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Museo Larco

Museo Larco

9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The Museo Larco is housed in an exquisite 18th century vice-royal mansion, built over a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid and surrounded by beautiful gardens. The museum’s galleries exhibit the finest and most magnificent gold and jewelry treasures from Ancient Peru and the renowned erotic collection, one of Peru’s most celebrated attractions. Founded in 1926 and located in Lima, the Museo Larco holds the largest and most important archaeological collection of Ancient Peru in the world. Peru is known worldwide thanks to the legendary Inca Empire on the Andes Mountains; however few are aware that this society existed only for the last 100 years before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores. The Museo Larco portrays to the visitor an engaging narrative, recounting 5000 years in the development of Peru’s pre-Columbian history; thus becoming the ideal means to understand and enjoy Ancient Peru. On the Museum’s terraces overlooking its vibrant and stunning gardens, find Museo Larco´s Café restaurant, where one can savour the best of Peruvian and International cuisine.All in all, it’s accurate to say that to become fascinated by Peruvian history, the journey begins at Museo Larco!
Duration: 1-2 hours
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AU$20.41
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  • MRecchi
    Montreal, Canada30 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wow!
    This museum is 1000% worth visiting, really one of the top attractions in Lima. Not only is the place beautiful, but the collection they have is outstanding. Amazing to see auch a vast quantity of pre-columbian art and artifacts. It gives you a much greater appreciation of the culture of the ancient civilizations in Peru.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 October 2023
  • Ha Doan
    Hanoi, Vietnam11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must-see if you are in Lima
    An incredible collection of Pre-Columbian art, with a diverse array of artifacts including intricate pottery, vibrant textiles, and exquisite gold and silver pieces (and a unique collection of exotic pottery 😊) A compelling introduction to the history of Peru beyond the Inca Empire! I came on a weekday morning, and there was no queue. The ticket costs PEN 35 plus PEN 10 for the on-site guided tour starting at 12 pm (for English).
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 18 December 2023
  • melandreg2
    North Bergen, New Jersey5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best place to visit in Lima
    Excellent for understanding Peruvian history in addition to beauty of ceramic pieces. Extra treat was an exotic exhibit of ceramic pieces unlike anytime I have seen anywhere else in the world. Another plus is beautiful garden restaurant with wonderful local food and drink
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 December 2023
  • Batia R
    New York City, New York21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing museum not to be missed
    A beautiful 21st century museum. All Peruvian pre-Columbian civilizations are beautifully displayed and explained. Both chronologically and artistically. They have ceramics as well as beautiful gold artifacts. I went there twice. Once to do a reconnaissance and a second time to study it in depth. Don’t miss it when you are in lima.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 22 December 2023
  • plan09
    Lakewood Ranch, Florida2,726 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An oasis of color and calm in Lima
    Had a late flight post cruise and had explore other attractions so opted to have lunch and see the museum. What a spectacular place to enjoy lunch. The gardens are a riot of color and so refreshing after the arid ruins we had explored. The exhibits are well done and very interesting. It’s a manageable size so you won’t be overwhelmed. Highly recommend a visit to this oasis in Lima.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 31 December 2023
  • stuvwxyz59
    Ellinwood, Kansas61 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Helpful for first time visitors to Lima
    The museum told a lot about the areas of Lima and the geography which we found very useful. They are one of the few museums in the world who allow visitors to look through their many shelves of “extra” or “unused” artifacts. Their is a great restaurant attached with awesome milkshakes and an erotica artifact museum next door also.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 February 2024
  • Tom N
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An extraordinary museum with attentive staff many items to behold!
    The first thing you notice is the grounds of the museum were beautiful and gardens were well taken care of by the staff. The staff were very attentive and helpful. The displays were built and maintained very well with open spaces so no one would feel crowded and signage on all cases were in both Spanish and English. My wife and I spent more than four hours going through all the displays and could have easily spent the entire day so we plan on returning when we return to Peru. This is truly a first class facility with extraordinary Pre-Columbia artifacts that fill this facility. I would recommend that everyone should plan an entire day at this facility. As a side note I happened to lose a hearing aid while at the site and the management went above and beyond to see that it was returned to me.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 21 March 2024
  • JT
    Utah26 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful
    Truly amazing collections and beautiful grounds. It's a don't miss if possible when you visit Peru. Did it on our last afternoon before leaving at night. The quality of the collection is amazing, pre-Inca included. You can easily go on your own, just NEVER drive in Lima.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 April 2024
  • Jaya_h_c
    Fremont, California81 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take the guided tour
    We just spent almost a full day at the Museo Larco, which has an amazing collection of pre-Inca artifacts. What made the trip extra special was the guided tour with Jahssel. They did an amazing job weaving the relics into a memorable story. We lucked out because only two of us were on the 1:30 tour. Jahssel was both knowledgeable and fluent in English and answered questions very patiently. The 10 soles we spent for each of us ended up being the best 20 soles of the trip. I highly recommend the guided tour. .
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 May 2024
  • ChickenParm41
    807 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice Museum - Nice Artifacts, some very Erogenous
    Nice Museum - Nice Artifacts, some very Erogenous Took an Uber from our Hotel. Maybe $10 to get in. Lots of Peruvian artifacts, sculptures, pots, jewelry and more. There is a video to explain what you are seeing. There are guided tours, but we did it on our own. Nice Museum in Lima, but preferred the Cathedral/Museum over this place. Still worth seeing. The erogenous items are a sight to behold...lol There is a restaurant there, but we opted for something a bit more native to the area in Kennedy Park.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 May 2024
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles12,739 reviews
Excellent
10,062
Very good
2,397
Average
250
Poor
23
Terrible
7

