The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco, is located in the district, province and region of Cusco. This museum is located in the Historic Center of Cusco, just 1 block from the main square of the city.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco has a two-storey building, in which three exhibition rooms have been distributed. On the lower floor, there are two rooms for temporary exhibitions, while on the second level, in an “L” -shaped room, there is the permanent museum exhibition, for the presentation of contemporary art pieces.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco, was created at the end of the 20th century. The work saw the light, thanks to the support of the then mayor, as well as thanks to the donation of pieces of art, made by important painters and sculptors of the region; along with the support of donations from collectors. The important contribution that was made to achieve the creation of this museum has led to the registration of almost three hundred pieces of art in that museum today.
Of the pieces that make up the second level of the museum, the one that stands out the most, because of its age, without diminishing its artistic importance, is the canvas entitled “Río Vilcanota”, which was made at the end of the 19th century by Remigia Mendoza. important for being considered one of the women who started the indigenous movement. Other authors who present works at the Museum of Contemporary Art are Francisco Olazo, Emilio Mendizábal, Oscar Olazo, Morales Accounts, Alberto Quintanilla, among many others, both from Cusco and from abroad.
The first level of this important Cusco museum, in addition to having the two temporary exhibition rooms, also has a patio, where the art of the town, manifested in the form of handicrafts, is exhibited for the enjoyment of the museum’s visitors. .
The popularity of this museum has meant that at least fifty exhibitions are held annually, which can be consulted on the website of this cultural space in Cusco. The rules for the exhibition of artistic pieces are also found on the same portal.
Whoever visits this museum should bear in mind that when accessing its rooms, especially the permanent ones, the homogeneity of the pieces is not the key to enjoying the spectacular lines, colors and lights of the paintings and other artistic forms; the museum pieces are not arranged in response to trends or schools, but rather to the artistic appreciation of their main donor; for them, it is not surprising, to find in the collection from pieces of indigenous tendency, through realistic, expressionist canvases, and even those riskier of abstract tendency, among others.
Whoever wants to visit this museum can do so from Monday to Saturday from 9 in the morning until 6:30 in the afternoon. Admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art is completely free.
Location
Located in the Municipality of Cusco in Plaza Regocijo, which was built in 1848.
Description
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco was founded in 1995 from the sponsorship of its Mayor and the donation of 100 works by local artists by the collector Dr. Luis Rivera Dávalos. Currently it has more than 280 works by renowned local, national and foreign artists. His oldest work corresponds to the oil painting by Remigia Mendoza: «Río Vilcanota» (1897). It has three exhibition rooms in the Municipal Palace, one in the Chapel of San Bernardo and an environment for Handicraft Exhibitions in the main courtyard of the Municipal Palace.
Attractions
It permanently exhibits the works of its collection and annually holds more than 50 temporary exhibitions, individual and collective, of renowned national and foreign artists. Similarly, National and International Salons and Events, Latin American Encounters of Plastic Artists and other activities. Art in Cusco does not only go back to its Inca or colonial ancestry, but survives through the production of its contemporary artists.
Contemporary art painting and sculpture are exhibited at the Contemporary Art Museum. It is a municipal collection recently founded on the initiative of former mayor Daniel Estrada.
It is made up of works by twentieth-century Cusco painters. On the first floor of the municipality, surrounding the courtyard, there are twelve showcases with contemporary crafts. The creations of Hilario Mendívil, Edilberto Mérida and Antonio Olave can be appreciated.
The two rooms on the first floor of the museum function as art galleries, and a selection of contemporary painting is on permanent display on the second floor.
What does the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco exhibit?
It has three exhibition rooms in the Municipal Palace, one in the Chapel of San Bernardo and an environment for Handicraft Exhibitions in the main courtyard of the Municipal Palace.
The museum currently has more than 280 works by renowned local, national and foreign artists. The Museum of Contemporary Art has three exhibition rooms and its oldest work belongs to Remigia Mendoza, a fresco painted oil entitled: «Vilcanota River», this work was exhibited in this museum since 1897. On the first floor of the museum, we can find twelve display cases arranged, which contain contemporary crafts. We can also find the creations of Hilario Mendívil, Edilberto Mérida and Antonio Olave, famous characters belonging to one of the most emblematic neighborhoods of the city of Cusco: The San Blas neighborhood or the artists’ neighborhood. This floor also has two rooms, which function as art galleries, and on the second floor we can appreciate his selection of contemporary paintings.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco holds approximately more than 50 temporary, individual and collective exhibitions annually, these exhibitions belong to renowned national and foreign artists. It also carries out national and international events, Latin American meetings of Plastic Artists and other activities.
