Quito – Museums

Quito is home to world-class museums that focus on the rich and lengthy known history of the country of Ecuador. The city is home to some of South America’s oldest artifacts, covering everything from prehistoric times to the Colonial era and modern day. Many of the museums are concentrated in and around Quito’s “Old Town”, a famous area that is popular with tourists and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Art, history, and science are all represented well, with many of the city’s museums offering guided tours and content available in various languages including English.

 

 

Museo Nacional del Ecuador

The National Museum of Ecuador was founded in 1969 and is run by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage of Ecuador. Located within the House of Ecuadorian Culture, it is the largest museum in the country. The museum houses collections that focus on Ecuador’s human history, including ancestral goods, paintings, and even vessels and ceremonial goods from a variety of periods in the country’s history. The museum includes more than 200,000 unique artifacts that span ancient, colonial, and modern Ecuadorian culture and heritage. Visitors can browse these artifacts via the many permanent exhibitions on display. The museum also contains a special hall for temporary exhibitions, including those around history, art, and archaeology. One of the highlights of the museum is its Colonial Art Room, which includes various baroque pieces of art including an altarpiece from the 18th century.

Address: Edificio de los Espejos, Avenida Patria (between Avenida 6 de Diciembre and Avenida 12 de Octubre), Quito
Phone: + 593 2 381 4550
Operating Hours:
– Monday closed
– Tuesday 9:00am – 6:00pm
– Wednesday 9:00am – 6:00pm
– Thursday 9:00am – 6:00pm
– Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm
– Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm
– Sunday 9:00am – 6:00pm
Admission Cost:
– FREE
Website

 

 

Centro Cultural Metropolitano

Established in 1997, the Metropolitan Cultural Center is located in a building that dates back to 1622. The current building offers a 20th-century built façade in neo-classic style and has housed various groups since its inception. At one point, the First Central University was located here. During the War of Ecuadorian Independence, the location served as a jail. Today the location is attached to the Ministry of Culture and is an important location that is tied to the naming of the historic city center as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It houses the Alberto Mena Caamaño Museum which includes more than 600 unique artifacts across archaeology, textiles, decorative arts, photographs, sculptures and more. One of the museum’s main attractions is the permanent exhibition “From Quito to Ecuador” that showcases the countries history between 1736 and 1830.

Address: Gabriel García Moreno, Sebastián de Benalcázar, Quito 170130
Phone: +593 2-395-2300
Operating Hours:
– Monday closed
– Tuesday closed
– Wednesday 9:00am – 4:30pm
– Thursday 9:00am – 4:30pm
– Friday 9:00am – 4:30pm
– Saturday 9:00am – 4:30pm
– Sunday 9:00am – 4:30pm
Admission Cost:
– FREE
Website

 

 

Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum)

Founded in 1998, the City Museum of Ecuador is located in the previous building held by the San Juan Dios de Hospital, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors to the museum will browse artifacts that showcase more than 400 years of the hospital’s history, as well as the history of Quito itself. The museum is split amongst four collections and covers an area great than 10,000 square meters. In addition to the various permanent exhibitions, the museum is home to ten exhibition halls, workshop areas, and four beautiful courtyards. Many of the museums’ objects pre-date the Colonial era and showcase the people and traditions of Quito thru to modern day. The museum plays host to many temporary exhibitions, including those with a focus on daily life in the city.

Address: García Moreno, Quito 170405
Phone: +593 2-228-3882
Operating Hours:
– Monday closed
– Tuesday closed
– Wednesday closed
– Thursday closed
– Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm
– Saturday 9:00am – 4:00pm
– Sunday 9:00am – 4:00pm
Admission Cost:
– Adults $4.00
– Students $2.00
– Children $2.00
– Seniors and people with disabilities are free of charge
Website