MAAM, Archaeological museum in Salta, Argentina.
The Museum of High Altitude Archaeology in Salta is an archaeological institution in Argentina that preserves human remains and objects recovered from Andean peaks. The exhibits lie in special chambers maintained at minus 20 degrees Celsius to keep their condition stable across centuries.
The facility opened in 2004 to protect three mummified bodies found in 1999 at the summit of Llullaillaco. These remains date from the 15th century and show sacrificial practices of the Inca Empire in the highest reaches of the Andes.
The collection displays items from capacocha ceremonies, where the Inca Empire left children as offerings on remote peaks. Visitors today see textiles with fine patterns, ceramic vessels, and small metal figures once used during these mountain rituals.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 11:00 to 18:30, and closed on Mondays. It occupies a restored mid-19th-century building facing Plaza 9 de Julio, in the historic centre of Salta. Entry fees differ for Argentine and foreign visitors, with reduced rates for retirees and university students.
The museum also holds the mummy known as Reina del Cerro, found in a sanctuary on Chuscha mountain. That sanctuary was looted in the 1920s, and the mummy passed between several private collectors before the museum acquired it.
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