Ayacucho Museums

(Ayacucho, Peru)

The city of Ayacucho boasts a long a fascinating history dating as far back as the Wari culture, and its rich heritage is explored within many of its museums. One such museum is The Museo Arqueologico Hipolito Unanue, which stands on the northern side of Ayacucho and along the Avenida Independencia, within the university's Centro Cultural Simon Bolivar.

Another of the city's most notable museums is the Museo Andres Avelino Caceres. Close to the very centre of Ayacucho and sited within the 16th-century Casona Vivanco mansion, the Museo Andres Avelino Caceres dates from the 17th century and features a large and spacious courtyard, around which you will find a series of stone pillars, grand archways, corridors and exhibits.

Museo Arqueologico Hipolito Unanue / Museo INC (Hipolito Unanue Archaeological Museum)

Address: Avenida Independencia 502, Complejo Cultural Simon Bolivar, Ayacucho, Peru, PE
Tel: +51 066 31 2056
This small exhibition is comprised mainly of Wari ceramics, while there are also sections dedicated to anthropology, textiles, pottery, and the pre-Columbian cultures of Chimu, Chavin, Inca, and Moche, amongst others. Nearby the Museo Arqueologico Hipolito Unanue, the university library is also worth a look, boasting a collection of mummies, skulls and other unexpected Andean items. Do take time to explore the surrounding botanical gardens, where large and impressive cacti flourish.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, Saturday - 09:00 to 13:00
Admission: charge

Museo Andres Avelino Caceres (Museum Marshal Andres Avelino Caceres)

Address: Avenida 28 de Julio 512, Ayacucho, Peru, PE
Tel: +51 066 81 8686
Named after Andres Avelino Caceres, a local and rather outspoken Peruvian war hero in the War of the Pacific (1879 to 1883), this historical museum contains no less than 13 individual exhibition halls, where many of his personal effects are housed. The Museo Andres Avelino Caceres is also home to a large collection of maps, military paraphernalia, colonial paintings, modern folk art, traditional carved Peruvian furniture and various regional artefacts.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 13:00, 14:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 09:00 to 12:00
Admission: charge

Museum of the Memory

Address: Ayacucho, Peru, PE
The Museum of the Memory remembers some terrible atrocities that were carried out during the internal war of Peru, as recently as the 1980s. This thought-provoking attraction was created by the relatives of those who sadly lost their lives during this period and was opened in 2005.
Open hours: seasonal variations
Admission: charge

Casa de la Capitulación (House of Capitulación)

Address: Plaza Principal de Quinua, Peru, PE
Located alongside the Museo de Sitio de Quinua, the Casa de la Capitulación contains some very unusual artefacts. These include the famous 'Wari' table, which was used when the historical minutes of Capitulación of Ayacucho were signed. Various antique furnishings, paintings and pleasant gardens complete the main attractions.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Museo de Sitio de Quinua (Museum Site Quinoa)

Address: Plaza Principal de Quinua, Quinua, Peru, PE
The Museo de Sitio de Quinua is to be found close to Ayacucho, in the heart of the neighbouring village of Quinua. This is a beautifully decorated building, with an elaborate interior and plenty of interesting exhibits. The Main Hall is home to a series of large oil paintings and portraits, along with military equipment and various models of armies fighting on the battlefield.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge