National Museum of Archaeology Lima

The Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú was founded in 1822, months after independence, and it is the oldest state museum in the country. It covers the full sequence - Preceramic, Chavín, Paracas, Nazca, Moche, Wari, Chimú, Inca - with key objects including the Estela Raimondi and the Tello Obelisk from Chavín de Huántar, Paracas textiles, and a large ceramic and metal collection, plus a colonial and republican history section. The mansion it occupies, the Quinta de los Libertadores, housed both San Martín and Bolívar during the independence campaigns. Much of the state's finest material moved to the new MUNA museum near Pachacamac when that opened, so the collection here has changed; what remains is still the best straightforward chronological account of Andean prehistory in Lima, and it is far cheaper and quieter than the Larco next door.

What you actually see

• The Chavín stones - the Tello Obelisk and the Estela Raimondi.
• The full sequence - Preceramic through Inca in chronological order.
• The Quinta - the house where San Martín and Bolívar both stayed.
• The 1822 foundation - the oldest state museum in Peru.

When to go

Year-round. Two to three hours. Closed Mondays. Much quieter than the Larco a few streets away.

Honest expectations

Displays are dated in places and signage is fuller in Spanish. Some major pieces have transferred to MUNA, so check before going if you want something specific. Pueblo Libre needs a taxi from the tourist districts.

Nearby

The Larco Museum is a short walk; central Lima is east.