Iquitos Museums and Art Galleries

(Iquitos, Loreto, Peru)



Photo of riverfront picture frame sculptureAlthough most visitors haven't come to Peru's Amazon jungle for its museums, the few that are located within Iquitos are often of interest. Those taking a stroll along the Tarapaca River Walk should look out for the Iquitos Amazonian Museum, which also goes by the name of the Museo Etnográfico and is a celebration of American Native Indian Tribes.

Something quite different is the Municipal Museum of Natural Science, which showcases the wealth of Peruvian flora and fauna, found within the rainforest surrounding Iquitos, and in other parts of Peru. If you have an interest in art, then be sure to check out the Amazonian paintings within the Camu Camu Gallery, which are very colourful and always make for a good souvenir.


Amazonian Museum (Amazon Museum) / Museo Etnográfico (Municipal Museum and Library of the Amazon)

Address: Tarapaca River Walk (Tarapaca Malecon) 386, Iquitos, Peru, PE
Although fairly small, this is a very appealing museum and is to be found along the Tarapaca Malecon, within the historical building next to the Rio Amazonas. Situated alongside the Biblioteca Amazónica library and the Military Museum, the Museo Etnográfico is home to over 80 individual life-size fibreglass statues, which depict members of various tribes from across the Amazon region, dressed in traditional attire and surrounding the courtyard. Tribes represented here include those of the Bora, the Iquitos, the Shipibo and also the Yagua, amongst others.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 13:00, 15:00 to 19:00, Saturday - 09:00 to 13:00
Admission: charge, discounts for students and children

Municipal Museum of Natural Science

Address: Napo Street 224, Iquitos, Peru, PE
Located on Napo Street, on the north-easterly side of the Plaza de Armas and within the Municipality of Maynas building, the Municipal Museum of Natural Science contains a host of stuffed animals, native to Peru, together with various local handicrafts, historical photographs of Iquitos, and various artefacts relating to the Amazonian people. This building also serves as the home of the City Hall of Maynas.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday
Admission: charge

Camu Camu Gallery

Address: 438 Trujillo Street, Punchana, Peru, PE
Tel: +51 065 253 120
The Camu Camu Gallery lies on the northerly outskirts of Iquitos, in nearby Punchana, and showcases the art works created by Francisco Grippa, a local Peruvian artist from Pebas. The colourful paintings depict various Amazonian scenes and often feature native jungle themes, using actual 'llanchama' tree bark as a canvas. These art works are becoming very well known for their exuberance and rather expressive nature, as far afield as Europe and the USA.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 19:00
Admission: charge