The Best Contemporary Art Galleries In Lima

Lima, one of the most fascinating and challenging cities in South America, reveals its complexity in the incredible number of museums and art galleries spread around the metropolis, all of which display the rich and diverse facets of Peruvian culture. This cosmopolitan city offers its visitors the chance to explore neighborhoods and attractions with distinct cultures and histories. Here we follow Peru’s buzzing art scene and explore Lima’s best contemporary art galleries.

With the world’s largest collection of Mario Testino’s photographs, the Asociación Mario Testino (MATE) is the only cultural institution in the world dedicated to the permanent exhibition of the work of this prominent Peruvian artist. After 35 years living abroad, it was Testino’s personal desire to bring the largest collection of his work to Lima, his hometown, as a contribution to the cultural heritage of Peru. A non-profit organization with an international outreach, MATE quickly became a new referent of Lima’s artistic landscape. The gallery delights even with its location: its headquarters are nestled in a 19th-century Republican townhouse renowned for its great cultural tradition and architectural beauty.

409 Pedro de Osma Avenue, Barranco, Lima, Peru, +511 251 7755

LiMAC serves as an introduction to contemporary art and local production. With its collection of more than 2,000 periodically exhibited works, LiMAC is a space conceived with a view to giving its visitors a general but close vision of the artistic projects that in one way or another emerge in and influence Lima. The museum fosters encounters between artists, curators, critics and spectators, as it is their presence that makes the museum a living center of artistic production. One of the museum’s main interests is the revision of works completed during the last 40 years as the basis for comprehending more recent works. LiMAC travels around the country and appears in different cities in an attempt to establish friction between fact and fiction.

Due to its nature as a true false museum, LiMAC has no permanent address.

Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened the Inca Garcilaso Cultural Center in the old Aspillaga house in 2005, which made it the first Foreign Office in Latin America to have its own cultural center. According to the Plan of Cultural Politics of Peru abroad, the Center Inca Garcilaso promotes the values of Peruvian culture and welcomes artistic manifestations of all genres. A space of confluence open to Peru’s diversity and creative expression, the Centro is led by a professional team.

Jr. Ucayali 391, Lima 1, Peru, +51 1204 2658