Larco Museum, Lima

Well I went there because I was curious and there was little else to do on a tour to Lima Peru. I think they had some interesting artifacts and pottery but not enough to warrant a pricey entrance fee. One could spend all day inspecting the different small pottery and sculptures and about 30 minutes with a tour guide who could sum it all up in a few words. I don't think you are going to find the locals breaking down the doors to see what's inside. From the tourist point of view, it was a nothing to talk about and/or highlight.

The place is beautiful, there are lots of flowers (winter and summer). The pieces of art are amazing and very complete (from all the peruvian civilisations). The guides are so good that you barely get bored. And moreover, the café of the museo is delicious ! I reallly recommand it.

I loved this museum, and having a piece of cake in the cafe is simply the best. The tour we took included a visit of various museums downtown, but I do admit the Larco Museum was the one we prefered: the halls are well organized and I was glad to learn about the habits and beliefs of all the civilizations (thumbs up for the Sacrifice Gallery!)

We had a wonderful time in the museum learning about all the civilizations of Peru. The gardens are incredibly beautiful and the café is delicious. We loved the deserts there (the lucuma mousse was a real pleasure for the mouth. The Lucuma is a typical peruvian fruit).

This museum is awsome, the new galleries basically took my breath away, the museography is very interesting! In the first galleries, you get to know about all the pre-Columbian civilizations in a geographical and chronological way. Then the visit becomes more thematic: Textiles, jewelry, sacrifice, the Syncretism (the fusion between the Pre-Columbian and Spanish artistic style)! We had a fascinating time there, dont miss it!

The Museo Larco is absolutely great! I went there with my family on our trip in Peru, the guide told us that it has the biggest gold collection of Peru! I dont really like museums normally but I wasnt bored at all, I even wanted to learn more in the end!

it had a lot of cool things to look at and was very breathtaking gettin to see people

After a terrible journey in Lima combis (god I dont know how on earth they put up with those stressful vans!!!), the visit of the Larco museum really enlighted our Sunday afternoon! The museum is quiet and peaceful, the archaeological pieces are fascinating, we got to know a lot about the customs and habits of pre Columbian civilizations: their conception of the world divided in 3 layers: the sky represented by a bird, or the heaven, the earth, represented by a tigre, or the world of the human beings and the underworld represented by a frightening snake that reprensents death. Those 3 aspects are represented on various pots and objets in the Larco Museum, it was so interesting to try to look for it! We then enjoyed the gardens and had a nice cup of coffee in the restaurant. And finally took a CAB to get back to our hotel!

There have been many travel experiences for me before, many places I have seen, many people I have met. There were the sites and the grounds you step in for the first time. The impression you have when your eye can no longer focus because you just want to see everything. The impatience you feel while waiting to see and learn more about the place. Because in the end all that you remember from your traveling are your emotions and feelings. I have then decided to tell you about the most inspirational experience I have had while traveling Peru, which is the Larco Museum. When I first saw this place, I immediately felt home. The mansion seemed really impressive to me, but nothing like those cold lifeless pedant buildings. It was more like the sensation of entering a familial mansion, all painted white and where you expect giggles and children playing hide and seek in the garden. It even smelled of it. The colonial mansion overlooks wonderful gardens which seem to have been directly extracted from a painting of Claude Monet. The whole place appeals to all your senses and goes beyond just a “pretty” garden. The mesmerizing whiteness of the building is qualified by the blend of the various colors coming from all the flowers, the cactus and the birds and butterflies gently fluttering around them. There, I got to see a hummingbird for the first time. You get easily stricken and overwhelmed by the smell of bougainvilleas, orchids, geraniums, blue plumbagos, not to forget the famous “madre selva”, a typical flower from Peru, the smell of which basically blows your mind away. After having wandered in the garden, at the entrance, I was welcomed by the melodious singing of Juan Diego, a canary named after the great Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez. The entrance is a typical South American patio, in the middle of which stands a lucuma tree, which gives those juicy Peruvian fruits I enjoyed so much. The museum itself exudes the wisdom of an Ancient site and imposes some kind of silent respect. I suddenly felt at a loss for words, nearly voiceless and humble while confronted to the finest collection of pre-Columbian art I had ever seen. The atmosphere took my breath away; I think the dim lightening helped me feel in harmony with the pieces of art. Indeed, while walking through the gallery, every single object is lit in its own particular way, making each one of them really special and unique. An experience in the Larco Museum can not be complete without a final glass of wine in the Café del Museo, enjoying the gardens and the comfortable white sofas. This museum is nothing like those big, impersonal and bureaucratic museums that are more of a cold company trying to make profit rather than an artistic and cultural center. The Larco Museum is warm and welcoming, probably because it is the story of four generations of art lovers who have devoted their entire lives to creating an exquisite place to share their passion and to extend their family to all the visitors who, on their way to discover the world like me, get the chance to stop by their museum. This experience inspired me, not only because the place is amazing but mainly because I will always remember all the sensations it gave me, it was just a human experience.

The museum is awsome, great collection, interesting guides, I´ve learnt a lot although I didn´t have a clue about pre-Columbian art, they made it relly easy to understand. It was a great experience!