10 Best museums in Quito

Quito, which lies very close to the Equator, is on one of the slopes of the Andes, and is the second highest city in the world. This makes it necessary to explore the city at your own pace, so exploring its museums is one of the best things to do in Quito.

In this article you'll discover the city's most outstanding museums, whose collections will allow you to learn more about its history, art and culture, as well as its ancestral legacy and its relationship with the present. You can also visit a different museum, where you can carry out experiments to prove or disprove myths related to Latitude Zero.

Middle of the World City is a tourist complex with many attractions such as squares, the virtual planetarium and the famous Middle of the World Monument, which would be located right on the Equator. You can visit 4 museums in the Complex: the Cacao Museum, the Mitad del Mundo Monument Museum, the Train Station and the Craft Beer Museum. A visit to the Complex is included in almost every tour of Quito.

At the Mitad del Mundo Museum you can check out various experiments related to Latitude Zero, such as whether water rotates in different directions in the two hemispheres. The curious thing is that it is said that the Equator actually passes through the Museo Solar Intiñán, a very interesting museum nearby that you can include in your itinerary.

You can also visit the Museo de la Cerveza Artesanal, where you can learn about its ingredients, the brewing process and taste the different beers; and the Museo del Cacao, where you can taste Ecuador's richest chocolate. The Train Station was a very valuable railway for the country, which was inaugurated in 1873.

In addition to visiting the museums, you can visit the virtual Planetarium, its squares and other important monuments in the complex, as well as craft shops, bars and restaurants, so you can enjoy a complete tour and learn more about the culture, history and gastronomy of Ecuador.

Interesting facts

• Address: Av. Manuel Córdoba Galarza SN, Quito, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00 hours. Saturdays and Sundays from 09:00 to 17:00 hours.
• Entrance fee: around 8 € per person.

The Guayasamín House Museum is one of the five public spaces of the Guayasamín Foundation, the institution that is responsible for exhibiting the works of one of Ecuador's most prominent painters, Oswaldo Guayasamín. The house covers an area of 2,000 square metres and contains objects from colonial, pre-Columbian and contemporary times that the artist collected throughout his life.

The Guayasamín House Museum is the place where Guayasamín lived during the last years of his life. The architecture, in Hispanic and Andean style, is unique to the period, with ample space for the artist to paint. It was designed by his brothers Gustavo and René Guayasamín, who fulfilled the requests of the painter, who was already planning for it to be a museum in the future.

On the first floor of the house, you can visit the painter's room, which has a very important collection of books, most of them related to art. The ground floor also houses the painting studio and the "Maruja Monteverde" Temporary Exhibition Hall, in the place where Guayasamín used to paint.

Interesting facts

• Address: Mariano Calvache E18-94 y, Quito 170135, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9.30 am to 4.45 pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Entrance fee: around 10 € per person.

This museum is located in the historic centre, and houses more than 5,000 pieces including works made of ceramics, stone, metal, shell, wood and also textiles, which belonged to different Ecuadorian cultures before the arrival of the Inca Empire. Most of them are pieces that had a ritual use.

It is located in one of the oldest buildings in the city, which was built in the 16th century. The museum's architecture is colonial and pre-Hispanic, and the building used to be home to well-known families of the time. The museum offers 30-minute guided tours on specific themes, plus a 30-minute free tour, which must be booked in advance.

One of the most interesting rooms in the Casa Museo del Alabado is the one containing miniatures, small objects made by artisans that were kept with the deceased in ceremonial acts, or that served as amulets.

Another of the museum's highlights is the Winged Figure, a ceramic statue of a shaman on a journey, resting on an inhalation tablet. Also of note is the Napo funerary urn. Each of the urns was unique and had shapes that alluded to the human body.

Interesting facts

• Address: Cuenca N1-41, Quito 170401, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Entry fee: General admission is around €6 per person.

The Museo de la Ciudad is located in the old hospital San Juan de Dios, which is in the historic centre of the city. It is dedicated to the history of Quito, and also to the history of the old hospital that functioned for 400 years. The building was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Today this site functions as a cultural institution that disseminates the history and culture of the city from pre-Hispanic times to the present day, in which local legends and traditions also have their place. The exhibitions in the Museo de la Ciudad are adapted for the whole family to understand, and include photographs, replicas, models, paintings and many art objects.

In the main hall there is a display of how the old hospital worked, with sculptures about the Sisters of Charity and various testimonies. The Hospital de la Misericordia de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo was founded in 1565 by order of the King of Spain. Today this museum is part of the Fundación de Museos de Quito, and is an essential stop on many of the best guided tours in Quito.

Interesting facts

• Address: García Moreno, Quito 170405, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Sundays from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Entrance fee: around 4 € per person.

The National Museum, founded in 1969, exhibits works related to the history of Ecuador. It is located in the building of the Casa de la Cultura de Quito in the historic centre of the city, and houses collections from the colonial, pre-Hispanic, 19th century and contemporary periods. It is considered the largest collection of ancestral goods in the country.

The National Museum of Ecuador contains more than 5,200 works, including paintings, sculptures, gold and silver work, porcelain, glass, jewellery, textiles and period furniture. Most of the works belonged to Max Konanz, and to other collectors such as Borja, Dávila, Baum and Caamaño, among others.

Among the most interesting exhibitions are the gold room, which displays the metalwork of pre-Hispanic societies; and the colonial art room, which includes works of art from the Escuela Quiteña, which developed between the 16th and 18th centuries, and includes works by Miguel de Santiago, Manuel Chili Caspicara and Bernardo de Legarda.

The Museum also has a very varied agenda of events, conferences, concerts and workshops, so I recommend that you visit the Museum's website before you go, so you don't miss out on the events of your choice.

