Casa del Alabado Museum
Museo de Arte Precolombino Casa del Alabado
A pre-Columbian art museum housed in a 17th-century mansion in the Old Town, displaying pottery and gold from Ecuador's ancient cultures arranged by cosmological themes.
The museum occupies an 1671 colonial mansion near San Francisco Square. Its collection of more than 5,000 pre-Columbian artefacts from Ecuador is arranged not by date but by themes such as 'shamans,' 'ancestors,' and 'the underworld and the upper world.' The lighting and interpretation are modern, with English text available, and it is one of Quito's most highly rated museums. Highlights include small figurines from the Valdivia culture and gold objects and ceramic masks from the Tolita culture. Admission is about USD 6, and a visit takes about 1–1.5 hours.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:30–17:30 (may close Tuesdays; check website)
Nearby sights
- Basilica and Convent of San Francisco
- Museo de la Ciudad
- Church of the Society of Jesus (La Compañía)
- La Ronda
- Centro Cultural Metropolitano
- Plaza Grande & Metropolitan Cathedral
- Historic Center of Quito
- Santo Domingo Church & Plaza