Archeology, Anthropology and Peruvian History Museum

This museum is the oldest and most representative in our country, thanks to its cultural heritage, which comes from the first scientific expeditions carried out in Peru, as well as from the first collections formed by the Peruvian State.

History

Its foundation dates back to 1822, one year after Peru’s independence. General Don José de San Martín ordered its creation in the Palace of La Magdalena, where viceroys and the liberators San Martín and Bolívar themselves lived.

Its first collection included hundreds of archaeological pieces, among which the famous Raimondi Stele from the Chavín culture stood out. In 1881, during the Chilean occupation of Lima as a result of the War of the Pacific, the museum was looted. Only the monolith remained in place.

In the 20th century, the museum’s reorganization was led by important figures such as Max Uhle, Julio César Tello, and Luis E. Valcárcel. Today, it operates as a single institution with thirty rooms. Important pieces stand out, such as the Crossed Hands of Kotosh, the Tello Obelisk, Paracas mantles, paintings from the Cusco School of painting, works by the renowned painter José Gil de Castro, as well as the famous Raimondi Stele.

This museum is managed by the Ministry of Culture of Peru. Its collection is associated with Peruvian historical, archaeological, and academic research by Luis Guillermo Lumbreras, Fernando Silva Santiesteban, María Rostworowski, and Franklin Pease.

Description

Ceramics, textiles, metals, organic materials, and lithic objects related to invaluable human remains make up the legacy of our pre-Hispanic past. Objects of historical and artistic value, along with documentary, photographic, and bibliographic collections, reflect Peru’s colonial and republican periods.

Location

The museum is located in Plaza Bolívar, in the district of Pueblo Libre, Lima. From the Plaza de Armas, it is only about 5 km by car. From the tourist district of Miraflores, it is about 7 km away.

Highlights

Among its most important treasures are the Crossed Hands of Kotosh, the Raimondi Stele, the Tello Obelisk, the Paracas Mantles, and paintings from the viceregal period, mainly from the Cusco School.

It has conservation workshops for archaeological objects, especially textiles and metals, as well as workshops for children and teenagers. Ceramics, textiles, metals, organic materials, and lithic objects related to invaluable human remains preserved with techniques that still amaze specialists make up the legacy of our pre-Hispanic past. Objects of historical and artistic value, along with documentary, photographic, and bibliographic collections, reflect the colonial and republican periods.

Some of the permanent exhibition rooms in the museum include:

• Origins: Presents the beginnings of the American people, specifically in Peru.
• Formative Period: Displays ceramic, textile, and metallurgical findings from the Formative Period in Peru.
• Chavín: Displays findings from the Chavín culture, the first to maintain a strong religious concept. Its pilgrimage center is located in Chavín de Huántar. The so-called “Raimondi Stele” stands out.
• Pukara: Its main cult was dedicated to the water god, Huiracocha, the famous Staff God present in several cultures.
• Paracas: Displays findings such as textiles, ceramics, and human skulls from the Paracas culture, which developed on the southern coast and central Andes of Peru between 800 B.C. and 200 A.D.
• Nazca: Displays a collection of textiles and ceramics belonging to the Nazca culture. It stands out for its fine textiles.
• Regional Developments: This room exhibits a collection of ceramics from lesser-known civilizations settled on the coast and highlands of Peru between 0 and 800 A.D.
• Metallurgy: This room displays a varied collection of gold and silver objects shaped by the artisans of ancient Peru. Works from the Chimú and Inca cultures stand out. These objects were mainly used by the elite and in religious ceremonies.
• Regional States: These rooms display ceramics, textiles, and metal objects from regional cultures that developed on the coast and highlands of Peru between 380 A.D. and 1450 A.D., such as Tiwanaku, Chincha, Chuquibamba, Yshma, and others.
• Independence: This room uses documents, paintings, and museum pieces to present the Independence of Peru. It displays paintings of the main liberators, such as José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, who lived in the palace now occupied by the museum during the early years of the republic.

Opening Hours

Reference opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Monday from 12:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Reference fee:
General adults: S/ 10.00
Children and school students: S/ 1.00
Higher education students, teachers, and retirees: S/ 1.00

The following people receive a 50% discount on the value of the ticket corresponding to their category:

• People over 60 years old, upon presentation of valid identification.
• Teachers and education professionals.
• Active military personnel, upon presentation of valid identification.
• People with disabilities.

Note: Guided service in Spanish, English, or Italian: S/ 20.00 nuevos soles per group of 10 to 15 people maximum.