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There are lots of great museums located in the UNESCO World Heritage listed historic city center of Quito, Ecuador. Some are historical sites and homes while others display art and artifacts.
City Museum
The City Museum (Museo de la Ciudad) is one of the best museums in Quito. It’s housed in a 1563 hospital. Hours are 9:30am to 5:30pm from Wednesday to Sunday and adult admission is US$4 (as of April 2024).
The museum has displays about the history of the city of Quito from indigenous through colonial times up until the early 20th century. It has great displays with excellent explanations. There are permanent exhibitions on the top floor and temporary exhibits on the ground floor.
Metropolitan Cultural Center
Just off Plaza Grande is the Metropolitan Cultural Center (Centro Cultural Metropolitano). This large exhibition space has a colorful history behind it. It was built in 1622, used as a Jesuit school until 1767, and later served as a military barracks. In 1809, royalists held revolutionaries in the building and murdered them. Furthermore, it was supposedly built atop the palace of Atahualpa, the last Inca ruler before Spanish conquest.
The building contains a library, a free museum, and the Alberto Mena Caamaño Museum (Museo Alberto Mena Caamaño), a wax museum of Quito’s colonial history. An original courtyard from the Jesuit days remains.
Home of María Augusta Urrutia
The home of María Augusta Urrutia (Casa de María Augusta Urrutia), a beloved Quito philanthropist, was one of the better museums we visited. Adult admission is US$3 (as of April 2023) and a guided tour is required. The 19th century home is incredible and a nice glimpse into how the social elite of Quito lived in the early 20th century. It’s typically open Tuesday through Saturday.
Sucre House Museum
The Sucre House Museum (Museo Casa de Sucre) was the home of Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre, a hero of independence from Spain. He lived there from 1828 until his assassination in 1830. It’s free to visit (as of April 2024) and includes a 30 minute guided tour in Spanish. The guide took us through important rooms in the house and explained how the Sucre family would use the rooms. The museum is run by the Ministry of Defense and passports must be left at the entrance to gain entry.
Casa del Alabado
Casa del Alabado is a pre-Columbian art museum with an excellent collection of Andean indigenous arts. It’s located in a former residence built in 1671. The museum is very well organized and has a few interactive displays, but you really have to be into pre-Columbian art to warrant a visit. Adult admission is US$6 (as of April 2024) and it’s open Wednesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
Colonial Art Museum
Just a block north of the Church of La Merced is the Colonial Art Museum (Museo de Arte Colonial). It’s open from 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Admission is free (as of January 2024). We didn’t visit.
Camilo Egas Museum
Finally, walking northeast from Plaza Grande is the Camilo Egas Museum (Museo Camilo Egas). It displays the works of Ecuadorean painter Camilo Egas (1889-1962), one of the best artists the country has ever produced. The museum is open Monday through Saturday and admission is free (as of April 2024). We didn’t visit.
