Lima Art Museum (MALI)
As we were just mentioning in our article with the top 10 favourite activities in Lima, the Lima Art Museum deserves a bit more information.
History: the Palace and the Park
The Exhibition Park (in Spanish, Parque de la Exposición) is located in the neighbourhood of Santa Beatriz, and it was declared part of the country’s cultural heritage just a few years ago. This park sits where part of the Walls of Lima were. In the year 1870 it was decided that the wall was going to be demolished (all part of a renovation plan for the city), in order to host the Lima International Exhibit (1872).
For that purpose, the Exhibition Park and the Exhibition Palace were built. That palace (finished in 1871) is the one that today functions as Lima’s Art Museum. The original size of the park was much bigger, it included the park where the Magic Water Circuit is today.
It eventually transformed into a public area that became one of the favourite walks for the locals at that time. During the 20th century, several buildings and institutions also joined this park (for example, the Japanese Garden opened in 1974 as a celebration of the diplomatic relations between both countries).
What can we see in this museum?
Today the museum displays ceramics, paintings, textiles, photographs, furniture and objects from different eras of Peruvian history, one of the most extensive collections in the country.
In their permanent collection you get to see all different stages of Peruvian art: pre-Columbian, colonial, republican, contemporary. The temporary exhibitions have a mix of local and international artists.
When can we visit? How much does it cost?
-The museum is closed on Mondays, and also on Labor Day (May 1st), Christmas (December 24 and 25), and New year’s Day (January 1st). It opens at 10am and the closing time varies according to the day.
-There’s a general entrance that at this moment is S/30. That fee is reduced under certain conditions.
-There are free audioguides you can download for your mobile device, or you can rent them at the entrance. The Wi-Fi access is free.
-Bilingual guided tours are available.
(For full details on the museum services check the link at the end of this article for the official website)
What other landmarks are there to see nearby, besides the museum?
– Centre for Military and Historical Studies
-Italian Art Museum
-The Byzantine Pavilion
-The Moorish Pavilion
-The Japanese Garden
-La Cabaña Theatre and the Amphitheatre
-Lima’s Metropolitan Museum
-Plenty of scattered fountains, sculptures and monuments, such as the Neptuno Fountain.
Anything else?
You can also check for information of the Lima Art Museum in its website:
