Museums in Cusco

Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (MAP)

Location: Plaza Nazarenas 231, Cusco
Open daily 9:00 AM–6:00 PM.
This museum showcases over 450 artifacts from Peru’s ancient cultures, including the Nazca, Mochica, and Inca. Highlights include gold headdresses, intricate ceramics, and a rare Moche erotic pottery collection. Housed in a restored 16th-century colonial mansion, the museum offers audio guides in multiple languages. Pro tip: Pair your visit with lunch at the museum’s courtyard café, known for its quinoa salads.

Regional History Museum

Location: Calle Garcilaso 155, Cusco (3,399 m / 11,152 ft)
Open Mon–Sat 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Admission: 10 PEN (~$3 USD).
Set in the former home of Inca-Spanish chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, this museum focuses on colonial-era art. Don’t miss the Cusco School paintings, which blend Catholic and Andean symbolism. The building itself features original Inca stonework and a tranquil courtyard. Note: Some signage is Spanish-only, so use a translation app.

Museum of Religious Art

Location: Hatunrumiyoc Street, beside the 12-Angle Stone
Open Mon–Sat 8:00 AM–6:00 PM, Sun 10:00 AM–6:00 PM.
Housed in the Archbishop’s Palace, this museum displays gold-leaf altarpieces and colonial-era vestments. The real star is the building itself—constructed atop Inca Emperor Sinchi Roca’s palace. Snap a photo of the iconic 12-angle stone outside. Pro tip: Visit early to avoid crowds at the stone.

San Antonio Abad University Archaeological Museum

Location: Av. El Sol 103
Open Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–7:00 PM.
This underrated museum features Inca tools, weapons, and colonial furniture. The 17th-century Casa del Almirante building impresses with carved cedar ceilings and a Baroque stone façade. Look for the quipu (Inca knot-record) display. Free entry with the Cusco Tourist Ticket (BTC).

Qorikancha Site Museum

Location: Av. El Sol, adjacent to Santo Domingo Church
Open Mon–Sat 9:00 AM–5:30 PM, Sun 8:00 AM–1:00 PM.
This underground museum displays artifacts excavated from Qorikancha, the Inca Empire’s sun temple. See ceremonial aqllas (ceramic vessels) and scale models of the temple’s original design. Combine with a visit to the church above, where Inca stonework merges with Spanish architecture.

Santa Catalina Convent Museum

Location: Calle Santa Catalina Angosta 401
Open Mon–Sat 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Explore 17th-century cloistered life through gold-thread textiles and eerie portraits of nuns. The chapel’s gold-leaf altar is a standout. Guided tours (20 PEN extra) reveal hidden catacombs. Pro tip: The on-site workshop sells beeswax candles made using traditional methods.