Location: Quito
Top Things to do in Quito
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The 10 Best Specialty Museums in Quito, Pichincha Province
With a rich pre-Colombian history, Ecuador's capital was founded on the ruins of an Incan city but offers everything a modern traveler might need. It remains the least-altered historic center in Latin America and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quito’s important sites include baroque gems like San Francisco and Santo Domingo monasteries, as well as La Compañía church and college. This huge city sprawls across a breathtaking Andean valley surrounded by volcanic peaks.
Restaurants in Quito
1. Casa Cultural Trude Sojka
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 17 reviews
2. Casa Mitomana
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Casa Mitomana - Invernadero Cultural (Cultural Greenhouse) is a space dedicated to the incubation, development and exhibition of artistic projects of a wide disciplinary variety: performing arts, photography, concerts, workshops ... The space also has a coworking area, an arts library (new and second-hand books), a photography lab, a freelance creators’ collective store and a cafeteria-restaurant (lunches, snacks, coffee, wine...).
3. Insomnia La Casa del Terror
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 125 reviews
The fearless moments in your life , adrenaline and emotions
4. National Museum of Ecuador
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 438 reviews
The National Museum recognizes the multiplicity of identities of Ecuadorian society, its permanent transformation and mobility, and seeks to establish itself as a space for participation, dialogue, confrontation and representation in the public sphere. For this end, the Museum establishes a new model of relationship with the public, citizens and the community, that goes beyond specialized audiences.
Reviewed By georgesB4777WE - Miami Beach, United States
The National Museum - NaMu - is now open after a recent renovation and is a not to be missed visit. It is one of the museums located in the Casa de la Cultura (the circular modern building in Arbolito Park) and admission is free. It gives an oversight of the history of Ecuador from pre-Colombian to the modern era. The narratives and information are also in English and are informative. Very interesting ancient artifacts, historical timelines and a marvelous gold exhibition of relics and masks on the ground floor. On the second and third floors there are also thematic exhibits on Ecuador’s history, economy, society, and culture. Once again, nice and informative exhibits, including some modern art. I would allocate at least three hours for this visit. This is a “must see”!
5. Intinan Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,412 reviews
Located close to the Equator Monument, this onsite museum features interactive exhibits on how the Incas determined the middle of the earth, plus interesting science experiments such as balancing an egg on a nail and the affects of the Coriolis force on earth.
Reviewed By carolelovestravel - Ottawa, Canada
From the Main Mitad del Mundo monument, we walk about 400 meters on the main road and turn onto a sandy entrance to what appears a little sketchy. We continue to find a small entrance into a great venue. We are greeted by someone who guides us to an outdoor seating area where we wait for a fee minutes. Soon a guide introduces herself and she proceeds to take us through various exhibits which include head shrinking rituals, Amazon tribes people, ancient art, artifacts and the must see and do Equator line experiments where the question of the direction water drains north vs south of the equator is finally answered! Balance an egg, test your strength and stand on the actual GPS confirmed Equator line. A great, informative, fun and hands on experience.
6. Museo de San Agustin
7. Museo de la Ciudad
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 338 reviews
Reviewed By kevinsbastianp - Carchi Province, Ecuador
This museum is in the historic center of Quito, before it was an old hospital, it was the first hospital in the Royal Audience of Quito, it has its own church, it is small and has gold and silver ornaments. The rate is cheap, it is a great museum with rooms dedicated to a pre-colonial life, colonial and when Quito was inhabited by nomadic communities before the Inca empire. Inside the museum there is area dedicated plants and animals. You can see old picture, artworks with stones and cow bones, also armor and old guns. I recommend visited because you learned about much old Quito.
8. Museo Manuela Saenz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 96 reviews
This museum contains her history, paintings, stamps and personal effects of Manuela Saenz.
Reviewed By JulieE955 - Columbia, United States
Manuela Saenz is probably someone you’ve never heard of, but she was very important in the drive for independence from from Spain. She was the lover of Simon Bolivar, but she did so much more. The museum has artifacts relating to her life as well as Bolivar’s. An must see museum for anyone interested in women’s history.
9. La Capilla Del Hombre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,651 reviews
Reviewed By dtroppy
We didn't want to leave the museum or the artist house that was on tour. Gorgeous painting make this a must see when visiting Quito.
10. Museo Casa del Alabado
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 791 reviews
Museo Casa del Alabado is a non-profit institution established with the purpose of preserving and sharing the legacy of Pre-Columbian cultures in Ecuador.
Reviewed By easttowest - Wine Coast Country California, United States
This small museum has a fabulous collection of pre-columbian artifacts, all in wonderful condition. It is just the right size, you can tour it in about an hour or so, Lovely old building with a little lunch, coffee cart in the courtyard. Captions are in English, plus they loan you a large English language guide for reference if you want to read more. It is just a block from the Iglesia do La Compnia de Jesus.
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