City Museum, Colonial museum in Centro Histórico, Ecuador.
The City Museum is a cultural museum in Quito's Historic Center, housed in a large complex with multiple courtyards and exhibition halls. The space displays objects, maps, and ceramics that document how people lived in the city across different centuries.
The building dates to 1565 and originally served as a hospital before being transformed into a museum at the end of the 20th century. This change allowed the location to preserve and share the city's history with the public.
The displays show how Quito's residents lived and worked from the 1500s through the 1800s, revealing their daily habits and beliefs through objects they left behind. Walking through the galleries helps you understand how the city and its people changed over time.
The museum is located in the old city center and is open from Tuesday through Sunday for visitors. Most people need a few hours to explore the exhibitions comfortably, so arriving in the morning helps you avoid feeling rushed.
The museum received back a collection of objects that a diplomat had taken out of the country in the 20th century and were later returned to Quito. This recovery shows how the institution actively works to restore lost pieces of the city's past.
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