Museums of Trujillo

Location:
Trujillo, Peru

Museum Types:
Science and nature, Archaeology, Paleontology, Anthropology, ethnography, Cultural, History, Art

By Lorraine Caputo

Trujillo isn’t just about great archaeological ruins of long-gone empires. It also has a number of museums to suit every interest.

Museo de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia de la UNT is located in the colonial Casa Risco. This museum houses murals and artifacts from 12,000 BC to the Spanish conquest (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m., Jirón Junín 682. Entry: adults $1.70, children and students $0.35).

Museo de Historia Natural de la UPAO has a collection of flora, fauna and fossils of the region (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-noon, 3-5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-noon., Avenida América Sur 3145. Entry: free).

Museo de Zoología Juan Ormea Rodríguez has exhibits of taxidermy animals and birds from the coastal and Andean regions (Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Jirón San Martín 368. Entry: foreigners $0.70, national adults $0.20, students $0.10).

Museo del Juguete presents the history of toys from pre-Incan through to modern times (Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jirón Independencia 705. Entry: adults $1.70, chidren $0.70).

Museo de Arte Moderno exhibits local artist Gerardo Chávez’ personal collection of works by Guzmán, Wifredo Lam and others, as well as his own collection (Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sunday 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Prolongación Avenida Francisco Villareal y Carretera Industial Km 3.5, Tel: 21-5668. Entry: adults $3.35, children $1.70).

Museo Catedrálico has religious art and explore the mural-decorated crypt (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 4-7 p.m., Jirón Orbegoso 419, Plaza de Armas, adjoining the catedral. Entry: adults $1.35, university students $0.70, children $0.35).

Museo Cassinelli houses more than 6,000 pieces of pre-Columbian pottery, jewellery, textiles and musical instruments (daily 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 3-7 p.m., Avenida Nicolás de Piérola 607. Entry: free).

Getting There
Most museums are centrally located. For the Museo de Arte Moderno: On Avenida Los Incas, catch a north-bound “A-Huanchaco” combi. Tell the driver to let you off at La Villa Real, which is a half block from the museum ($0.50). A taxi costs about $3 one way.