Art in Cusco does not only go back to its Inka or colonial ancestry, but survives through the production of its contemporary artists.
Hours of Operation of the Museum of Contemporary Art:
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cusco can be visited by all people, both foreigners and national tourists, the entrance for this museum is inside the tourist ticket (BTG), this museum is located in Santa Teresa, inside the Municipal Palace, in Plazoleta del Regocijo one block from the main square.
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Other Museums in the City of Cusco:
The city of Cusco has a large number of museums that show evidence of the different cultures that were welcomed in this city. The main museums display Inca ceramic, textile, jewelry and tool remains.
Here is a list of the main museums in Cusco:
Inca Museum of the National University of San Antonio Abad
The Inca Museum is known as the ‘Archaeological Museum of Cusco’. It has funerary remains, ceramic objects, textiles and artifacts of the Inca and pre-Inca civilization
It has many archaeological treasures among which are ceramics, textiles, jewelry, skulls and a unique collection of Inca vessels.
Museum of Natural History of Cusco
Museum that gathers millions of years of history of the flora and fauna of Cusco.
It has 2 rooms. In the first one, the flora and fauna are exhibited as well as different representative species of the coast, mountains and jungle of Peru.
Santa Catalina Convent and Art Museum
The Santa Catalina Convent was built at the beginning of the 17th century on the ruins of the Acllawasi, known as the ‘House of the chosen ones’ or the ‘House of the virgins of the sun’.
San Francisco Temple Museum
The San Francisco Temple belongs to the Franciscan religious order. It was built in 1572 in the current «San Francisco» square in Cusco.
This temple is famous for housing catacombs with skeletal remains of former leaders of the religious order.
Museum of the Convent of La Merced
One of the most popular tourist attractions in the La Merced convent is the cell of Father Salamanca who created surrealist paintings in the Mercedarian cloister.
Archbishop’s Palace Museum
This museum exhibits a collection of paintings from the colonial era. However, its true attraction is the Inca house that houses the museum.
Qoricancha Temple Museum
Qoricancha Temple Museum is the most important temple of the Inca civilization. It is known as the ‘Temple of the Sun’. Its walls are the most finely carved in the entire Inca empire.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Municipality of Cusco
It is a modern art museum displaying modern art paintings and sculptures as well as contemporary canvases and crafts.
Museum of Pre-Columbian Art
The Museum of Pre-Columbian Art exhibits a collection of objects from the different cultures that developed in Peru prior to the Incas. Highlights: ceramics, objects carved in wood, silver, gold and more.
INC Regional Historical Museum
The house where the museum is located was built in the 16th century and belonged to the famous Cusco writer and chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega.
The museum exhibits Inca and pre-Inca objects such as musical instruments, ceramic pieces and agricultural instruments as well as canvases and other objects from the colonial era.
Cathedral Museum
This huge cathedral was built on the foundations of the Inca palace Wiracocha. Its construction began in 1550 and was completed 100 years later.
Cathedral Museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of Cusco due to its fantastic architecture and the artistic treasures that are inside.
Museum of Folk Art of the American Institute of Art
This museum houses more than 2,000 artisan pieces made by Cusco artists since 1937, when the local works of art began to be selected and grouped together.
Traditional Textile Center of Cusco
This museum will allow you to appreciate the steps for the manufacture of garments with natural products and in a traditional way, just as the Andean people did hundreds of years ago.
Machu Picchu Museum of Casa Concha
The Machu Picchu Museum of the Casa Concha gathers hundreds of pieces found in the excavations made in Machu Picchu. Its name is due to the fact that the place belonged to the Marquis Concha during the Spanish viceroyalty.
The pieces include: ceramics, stone tools, knives, bone remains, textiles and other objects.
Machu Picchu Site Museum ‘Manuel Chávez Ballón’
The site museum of Machu Picchu exhibits some of the pieces found in the Inca City during the excavations made over several years. It also includes the food and lifestyle of the Incas in Machu Picchu.
Visiting Cusco is a real adventure whose protagonist will be yourself, instead of a memorable experience, that is why Cusco is definitely one of the most incredible cities with a great variety of archaeological centers and tours such as Sacred Valley, Camino Inca or Machu Picchu. To enjoy an unforgettable experience, contact Inka Trail Backpacker, a company that will better assist you during your visit, of course it is always with the necessary advice for you and yours as well as the guarantee, responsibility and security that characterizes us. If you visit the city of Cusco another impressive destinations that you can visit are the tour to rainbow mountain peru or the humantay lake tour from cusco, which only takes one day. But if you are gonna to stay more days in Cusco, other archaeological places you can know will be the choquequirao trek peru, the salkantay trek to machu picchu, and the classic inca trail 4 days 3 nights.
