Top 5: Museums in South America

On such a vast continent, it is no surprise to find South America has countless museums for the curious traveler to explore. Here are five of the best.

Mario Testino at the MALBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina © Edmund Holt | Dreamstime

MALBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Contains a noteworthy collection of modern art by artists hailing from Mexico and the Caribbean to Argentina, all housed in a striking building. The collection includes Fernando Botero’s The Widow and Argentinian legend Xul Solar’s Pareja.

Gold Museum, Bogota, Colombia

All that glitters certainly is not gold, but it seems like it at the Gold Museum, which contains more than 55,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts made from the precious metal, as well as other materials. Bilingual explanations of the exhibits make this fascinating museum accessible to both English and Spanish speakers.

The Sao Paulo Museum of Art © Casadphoto | Dreamstime

São Paulo Museum of Modern Art, São Paulo, Brazil

The MAM contains more than 5,000 works of art, mainly produced by Brazilian artists. As well as national artists, the collection also includes works by Joan Miró, Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso, and is housed in a building inspired by the MOMA in New York.

Quito Astronomical Observatory, Quito, Ecuador

The Ecuadorian capital is home to one of the oldest observatories in Latin America, and visitors can marvel at the extensive collection of scientific instruments. Quito was an important base for early astronomers thanks to its position on the Equator, and staff offer courses for those who want to develop their knowledge of the skies.

National Museum, Lima, Peru © Pavalache Stelian | Dreamstime

National Museum, Lima, Peru

If you don’t have time to visit the whole of the vast country of Peru, the National Museum provides a perfect opportunity to get to know the art and history of the various cultures that have existed in the country. Scale models of major ruins from the myriad different cultures are exhibited.