robnbill
31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Our last day in Peru consisted of flying back to Lima from Cusco and getting a city tour. Since our flight back to the states did not leave until well after midnight, our tour operator booked a tour through the museum as well as a nice dinner before we headed to the airport.

The Larco is a sea of tranquility in a very busy noisy active city! After admiring the beautiful gardens that surround the museum, we entered into the vast collection of Pre Columbian artifacts. Frankly we were not sure this was going to be much more than a time filler. We were wrong. We first entered through a warren of floor to ceiling shelves called Visible Storage filled with 30,000 pottery artifacts. Many of these Portrait Vessels were grouped with similar pieces. Where we were used to seeing a few representative pieces in other museums, The Visible Storage allowed you to see many examples of similar pottery. Since many of these were from graves, they represented the person buried, their profession, sometimes possibly what they wanted to be in an afterlife. Many of these were faces. Looking over the vast collection one had to wonder what the person they represented was like. Some exhibited Asian features. Others more African. Neither of these should have been known about in Pre Columbian Peru.

The other galleries also did not disappoint. The gold and silver collection was breathtaking. After going through the Visible Storage, then seeing these artifacts really made us wonder what the person behind the artifact might have been like.

Next our guide took us to a separate gallery containing pre columbian erotic gallery. Wow, you know these people were no different than the rest of us. They just used clay where we use the internet! I will not endeavor to describe this gallery except to say, it was fascinating and illuminating. All this is possibly the reason more conservative powers in Peru are causing this permanent exhibit to be shuttered. It is shameful to say the least that this facet of the human experience is something that these powerful interests do not want others to experience.

Lastly, we made our way through the gardens to the restaurant where we were able to have our last meal in Lima surrounded by the lush gardens.

We really enjoyed our time at the Larco. It was a beautiful facility with an incredible staff. We had an extra hour or so before our guide was to pick us up to take us to the airport. The staff made us at home in the library. Offering us use of their computers if we needed to get on line or just allow us to get a nap after a tiring but rewarding day.

