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Best museum destinations in South America

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Lima
Historic Charm Meets Coastal Vibes
7.3
The vice royal building holding the Larco Museum is older than Peru's independence in 1821. The museum opened on 28 July 1926, which is Independence Day. Its Cultures Gallery covers 10,000 years of history. The gallery of erotic ceramics is described as the largest in the world.
Highlights:
  • 🌊 Stroll the scenic Malecón along the Pacific coast
  • 🎨 Visit the Museo Larco for ancient Peruvian art
  • 🏛️ Explore the historic Plaza de Armas and Cathedral
Cusco
Gateway to the Incan Empire's Heart
8.4
Spanish builders in Cusco often set their churches on Inca foundations. At Qorikancha, the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo is built on the walls of the Inca sun temple. The temple was dedicated to the sun god Inti. Its walls were once covered in gold sheets. An underground museum holds mummies, textiles and idols.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Stroll through Plaza de Armas and admire colonial architecture
  • 🏔️ Take the train or trek to the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu
  • 🧱 Visit the ancient Inca site of Sacsayhuamán overlooking the city
São Paulo
A vibrant mix of culture and cuisine
8.0
Assis Chateaubriand and Pietro Maria Bardi founded the São Paulo Museum of Art in 1947. Lina Bo Bardi designed its building on Paulista Avenue. It was inaugurated in 1968. The building has a 74 metre span between its supporting pillars. That was the largest free span in the world at the time.
Highlights:
  • 🎨 Admire street art at colorful Beco do Batman
  • 🌳 Relax in vast green Ibirapuera Park with museums
  • 🚶‍♀️ Walk vibrant Paulista Avenue, heart of São Paulo
Santiago
A vibrant city between mountains
7.4
The National Museum of Fine Arts was founded on 18 September 1880. It is the oldest museum of its kind in South America. Its building, the Palacio de Bellas Artes, opened on 21 September 1910. It stands in Parque Forestal. Two other museums here cover Pre-Columbian art and human rights.
Highlights:
  • 🎨 Stroll through the colorful alleys of Barrio Bellavista and enjoy local art
  • ⛪ Explore the historic Plaza de Armas and its stunning cathedral
  • 🚠 Ride the cable car up Cerro San Cristóbal for sweeping city views
Bogotá
Vibrant Culture in the Andean Highlands
7.1
The Gold Museum faces Parque Santander in the city centre. It holds about 55,000 objects with about 6,000 on display. A Muisca raft found in Pasca in 1969 is linked to the El Dorado myth. The Botero Museum in La Candelaria opened in 2000 with 123 works by Botero and 85 by other artists.
Highlights:
  • 🏘️ Stroll through historic La Candelaria neighborhood
  • 🏛️ Explore the Museo del Oro with pre-Hispanic gold
  • ⛰️ Take in panoramic city views from Mount Monserrate
Curitiba
Green City of Urban Innovation
6.7
The museum opened in 2002 as the Novo Museu and took its current name on 8 July 2003. Oscar Niemeyer finished the project at age 95. It is also called the Eye Museum for its eye like design. The two building complex covers 35,000 square metres. It focuses on visual arts, architecture and design.
Highlights:
  • 🦦 Relax and watch capybaras at Parque Barigui
  • 🏛️ Explore modern art at Museu Oscar Niemeyer
  • 🌺 Visit the iconic Jardim Botânico with its glasshouse
Museum of Precolombian Art
Ancient Americas' Artistic Treasures
The Royal Customs House, built from 1805 to 1807, holds more than 3,000 pieces. They come from almost 100 groups of people. The collection spans about 10,000 years. It covers Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, Amazonia and the Andes. Sergio Larraín García-Moreno, an architect and collector, founded the museum in 1981.
Highlights:
  • 🧭 Learn about Andean cultures through detailed exhibitions
  • 🥇 Explore the museum’s exquisite gold and silver collection
  • 🏺 Admire ancient artifacts from pre-Columbian civilizations
Museum of Memory & Human Rights
Reflection on Chile's Past
President Michelle Bachelet opened the museum on 11 January 2010, two months before her term ended. It covers the Pinochet dictatorship from 1973 to 1990. A design by Brazilian architects from São Paulo won a public competition. Exhibits include letters from prisoners to their families, newspaper clippings and survivor testimony.
Highlights:
  • 📜 View powerful testimonies and archival documents
  • 🎧 Explore interactive exhibits on the 1973-1990 dictatorship
  • 🕯️ Reflect on Chile's human rights history and resilience
Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires
Dynamic showcase of Latin art
Bold colour runs through two famous works in the collection. Frida Kahlo's 1942 self portrait with a monkey and a parrot was bought in 1995. Tarsila do Amaral's Abaporu from 1928 was bought the same year. Eduardo Costantini founded the museum, which opened in 2001. It stands on Figueroa Alcorta Avenue in Palermo.
Highlights:
  • 🎥 Attend film screenings and cultural events regularly
  • 🖼️ Explore modern and contemporary Latin American art
  • 🎨 Admire iconic Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera artworks
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