Casa del Alabado

Quito


Housed in an elegant colonial-era home, this privately owned museum with contemporary displays showcases an impressive collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. Thematically organized around subjects such as shamans, pigmentation and the afterlife, explanations in English and Spanish (audio guides are available) explore the indigenous beliefs represented by the finely crafted ceramic pieces and jewelry.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Quito attractions

1. Plaza San Francisco

0.07 MILES

Walking from the Old Town’s narrow colonial streets into this open plaza reveals one of the finest sights in all of Ecuador: a sweeping cobblestone plaza…

2. Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco

0.07 MILES

Construction of the convent, the city’s largest colonial structure, began only a few weeks after the Spanish establishment of Quito in 1534, but wasn't…

3. Capilla de Cantuña

0.08 MILES

The Cantuña Chapel houses a small art collection from the Quito School. It’s shrouded in one of Quito’s most famous legends, that of the indigenous…

4. Museo Franciscano

0.09 MILES

To the right of the Iglesia de San Francisco’s main entrance, and within the Convent of St Francis, this museum contains some of the church’s finest…

5. Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto

0.1 MILES

The Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto, built in 1653 and still home to an order of 20 Carmelite nuns, now houses an interesting museum. Exhibits explore…

6. Arco de la Reina

0.11 MILES

This massive arch, built in the 18th century to give shelter to churchgoers, spans García Moreno.

7. Museo de la Ciudad

0.12 MILES

This first-rate museum depicts daily life in Quito through the centuries, with displays including dioramas, model indigenous homes and colonial kitchens…

8. Casa Museo María Augusta Urrutía

0.13 MILES

Of Quito’s house museums, this is the one not to miss: it’s a splendidly preserved, 19th-century home that was once the abode of the city’s best-loved…