Quito, Ecuador » Entertainment » Exhibitions

Ecuador has always witnessed its trials and tribulations in history from the time of Inca’s to the Spanish Empire to the present day. This heritage has to be preserved in different museums and galleries for future generations. Most of museums are located in the Centro Histórico (Historic Center) of Quito. Exhibits mostly include personal works of great artists, relics of archaeological excavations in and around Ecuador and paintings and carvings dating to the Spanish rule.

• Museums

• Museum Alberto Mena Caamaño Quito

Exhibits: museum displaying the historical content of Quito most of which is Alberto Mena Caamaño collection of paintings dating to the 16th and 17th century.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm, Closed on Monday

Address: García Moreno and Paseje Eugenio Espejo (corner) Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2584363, +593 2 2950272

Fax: +593 2 2584363

For more information, Visit Centro Cultural Metropolitano

• Museo Casa de Sucre

Exhibits: once home of José Antonio de Sucre, hero of Ecuadorean independence. Ground floor: weapons and military ruins, Second Floor: renovated similar to Sucre’s era.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 9 am to 4.30 pm, Friday 8.30 am to 3 pm, Saturday 9 am to 3 pm. Closed on Sunday and Monday.

Address: Corner of Venezuela 573 and Sucre, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2952860

• Museo Nacional del Banco Central del Ecuador

Exhibits: divided into five parts. Sala Arqueología: displays artefacts from pre coloumbian and pre-historic times, Sala de Oro: gold articles from pre colonization era, Sala de Arte Colonial, Sala de Arte Republicano, Sala de Arte Contemporáneo: displays from colonial, republican and modern era.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 10 am to 4 pm

Address: 12 de Octubre y Patria La Mariscal, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2223259

• Museum Antropológico Amazónico Quito

Exhibits: ceramics, pottery, clothes and hunting instruments of the native Amazonians

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm, Closed on weekends

Address: 12 de Octubre 1430 & Wilson (1st Floor), Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2506247, +593 2 2562633

• Museo de la Ciudad

Exhibits: spacious two floors displaying memorabilia’s like horse drawn carriages, and colonial era artefacts. Beautiful and peaceful courtyard providing a preview of south Quito.

Opening Hours: 9.30 am to 5 pm, Closed on Monday.

Address: Garcia Moreno 572 and Rocafuerte, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2283882

For more information, Visit Museo de la Ciudad

• Casa Museo Maria Augusta Urrutia

Exhibits: once to home of philanthropist Maria Augusta, the house includes works and displays dedicated to Maria’s life like her portraits, personal diaries and letters. Upper floor has been maintained the same way as in the year 1987 when she died. It offers a detailed view of her daily life like a display of personal belongings i.e. comb, clothes, etc.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 9.30 am to 5.30 pm

Address: García Moreno N2-60, between Sucre and Bolívar, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2850103

• Iglesia y Museo de Santo Domingo

Exhibits: museum located insided the Iglesia y de Santo Domingo Church. Exhibits include religious paintings and sculptures from the 16th and 17th century displayed in the courtyard.

Opening Hours: Museum: Monday to Friday 9 am to noon and 1.30 pm to 5 pm, Church: 7 am to 12.30 pm and 5 pm to 7.30 pm

Address: Flores 150 between Rocafuerte and Pereira, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

• Museo Fray Pedro Gocial

Exhibits: situated inside the Monastery of San Francisco. Religious art and paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries like works of Miguel de Santiago are displayed.

Opening Hours:Monday to Friday 9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm, Saturday 9 am to 6 pm, Sunday 9 am to 12.30 pm

Address: Plaza San Fransisco, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2952911

• Fundación Guayasamín

Exhibits: works of Oswaldo Guayasamín who expressed emotions of pain, grief and misery through his paintings and sculptures. Museum is housed in his home which is devoted to his own personal collection of paintings and archaeological pieces from colonial times.

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10 am to 5.30 pm

Address: Calle José Bosmediano 543, Barrio Bellavista, El Batán, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2446455, +593 2 2452938, +593 2 2465265

Fax: +593 2 2446277

• Museo Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño

Exhibits: located on the first floor of the Library of Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Displayed are private archaeological collections by Jijón y Caamaño donated by his wife to the PUCE. Paintings mostly depict life in the pre-Columbian Ecuador.

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8.30 to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm

Address: Av 12 de Octubre & Vicente Ramón Roca, La Floresta, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2991242, +593 2 2991700, +593 2 2991242

• Museo Camilo Egas

Exhibits: works of Ecuador’s best artists Camilo Egas (1898-1962) collected by Central Bank of Ecuador. Also includes a workshop called “Experience Camilo Egas” for visitors.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday, Sundays and Holidays 10 am to 4 pm, Closed on Monday.

Address: Venezuela 1302 at Esmeraldas, Old Town, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2572811, 593 2 2572012

• Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales

Exhibits: palaeontology exhibits from Ecuador like skeleton of a megaterid found in San Jose, mastodon, rodents, mollusks, etc.

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8.30 to 1 pm and 1.45 pm to 4.30 pm, Saturday 9 am to 1 pm, Sunday 10 am to 2 pm

Address: Rumipamba 341 and Av. de Los Shyris (Parque La Carolina), Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2449824

• Galleries

• Exedra Fundación

Address: Carrión 243 y Leonidas Plaza, Quito, Ecuador

Tel: +593 2 2224001, 593 2 2236947