Page Importance:
The Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera, commonly known as the Museo Larco or Larco Museum, is one of the most popular in Lima. Set in a gorgeous old hacienda, the museum is the private collection of Rafael Larco Herrera. It is considered by many to be the largest and most complete collection of pre-Columbian artifacts and relics in the world. It is comprised of more than 40,000 pieces of pottery and 5,000 pieces of gold and textiles.
Of particular interest is the section on erotic art and ceramics, politely set off from the rest of the exhibits by a garden. The pieces show that the early inhabitants of South America were quite uninhibited. The artifacts on display are quite interesting and occasionally humorous.
Location:
Northern end of the Alameda de los Descalzos
Lima, Peru
Museum
Travel Tips:
Relative price: High End
Open Hours from:10 a.m.- 1 p.m., 3 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Days Closed:Monday
Travel Skills: None
Contact Information:
Phone: 51-1-481 0441
| 4 & 5** Custom & Scheduled Tours by www.SouthAmerica.travel Create your own travel itinerary with our custom Travel Planner, or choose from one of our 100s of carefully designed itineraries. Special escorted departures. SouthAmerica.travel |
What an amazing experience!!
A friend deeply advised me to go to this museum which I also recommend now! It is a real haven of peace which makes us learn about the ancient civilizations, we travel there through centuries, and discover customs and really fascinating beliefs … The entrance is already spectacular, in a flowery and nice-smelling garden far from the noise of combis (Peruvian mini buses) and of the pollution of Lima! Then, the visit is amazing, we are easily carried away by the history and the cosmovision of precolombian societies, who saw in the meeting of opposite elements a source of creation, and we still find it in the erotic room which is as fascinating as the ceramic and all the ceremonial jewellery… Run into this museum if you are in Lima, it is a great treasure…
a place not to miss in Lima
This museum is fabulous, it is the attraction you really dont want to miss in Lima. We had a very interesting presentation of the pre-Columbian art, and I was particularly interested in the Sacrificial gallery, where we got to know about the organization of the ceremony. The World Guinness record of stich-by-stick-sewing piece of textile is also a must see!The café del Museo is great for deserts and a nice cup of coffee. You can also eat there and it looked really attractive!
the best museum I have visited in ages
The Museo Larco in Lima is the most interesting museum i have visited in ages. The information about pre-Columbian art is made very clear! The first galleries are like a panorama of thousands of years of History, we got to know a lot about all the characteristics (religious, rituals, ceremonials, beliefs....) of many civilizations . It is clear because it is organized in a geographical and chronological way. Then it becomes more thematic (with the sacrificial area, the textile, and lithic galleries), which was very interesting as well. The storage area is breathtaking, you are surrounded by thousands of pots and huacos representing various aspects of their beliefs, lives, ... At last but not least the erotic gallery is very realistic, I didnt know anything at all about that kind of art and was really surprised! Do not miss this wonder!
I never expected to learn so much!
I was quite amazed by the excellent collection and display of this Peruvian museum. WhenI first came to Peru I had heard already that the Incas were not the only culture that lived there, but I never expected to learn so much about the Moches, the Nazcas, the Chimus, etc. I changed my complete trip after visiting this museum, in order to visit all the places where this cultures used to live.The Larco Museum showed me the real deal about ancient Peru and my trip became more and more fascinating. This museum is a must see, must do before you travel around Peru. The museum's gardens were another great surprise. It has every flower labeled, so you can also learn about Peru's fascinating flora.
an Inspirational experience
It is sometimes difficult to believe that the Larco Museum is still in Lima. When I am there I feel out of time, in some remote countryside place. The museum has basically nothing to do with those impersonal bureaucratic museums that look more like a company rather than a cultural center. No, the Larco Museum is human and humble. Probably because it is run by the same family of art lovers for 4 generations. It is more like the sensation of entering a familial mansion, all painted white and where you expect giggles and children playing hide and seek in the garden. It even smells of it. Bougainvilleas, orchids, geraniums, blue plumbagos, madre selva....The Larco Museum offers a colourful festival of perfumes. It appeals to all your senses. The magical effect continues inside the museum where each piece of art is lit with a particular lightning, producing an harmonious atmosphere. You really feel like you are interacting with the Ancient Peru. The collection exudes the wisdom of an Ancient site and imposes some kind of silent respect. The experience I have there is always a real catharsis.
Museo Larco, must see!
This museum was a complete surprise for me! I was amazed not only by the beautiful collection but for the display. It really made me understand more about Peruvian ancient cultures. I changed the rest of my trip in order to visit where the Moche and the Chimu lived in the north coast, and the Nazcas in the south. The museum is completely labeled in english and other languages (french, german, japanese, italian) so it was easy to understand everything. It was just great!
An amazing experience
While traveling Lima I had the occasion to visit this amazing museum and I must admit it is one of the best I've ever seen. After a really funny journey by “combis” (those vans Peruvians use as buses), I had the pleasure to discover this imposing, 18th-century white manor which had been built upon an ancient 7th-century pyramid. This museum was created by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926, a famous archeologist who discovered many pre-Columbian civilizations. The Larco museum is truly a wonder; it is full of ceramic objects, jewelry, precious stones coming from the Chimús, the Lambayeques, the Mochicas and the Incas. There also is a stunning collection of tapestry and quipús (accountancy instrument used by the Mochicas and the Chimús). One of the various things you get to know better in this museum is the fact that there were many other civilizations, although we are prompted to know just about the Incas (who by the way only existed 200 years before the colonization!!)… But what is really original in this museum is the fact that its storehouse is completely open. It offers more than 45.000 art objects - making it one of the very particular and precious museums in the world. After the main museum, you are invited to go down a bright little path surrounded by flowers to enter the erotic part. There you will find curious pots and sculptures that are more than realistic (with moralistic or just humoristic purposes). This shows us the different sexual behaviours of those civilizations. You can easily visit the whole museum in an hour but if you still have some time and you are not in a hurry, I would advise you to sit at the café-restaurant where you can have a drink or order typical Peruvian food or to have a walk in the peaceful garden. The menu was made by Gaston Acurio, a very famous Peruvian chef and it is really affordable. There I discovered a cultural paradise that I vividly recommend to all the travelers who get the chance to stop in Lima.
Love it
I was impressed by the great number of ceramics in the storage area and the impressive gold objects. There is also a beautiful garden and a nice cafe.
GREAT VISIT!
A 10 out of 10! This museum is one of those great suprises in South America. It is beautiful, seemingly well-run and has a wonderful cafe to enjoy. The art was so intriguing. The erotic gallery is a must see.
GORGEOUS MUSEUM
Dont miss the gold and erotic galleries. Its my favorite museum in South America.
Peru Activities by type | Nearby activitiesHotels | Popular Lima Destinations | Other Lima pages
|
Advertise | Anúnciese | Jobs | Alliances | Alianzas | Terms of Use | Contact Us | About Us | Blog | Dueños |