay-Chimú (1300-1532 A.D.), bottles with heads of owls mounted on pumpkin bodies; the Sala Chancay-Chimú (1300-1532 A.D.), ceramics and terracotta objects on the theme of womenC.), bottles with bird heads; the Sala Inca (1300-1532 AD), musical instruments (ocarinas in the shape of shells), tools of war but also impressive basins of imposing size; the Sala de Conchas Marinas, all kinds of mochica jewels (1 to 800 AD) made of shells and other materialsC.) made of shells and shark bones, all in an atmosphere of marine funds; the Sala de Plata, brooches and ceremonial jewels skilfully worked by the Chimú, who knew how to combine aesthetics and usefulness; finally, the Sala de Oro, jewels, weapons and vicús crowns (- 1200 to our era). Visit strongly recommended.

It is thanks to the German ethnographer and linguist Heinrich Brüning, who, from 1884 to 1925, devoted his energy and fortune to the study of the civilizations of Peru, that this museum was built (Brüning bequeathed his collections to Peru). About 1,500 pieces (ceramics, weapons, utensils and mummies) from the Chavín, Lambayeque, Vicús, Mochica, Chimú and Sicán cultures are exhibited here. Interesting, but the museography is a bit old-fashioned compared to the Tumbas Reales de Sipan museum.

This institution is dedicated to archaeological and anthropological research on ancient Peruvian cultures. In addition to the mummies and objects found in the Laguna de los Condores, the museum also exhibits textiles and ceramics found in the surrounding area. A modern museum, very well thought out, rich. An essential visit. Don't forget to visit KentiCafé, in a garden on the heights, in front of the hummingbird museum. The museum also offers rooms in the house, in the building on the road opposite, Casa Mallqui.

A beautiful modern space on the border between Miraflores and Barranco, this Museo de Arte Contemporeano is surrounded by a nice garden where, on nice days, it's nice to hang out. The design shop at the entrance is interesting although expensive. The permanent exhibition is well thought out, it is a large space where local contemporaries such as Fernando de Szyszlo, Kukuli Velarde, or Elliot Tupac are presented. The most interesting thing is the temporary exhibitions on the agenda: new visual artists, talented national photographers and international stars.