Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with extensive colonial and pre-Columbian heritage; many museums lack current, verified admission pricing.
Good to know
Good to Know
- Quito was the first city in the world designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflecting its architectural and cultural significance.
- The historic center is a living neighborhood, not an open-air museum—locals go about daily life seamlessly alongside tourism.
- Calle La Ronda is a pedestrian street in the historic center offering local culture, artisan shops, and Ecuador-made items like Panama hats.
- Museum hours can vary; confirm before visiting, especially for church-based museums which may have different access times.
- Many museums are housed in historic colonial buildings, adding to the experience beyond the artifacts themselves.
Major Museums
Museo Nacional Del Banco Central Del Ecuador
- Focus
- Pre-Columbian to contemporary Ecuador history and art
- Hours
- Monday–Friday 9am–5pm; Saturday–Sunday 10am–4pm
- Location
- Patria between 6 de Diciembre and 12 de Octubre
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
- Collection Size
- Over 15,000 artifacts
Highlights
- Ceramics dating to 12,000 BCE
- Gold and silver objects
- Canari mummy
- Gold masks
- Textiles and sculptures
- Colonial art section
- Works by mestizo masters Oswaldo Guayasamín and Camilo Egas
Museo De La Ciudad
- Focus
- Quito's history from founding to present
- Hours
- Daily 9am–5:30pm (Wednesday 1:30pm–5:30pm)
- Location
- Cuenca N1-41
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
- Collection
- Archaeological artifacts, colonial paintings, photographs of city evolution
Highlights
- Life in historic Quito
- Spanish conquest and its impact
- Housed in a 16th-century former hospital building
Casa Del Alabado (Museum of Pre-Columbian Art)
- Focus
- Pre-Columbian Ecuador art and artifacts
- Hours
- Variable; 30-minute guided tours available (some free with advance booking)
- Location
- Historic center of Quito, in 16th-century colonial building
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
- Collection Size
- Over 5,000 artifacts (10% permanently displayed)
Highlights
- Ceramics, textiles, jewelry, stone, metal, shell, and wood objects
- Quitu-Cara culture emphasis
- Artifacts with ritual use
- Themes: shamans, life, death, natural world, daily life
La Capilla Del Hombre (Chapel of Man)
- Focus
- Works of Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín
- Hours
- Daily 10am–6pm
- Location
- Mariano Calvache E18-94, Bellavista neighborhood
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
- Related Site
- Fundación Guayasamín (5 minutes away) - additional artist works including political oppression themes
Highlights
- Paintings, drawings, sculptures
- Five thematic rooms: 'The Roots,' 'The Incarnation,' 'The Suffering of the Innocent,' and others
- Testament to human suffering
Casa Museo Guayasamín
- Focus
- Personal life and early works of artist Oswaldo Guayasamín
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
Highlights
- Guayasamín's personal belongings
- Paintings, drawings, sculptures from early career
- Located in artist's former home
San Francisco Church & Museum
- Focus
- Quito School art (XVI–XVIII centuries) and religious works
- Hours
- Monday–Saturday 9:30am–4:45pm (closed Sunday)
- Location
- Cuenca 477 and Sucre, Historic Center
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
- Collection
- Approximately 3,500 works of art
Highlights
- Largest 16th-century religious architectural complex in Latin America
- Fray Pedro Gocial Franciscan Museum exhibits
- Works of the Passion of Christ
- Notable artists: Miguel de Santiago, Bernardo Rodríguez, Bernardo Legarda, Manuel Caspicara
- Virgin of Quito (18th century)
- Campanario Tower - panoramic city views
- Historic brewery still operational in convent
Museo De Arte Colonial
- Focus
- Ecuadorian and Latin American colonial and 19th-century art
- Location
- Inside Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana complex
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
- Note
- Part of larger Casa de la Cultura complex offering multiple museums and free cultural programs
Highlights
- Colonial paintings, sculptures, furniture
- Numismatics collection (coins, banknotes, medals)
- Works by Samaniego, Cabrera, Rodríguez
- Marianas painting by Miguel de Santiago
- Sculptures by Caspicara and Legarda
Museo Etnográfico
- Focus
- Ethnography and cultural heritage
- Location
- Part of Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana complex
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
Museo De Instrumentos Musicales
- Focus
- Musical instruments and music history
- Location
- Part of Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana complex
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
Museo Mindalae
- Focus
- Ecuadorian handicrafts and textiles
- Admission
- Price not currently verified
Must See Sites
Quito Historic Center (Centro Histórico)
- Location
- Old Town, central Quito
- Admission
- Walking the historic center is free; individual church/museum entries vary
- Description
- UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved historic centers in Latin America, featuring cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, churches, and plazas.
Highlights
- Plaza de la Independencia (Plaza Grande) - flanked by Archbishop's Palace, City Hall, Government Palace, and Cathedral
- Basílica del Voto Nacional - one of the largest neo-Gothic churches in the Americas
- Iglesia de San Francisco - 16th-century church and convent complex with religious art and museum
- Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús - ornate Spanish baroque architecture with gold leaf and gilded ceilings
Middle of the World Monument (La Mitad Del Mundo)
- Location
- San Antonio de Pichincha, approximately 50 minutes by car north of historic center
- Note
- Located outside city center; requires day trip
- Description
- Iconic monument marking the equator location calculated by 18th-century explorer Charles Marie de la Condamine; includes museum, planetarium, and village with additional attractions.
Highlights
- Trapezoidal monument with viewing platform
- Indigenous culture museum
- Planetarium
- Cocoa Museum (Cocoa Experiences)
- Craft Beer Museum
- Train Museum
Intiñan Museum
- Location
- Equatorial line vicinity, outskirts of Quito
- Note
- Located outside city center; requires day trip
- Description
- Family-friendly interactive museum demonstrating physical phenomena unique to the equatorial line using Inca-developed and modern scientific methods.
Highlights
- Interactive exhibits on equatorial geographic position
- Hands-on demonstrations of equatorial phenomena
Practical Tips
- Language
- Some museums have limited English transliteration; guides often available.
- Security
- Museum entry often involves security procedures; allow extra time at some locations.
- Accessibility
- Walking the Old Town involves cobblestone streets; comfortable shoes recommended.
- Visiting Season
- Year-round accessible; weather is cool year-round due to Andean altitude (9,350 ft).
- Passes Discounts
- Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana complex offers multiple museums; some cultural programs are free.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this history, museums & sightseeing research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Quito
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.