The Carlos Dreyer Municipal Museum is one of the main institutions dedicated to preserving and promoting the historical, archaeological, and artistic heritage of the Puno region. It is located in the city’s historic center, near the Cathedral and the Main Square.
Its collections offer an overview of different periods in the history of the Andean highlands, from paleontological periods and pre-Inca societies to the Inca, colonial, republican, and contemporary eras. The museum also preserves paintings, personal belongings, and documents related to Carlos Dreyer Spohr.
The institution’s origins date back to 1902, when the Municipal Museum and Library of Puno was established. For this reason, the Provincial Municipality of Puno recognizes that year as the beginning of the museum’s history.
The official inventory of Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) also records the creation of the Carlos Dreyer Museum in 1952. After the artist’s death, the Provincial Council of Puno acquired his former residence in 1976. The Dreyer-related collection and the holdings of the former municipal museum were brought together in the building, which opened to the public in 1978.
The building was declared part of Peru’s National Cultural Heritage through Ministerial Resolution No. 0928-80-ED, dated July 23, 1980.
In 2024, maintenance work included improvements to the lighting in the exhibition areas, replacement of sections of the tongue-and-groove wooden flooring, and repainting of the interior and exterior façades. During the same year, the collection was inventoried, registered, and cataloged.
The museum is located at:
289 Conde de Lemos Street, at the corner of Deustua Street, in Puno’s historic center.
It is situated beside the Cathedral and approximately 100 meters from the Main Square. The walk from the square takes about five minutes. The central area of Puno lies at an approximate altitude of 3,850 meters above sea level.
The museum preserves ceramics, textiles, instruments, ritual objects, and other materials associated with cultures such as Pukara, Tiahuanaco or Tiwanaku, Nazca, Paracas, Moche, Lambayeque, Chimú, and Chancay.
Objects from the Inca period are also displayed, including ceramic vessels, stone artifacts, instruments, and keros.
This gallery contains sculptures and other stone-carved elements, mainly associated with the Pukara and Tiahuanaco cultures.
One of its most representative pieces is the so-called Suche Monolith, symbolically associated with water and the ancient beliefs of highland societies.
This room displays ceramics, musical instruments, sculptures, and other objects from archaeological settlements in the Puno region.
The collection provides insight into the societies that inhabited the Lake Titicaca basin and their relationship with the landscape, natural resources, and ritual practices.
This room is dedicated to materials from the Sillustani archaeological complex. It presents ornaments, metal objects, funerary contexts, preserved human remains, and a replica of a chullpa.
Its main attraction is the so-called Sillustani Treasure, discovered on November 3, 1971, near the Lizard Chullpa. The official inventory records 1,280 objects, 501 of which are made of hammered gold.
The term “treasure” is the name used by the museum, although in an academic description it may also be referred to as a collection of funerary objects or archaeological offerings.
This gallery displays paintings by artists from Puno, elsewhere in Peru, and abroad. The collection includes works by Carlos Dreyer and by artists associated with the Laykakota Painting Circle.
The paintings portray highland landscapes, scenes of daily life, Andean people, and urban changes in the city of Puno. Among the works attributed to Dreyer, the oil painting Raftsmen stands out; it was inspired by life along Lake Titicaca.
This room preserves domestic and decorative objects made mainly of silver and other metals. The pieces illustrate techniques used during the colonial period and the importance of mining in southern Peru.
This room presents Catholic-themed paintings, sculptures, religious garments, furniture, and a portable altarpiece.
Some sculptures were made from materials such as maguey and ivory. The exhibition shows the relationship between European art, local workshops, and the artistic traditions of the Andes during the colonial period.
This room contains personal belongings of Carlos Dreyer and María Dora Costa Rodríguez, as well as historical weapons, metal objects, shields, and various items from the republican and contemporary periods.
Reference schedule:
Reference prices:
| Visitor category | Fee |
| Student | S/ 1 |
| Puno resident | S/ 2 |
| Peruvian tourist | S/ 5 |
| International student | S/ 10 |
| International tourist | S/ 15 |
Bring your identity document or student ID to request the applicable admission rate.
Ask before taking photographs or recording videos. Although the inventory lists these activities, restrictions may apply in certain rooms or to specific objects for conservation reasons.
Avoid touching the display cases and exhibited objects. Some collections contain archaeological and artistic materials that are sensitive to humidity, dust, light, and handling.
Take your time during the visit. Puno is located at a high altitude, and the museum has two levels, so some visitors may prefer to walk slowly.
The museum can be included in a walking tour of the historic center together with Puno Cathedral, the Main Square, Lima Street, and the Conde de Lemos Balcony.
Happy passengers