If you are in Lima do make time to see this fantastic museum. We expected it to be a bit player in our trip and it became a part to remember fondly.
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GAJ 93
London, UK130 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021 • Solo
A must visit in Lima ,The entrance fee of 35 soles is worth it .I did not take a guide as everything was written in English /Spanish/French/German .
Very clear to follow and enjoy on your own.Pics are allowed .One hour is enough if you are in a hurry .I was there in new year so I booked to enjoy the restaurant .food is good but extremely noisy and loud if you are sitting in the gardens for lunch .I opted to sit inside for more tranquil time
Very clean and Covid mediates are followed
The artifacts are pre Columbian and they are beyond imagination (if you are interested in that era) .The visit will complement your Peru visit at the end or give it a great entrance .
Written 11 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bruce G
Huntingdon Valley, PA8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
The Museo Larco houses an unbelievably vast private collection of pre-Colombian artifacts, providing insights into the cultures and religions of societies that pre-dated the Incas. The fact that one man organized the excavation, study, and classification of these artifacts only adds to the marvel. Guided tours are conducted in English and Spanish. Our guide, Mariana, had an excellent command of English and was able to convey much information to us, giving us a great orientation to the museum.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GBVilamoura
Vilamoura, Portugal52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021
We asked our concierge, "We only have time to visit one museum in Lima, which one do you recommend?" She suggested Mueo Larco. It features objects from every era of Peruvian civilization. It is easy to get through in a timely manner. And, the restaurant is a fantastic way to end your visit.
Written 2 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marc V
Troy, MI42 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Spent a fascinating couple of hours here. It’s not too overwhelming and very well organized and presented with information provided in several languages. The introductory video is very helpful. They provide free luggage storage and flavored water, which is a nice touch. The gardens are gorgeous and the cafe is delightful. The artifacts are in beautiful condition and we learned so much about precolumbian Peruvian cultures. We were fortunate to join a guided tour in English. Lucero Solano was fantastic, showing us the museum’s highlights and answering our questions. She has a great interactive style, keeping us engaged and thinking.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gregory L
Washington DC, DC160 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
I am not a big enjoyer of museums and I loved Museo Larco. First off, the building and gardens are a beautiful beginning. Then, you actually go through the museum and the experience just gets even better. I always find it hard to go in and look at art and pottery and where Museo Larco excels is taking you on a wonderfully curated journey through each section of the museum. Their descriptions at the beginning of each section really helped me put everything I was seeing in context. I came to the museum after being in Peru for a week and a half, which I am glad I did as it put a lot of things I had seen in the Scared Valley and Cusco into context. Overall, such a stellar museum, definitely top 3 I have been to around the world. There is a reason it is the number 1 thing to do in Lima.
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

iriegirlb4
South of the Border, SC138 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Great museum showcasing 40,000 works of art. They are so well preserved and presented in this lovely museum that used to be the Larco family home. Wonderful pieces of pottery that tell the story of how these ancient people lived, loved, fought. Beautiful pieces that must be seen.
The grounds are beautiful and there is a restaurant as well. Oh and a museum of erotica that will have you scratching your head.
Written 31 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristan S
17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
Late last year my friend and I visited Museo Larco while in Lima. We paid for the tour guide experience in addition. Gregory was the best tour guide. While we could have learned much of the information by reading plaques, he was able to point out intricate symbols found throughout many of the artifacts that we would have other wise missed. He also answered all of our questions and we therefore learned more about the history of Peru in this one tour than we had in visiting many other Museums. The artifacts are amazing at this museum. We did not see any other collection come even close with the amount of pottery and the gold and silver. I highly recommend a visit and if you can, ask for Gregory!
Written 4 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robert from Kitwe
36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This is a highlight of Lima tourist sites. The museum is housed in a beautiful ancient colonial mansion and is stuffed with archeological treasures - some golden, some woven, some ceramic (including a renowned collection of erotic pots). The galleries are informatively and authoritatively curated and organized in a sensible progression. There are some spectacular pieces and visitors are allowed to take photos without flash. There is a lovely garden in the heart of the museum with a charming ($$) restaurant on premises. Nice souvenir shop. Admission reasonable, multilingual staff helpful, and they take credit cards.
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LivDaley
Brooklyn, NY428 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We arrived at the hotel the first day of our Peru-Machu Picchu trip at 4pm. So we decided to visit the Museo Larco before our 7:30 reservation at Astrid and Gaston. The pairing made for a very elegant evening and was a true hallmark of the trip.

It’s easy to believe the museum is the best rated in South America. The gardens and the displays were simply exquisite. The museum featured a lot of ancient Peruvian jewelry and metal body wear. Also, the gift shop was probably the best of those we visited on the trip. It’s a smallish museum so only about 1.5 hours are needed.
Written 23 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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