Larco Museum

Thousands of years of ancient Peru in a whitewashed vice-regal mansion with bougainvillea gardens.

  • Address: Av. Simon Bolivar 1515, Pueblo Libre, Lima
  • District: Pueblo Libre, Lima
  • Category: museum

The Larco Museum sits in an eighteenth-century vice-regal mansion in Pueblo Libre, built over a much older pyramid, and holds one of the finest private collections of pre-Columbian art in the world. Its founder, Rafael Larco Hoyle, began collecting in the 1920s, and the museum traces roughly 5,000 years of Peruvian cultures, from the Moche and Nasca to the Inca. The highlights are a room of gold and silver ceremonial objects, headdresses and jewelry, and the visible-storage galleries, where thousands of ceramic vessels stand on open shelves for visitors to walk through. A colonial art wing, a textile room and an optional gallery of pre-Columbian erotic ceramics complete the visit, and the gardens, full of bougainvillea, are among the prettiest in Lima. The Cafe del Museo, in the garden, makes a natural stop for lunch or dinner.

Highlights

  • A room of pre-Columbian gold and silver headdresses, ornaments and jewelry
  • Visible-storage galleries with thousands of ceramic vessels on open shelves
  • About 5,000 years of Peruvian cultures, from Moche and Nasca to the Inca
  • A colonial art wing, textiles and an optional gallery of erotic ceramics
  • Garden courtyards of bougainvillea, and the Cafe del Museo

Ideal for

  • history and art lovers
  • travelers who want one museum that tells the whole story of ancient Peru
  • couples and families looking for a lunch or dinner in a garden setting

Practical information

Hours
Open daily, including evenings -- confirm current hours on the museum's website
Price
Paid entry (adult and student rates) -- confirm current price before visiting
Good to know
Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours. The erotic gallery is clearly marked and optional, so parents may want to decide in advance whether to include it for children. The museum is flat and fully accessible, and the garden restaurant is a good lunch or dinner stop.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Larco Museum known for?

For its collection of pre-Columbian art spanning about 5,000 years, especially its gold and silver room and its visible-storage galleries of thousands of ceramics.

How long should I spend there?

About 1.5 to 2 hours. Add time for lunch or dinner at the Cafe del Museo in the garden.

Is the museum suitable for children?

Yes, with one note: a clearly marked, optional gallery shows pre-Columbian erotic ceramics, so parents may want to decide beforehand whether to visit it.

Is it accessible for wheelchairs?

Yes, the museum is flat and paved, with accessible routes through the galleries and gardens.

Can I combine it with other sights?

Yes, the Huaca Pucllana and Larco Museum tour pairs the pre-Inca pyramid in Miraflores with the museum in one half day.

Is there a place to eat?

Yes, the Cafe del Museo serves lunch and dinner in the museum's garden.