The City Museum (''Museo de la Ciudad'') is a museum in the colonial center of
Quito
Quito (; ), officially San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city, capital and second-largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its metropolitan area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha Province, P ...
, Ecuador. It is located on Garcia Moreno Street, between Morales and Rocafuerte.
The museum was founded in 1998 and occupies the buildings of what once was the
San Juan de Dios Hospital.
The buildings were designated as a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
Cultural
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
and were restored in 1995 using the same materials as the original buildings to repair damaged areas. Ancient stone
Doric columns
The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...
, stone doorways and stone coverings in the patios are a highlight of the architecture.
The museum chronicles the history of Quito, along with 400 years of the history of the hospital.
The former hospital buildings include an area of 10,200 square meters which house the four museum collections, 10 exhibition halls, workshop areas and museum offices, arranged around four courtyards.
In addition to its permanent collections, the museum also offers the temporary exhibitions, focusing on particular aspects of life in Quito.
In July 2020, a collection of 69 artifacts were privately restituted to Ecuador to be displayed and appreciated at the museum. The objects were first taken from Ecuador by a London diplomat in the 1960s who was an art and archaeology enthusiast. The objects in his collection include Catholic icons from the era of the Spanish conquest and objects thought to date to the Pre-Columbian era.
One of the permanent exhibitions offers a journey through the customs, people and traditions of Quito, through its displayed history from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century.
Another is the display of the history of the hospital and a collection of items from a former doctor at the hospital.
There is another permanent exhibit which is called "A new social order breaks through: Quito nineteenth century".
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 09:30 until 17:30.
Admission is free for people with disabilities, certain institutions and municipal employees. Admission for the general public requires minimal fees.
References
External links
City Museum (Quito)
Photo gallery
File:Historic Center of Quito - World Heritage Site by UNESCO - Photo 307.JPG, City Museum formerly San Juan de Dios Hospital
Historic Center of Quito - World Heritage Site by UNESCO - Photo 272.JPG, City Museum formerly San Juan de Dios Hospital
"Semiótica andina".jpg, "Semiótica andina" Amaru Cholango. Installation at the City Museum, Quito, 2011
"Yo soy un árbol y tú también".jpg, "Yo soy un árbol y tú también" Amaru Cholango. Installation at the City Museum, Quito, 2011
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Museums in Quito
Museums established in 1998
1998 establishments in Ecuador
World Heritage Sites in Ecuador
City museums