Plenty of places packed with old stuff in Cusco. Back when it ran the Inca show, empire reached out to Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, chunks of Argentina, even a sliver of Colombia. All sorts of peoples got pulled into Inca life, turned it into this big mix.
Spanish showed up, smashed the empire. Wiped out their record way, quipu, those knotted strings in colors. Nearly all gone. Plus diseases hit hard, no resistance. Killed off most elite, quipucamayoc who handled quipu. Gone with them, the know-how.
Archeologists Museums in Cusco?
No direct Inca docs. Spanish journals, field notes, that’s it. Missing ancient bits ramps up the puzzle. We got finds from ethnic bunches, pre-Inca groups, Incas too. No clear answers, heaps unexplained.
Stuff that survived in Peru sits mostly in museums. Nation’s layered old story means spots everywhere. Cusco holds some deepest cultural layers. So while kicking around, catch these top museums.
Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.
This set comes from Larco spot in Lima. Around 400 items spread in 10 rooms. Known worldwide as top notch. Walk all rooms for full hit. First one goes back to 250 B.C. early groups. Next few show wood, shell, silver, gold work. Last five by peoples like Paracas, Nazca, Mochica, Huari, Chancay, Chimu, end with Inca.
Points that stand out.
Huge set, one biggest pre-Columbian anywhere. Pieces from Peru wide give solid view on history. Audio guides in English, Spanish, French. Cafe eatery in middle yard.
How to reach to Museums in Cusco.
Near main plaza, three blocks off, five minute stroll from square. Where Nazarenas bends to Pumacurco, northwest side Plazoleta de las Nazarenas. In Cusco old center, UNESCO list as Ciudad de Cusco.
- Address: Nazarenas 231, Cusco 08002.
- Entry stuff.
- Hours: daily approximately 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., but some say Mon-Sat 10 to 4. General: about S/20. Nationals: S/10. Foreign students: S/10. Peruvian students: S/5. Locals from Cusco free 9 to 4!
Museum of Qorikancha.
Santo Domingo temple one grand build in Cusco, but under it most vital Inca spot, Qorikancha.
Qorikancha golden temple, mixes Inca build with Spanish colonial. Museum sits under grassy yard front of temple. Counted as top sacred in Inca realm, for sun god Inti. All displays from digs at Qorikancha. Small, five rooms, ceramics varied, textiles, tools, weapons, even bones like mummies. Big draw is Qorikancha itself. One top pre-Columbian build worldwide. Check the temple too when there.
Points standing out.
Under Qorikancha temple, must see that. Santo Domingo convent, Spanish church on top. Mummies from Inca digs at site. Guided talks in Spanish, English extra cost.
How to reach.
On Avenida del Sol corner with Calle Arrayanniyoq, four blocks from plaza, ten minute walk from center. Arrive, see big temple with grass field ahead. For museum, go down under field, entrance obvious.
- Address: Santo Domingo s/n, Cusco 08000.
- Entry Hours: Mon-Sat around 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun shorter like 9 to noon or 2 to 4. General: approximately S/15 to 20. Nationals S/10. Students: S/10. Sometimes included in tourist ticket, but check.
Inca Museum.
Set up as Archaeological Museum of Cusco University in 1920s. Now ties to UNESCO heritage for Cusco city. Bulk from university library museum, plus Jose Lucas Caparo Muniz family, lawyer politician. One widest Inca sets global. See pottery, metal, textiles, mummies, more.
Points of interest.
Biggest queros collection, those ceremony drink cups. Mummies from Inca offers to gods. Sizeable museum, tons exhibits. Inca and pre-Inca items from both eras. Guided talks Spanish English extra.
- Note: Largest Inca artifacts in Cusco, maybe world.
- How to get. Easy, one block northeast Plaza de Armas. Northeast side plaza, find Cta. del Almte street. Up it one or two minutes, museum on corner right there.
- Address: Ataud 154, Cusco 08002.
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or maybe 9:15 to 4, Sat shorter like 9 to 4 or 8:45 to 1:45. General: S/10 to 20. Nationals: S/5 to 10. Students: S/5 to 10.
- Not sure on exact fees, heard they bumped up lately.
Museum of Regional History.
In home of writer Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, biggest museum Cusco. Deep shows on history flow for Cusco Inca area. Exhibits pre-Inca Wari, pre-Columbian, colonial, modern. Founded 1946, collection from Concha Iberico family donate, plus Cusco school art pieces.
- Points of interest. Big layout, first floor regional items, second colonial Cusco. Deep on ages passing. Art shown from Cusco school contemporary. Guided in Spanish English extra.
- How to get. Corner Calle Garcilaso de la Vega and Calle Heladero, near Plaza Regocijo. Two blocks southwest Plaza de Armas, few minutes walk.
- Address: C. Garcilaso, Cusco 08002.
- Note: Can’t buy just this ticket, need boleto turistico to visit.
- Hours: Mon-Fri holidays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or daily same. Admission: boleto turistico required, costs around S/130 foreign, partial less.
Museum and Catacombs of the Convent of St. Francisco of Assisi.
San Francisco convent church in Cusco historic zone. Built 1572, wrecked in 1650 quake, redone 1652. Shaped like cross, splits to four cloisters. Museum part two floors second cloister, church, choir, antechoir. Inside church, big paintings like largest canvas oil in Americas, oldest in Cusco: Genealogy of Franciscan Order. Church was cemetery too, catacombs below. Go down, see skulls from old monks.
Points of interest.
Genealogy of Franciscan Order, Cusco oldest paint. Build in Romanesque Plateresque styles. Catacombs only one in Cusco churches with bones. Choir carved cedar fine. Library over 10,000 books.
How to get.
Close to center, five minute walk. South part Plaza de San Francisco, four blocks Plaza de Armas. Plaza on Calle de Santa Clara Granada corner. At plaza, spot big belltower.
Address: Pl. San Francisco s/n, Cusco 08001.
Entry. Hours: Mon-Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or up to 6. General: S/15 to 30. National: S/10 to 15. Foreign student: S/10. Peruvian student: S/5.
Cusco packs cultural punch worldwide. To grasp what you’ll spot, hit a museum. Gives sense of tangled regional past. So much around every turn in Cusco. Include one when here, key to get ancient groups. Wait, not key, but yeah essential.
