About
The Museo del Banco Central, also known as the Pumapungo Museum or Museo Pumapungo, is an archaeological and ethnographic museum in Cuenca, in the Azuay province of Ecuador. It is located on Avenida Huayna Cápac, within the city's historic district.
What you will see
The museum's collections cover several periods and traditions of the region:
- Pre-Columbian artifacts, the objects left by the peoples who lived in this part of the Andes before the arrival of the Europeans
- Colonial art, showing the religious and artistic traditions that developed after the Spanish conquest
- Ethnographic collections, which give a sense of the everyday life, crafts and customs of the communities of the area
A site with Inca roots
The museum stands on the site of the ancient Inca ruins of Pumapungo. For visitors interested in the history of the Inca presence in the region, this connection to the archaeological site is one of the main reasons to come. The ruins and the museum together offer a way of reading the layers of the past in one place.
Planning your visit
Because the museum is part of Cuenca's historic district, it works well as part of a walk through the city. Cuenca's colonial streets, churches and squares are all close by, so a morning at the museum can easily be combined with time spent exploring the centre. To check current opening arrangements before you go, you can call the museum at +593-7-283-1255.