Interesting facts

• Address: Edificio de los Espejos, Avenida Patria (between Avenida 6 de Diciembre and Avenida 12 de Octubre), Quito, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Admission: free of charge.

The Chapel of Man Museum is an art museum designed by the painter Oswaldo Guayasamín, one of the most important in the country, whose aim was to celebrate the human being and the identity, history and culture of the people. It was declared a Priority Project for Culture by Unesco. The word "chapel" evokes the idea of recollection and reflection on human nature.

The Chapel of Man stands out for its Andean-style architecture, which evokes the shape of a stone. It is located in the Plaza de la Integración Iberoamericana, where cultural events, concerts and festivals are often held. It is spread over some 4,000 square metres, and on two levels: the ground floor, where the Contemporary Hall is located; and the basement, the Pre-Hispanic Hall.

The Chapel of Man is one of the five spaces dedicated to Guayasamín, so if you are particularly interested in his work, you can visit the other museums belonging to the Guayasamín Foundation, which are the Archaeological Site, the Park of Cultures, the Guayasamín House Museum and the Oswaldo Guayasamín Studio.

Interesting facts

• Address: E18-94 Mariano Calvache, y, Quito 170135, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9.30 am to 4.45 pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Entrance fee: around €10 per person.

The Museo Etnohistórico de Artesanías del Ecuador Mindalae is located in the centre of Quito and contains exhibits of art belonging to Ecuador's indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, Montubio and mestizo cultures. Its name derives from the Mindalaes, an elite group of traders who practised fair trade.

In addition to exhibitions, the Midalae Ethnohistoric Museum contains an auditorium for performances, and often hosts dance and music events and activities. It is also a place where you can buy a variety of handicrafts and enjoy local cuisine.

On the 5 floors of the museum, the collections are organised as follows:

• 1st floor: you will find ethnographic works of the indigenous peoples of Amazonia.
• 2nd floor: exhibits representative characters of the cultures of the Coast of Ecuador.
• 3rd floor: contains the room of the forests and forest ecosystems, which teaches about the use of their resources.
• 4th floor: exhibits a collection of clothing, textiles, textiles and ceramics.
• 5th floor: this is one of the most outstanding rooms, where you will find the solar calendar section and the Andean cosmovision and ritual room.

If you are interested in native crafts, don't miss the Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal Quito, where you can find a wide variety of handicrafts, from weavings to Panamanian hats. And if you're in Quito for 3 days, you can visit the Otavalo Market, one of the most important in Ecuador.

Interesting facts

• Address: Reina Victoria N26-166, Quito 170102, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Entry fee: around €3 per person.

The Museo de Sitio La Florida is a cemetery belonging to the Quitu culture of the Quito Valley. There you can see tombs built between 200 AD and 680 AD, which consisted of wells with a central chamber; and explore rooms exhibiting objects of great cultural value, such as ceramics, textiles, metalwork and seashells, among others.

In ancient times, bodies were buried in the foetal position because it was believed that people would be born again in the womb of Mama Pacha (or Pachamama), or that they would become gods from above or below. Amulets and ceramic offerings were placed around the bodies, and food and water were also brought in because it was believed that the deceased might need them.

Several people were often buried in the pits, up to twelve in number. Some were buried facing west, towards the Pichincha volcano. In the Site Museum you will also be able to see the space where the people of the highest social hierarchy were buried.

Interesting facts

• Address: VF3V+637, Antonio Costas, Quito 170132, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9.30 am to 5 pm. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
• Admission: free of charge.

The San Francisco Museum exhibits religious works and some 3,500 works of art from the Quito School, which flourished in the country during the 16th and 18th centuries. It is located in the Church and Convent of San Francisco, which was built in the 16th century. Besides seeing the museum, you cannot miss visiting the church, of which there is a curious legend about its construction.

In the San Francisco Museum there are very interesting rooms to visit, such as those exhibiting works of the Passion of Christ. Some of the best works to be found in this museum are the Stigmatisation of Saint Francis, done in oil on canvas and of anonymous authorship, and the work "Saint Francis commemorates the Last Supper".

Among the most outstanding artists are the painter Miguel de Santiago with the work of the Genealogical Tree of the Franciscan Order, which is the largest canvas in the entire convent. There are also works by Bernardo Rodríguez, Bernardo Legarda and Manuel Caspicara, among others.

The church is home to the 18th-century Virgen de Quito, which inspired the Virgen del Panecillo, a symbol of the city, which is visited on all tours of Quito. It is also recommended that you climb the Campanario Tower, from where you can see a panoramic view of the city; and that you try the craft beer brewed at the Convent.

Interesting facts

• Address: Cuenca 477 and Sucre, Historic Centre of Quito, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Entrance fee: around €2 per person.

The Colonial Art Museum is one of the oldest museums in Quito, where you can see different works of art from the 16th to the 19th century by Ecuadorian and Latin American artists, including ornaments, sculptures, paintings, furniture and numismatics. The latter refers to the collection of coins, banknotes, medals and titles.

Among the most interesting pieces that can be seen in this museum are the replica of the Council of Trent and the canvases of the painters Samaniego, Cabrera and Rodriguez. You can also see the Marianas painting by Miguel de Santiago and the sculptures by Caspicara and Legarda.

This museum is located inside the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana, an institution dedicated to preserving the art and culture of Ecuador. This institution organises different activities for the whole family and social gatherings with artists, most of which are free of charge.

Interesting facts

• Address: Rocafuerte 1622, Quito 170401, Ecuador.
• Opening hours: Wednesdays to Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm.
• Admission: around 6 € per person.