The Pre-Columbian Art Museum (also known by the acronym of its Spanish name MAP) is an

art museum An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own collection. It might be in public or private ownership and may be accessible to all or have restrictions in place. Although primarily con ...

in Cusco,

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

, dedicated to the display of

archaeological artifacts An artifact, or artefact (see American and British English spelling differences), is a general term for an item made or given shape by humans, such as a tool or a work of art, especially an object of archaeological interest. In archaeology, the ...

and examples of

pre-Columbian art Pre-Columbian art refers to the visual arts of indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, North, Central, and South Americas from at least 13,000 BCE to the European conquests starting in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The Pre-Columbian era c ...

works drawn from all regions of pre-Columbian Peru. The museum is situated on Plazoleta de las Nazarenas in Cusco's San Blas district, and has on permanent display exhibitions of some 450 individual representative artifacts that are drawn from the wider collection of its parent museum, the

Larco Museum The Larco Museum (officially known as Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum, in es, Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera, links=no) is a privately owned museum of pre-Columbian art, located in the Pueblo Libre District of Lima, Peru. The ...

in the Peruvian capital

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

History of the building

The building where the museum is now housed was originally an

Inca The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

ceremonial courthouse. In 1580, it was acquired by the '' conquistador'' Alonso Díaz and subsequently built over in Colonial style to become the home of an elite member of Cusco society, the Viceroy Hernandez de Cabrera, for whom the mansion is named. It then passed through many hands and had multiple functions, ultimately falling into a ruinous state. After a restoration by the Fundación BBVA, the Museo de Arte Precolombino re-opened in June 2003. Peruvian President

Alejandro Toledo Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique (; born 28 March 1946) is a Peruvian politician who served President of Peru, from 2001 to 2006. He gained international prominence after leading the opposition against president Alberto Fujimori, who held ...

inaugurated the museum at the summit, saying "''we are showing the world our cultural wealth. I am profoundly proud that e can give to the summita little of the culture that belongs not only to Peru, but also to

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

… he region mustlook to its past to construct together a new Latin America with more health, education, justice for the poor and culture.''"XVII Cumbre Presidencial del Grupo de Río
/ref>

Exhibitions

The works of art displayed at the museum, encompass a period of time ranging between 1250 BC and AD 1532. There are a total of ten galleries: Formative, Nasca, Mochica, Huari, Chancay – Chimu, Inca, Wood, Jewelry and Stone, Silver, and Gold and Metals. The Formative Gallery houses pieces from many diverse cultures. Among these are Cupisnique, Salinar,

Vicus In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (plural ) designated a village within a rural area () or the neighbourhood of a larger settlement. During the Republican era, the four of the city of Rome were subdivided into . In the 1st century BC, Augustus ...

, Viru and Paracas in its older phase or “cavernas”. During this period (1250 B. C - 1 A. D.) there is a remarkable advance in ceramic art. Painting and sculpture take in place; there are beautifully naturalistic and symbolic representations; many of them enriched by the use of incise decoration in which the Cupisnique artist get to a high development. The Inca culture conquered all the territory of

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

Peru where they restored with great political ability the

Tahuantinsuyo The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

empire. In the Inca Gallery magnificent ceramic objects are showcased like the emblematic '' aribalos'' or monumental vessels. These pieces have many decorative elements that transmit a subtle message of organization and symbolism. One of these ''aribalos'' is of great size and is unique to the collection.

Other points of interest

The Museum's Auditorium seats 120 people and often houses lectures and other local events.

References

External links

Museo de Arte Precolombino , Map Cusco
official website {{authority control Museums in Cusco Art museums established in 2003 Museo de Arte Precolombino Art museums and galleries in Peru Pre-Columbian art museums Museo de Arte Precolombino Museo de Arte Precolombino Archaeological museums in Peru