Location: La Paz
Top Things to do in La Paz
Things to do in La Paz, La Paz Department: The Best Museums
Sitting in a valley in the Andes Mountains, La Paz is the city that touches the clouds. The de facto capital of Bolivia, and sitting between 3300 and 4100 meters above sea level, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. Rich with 19th century churches, museums of artifacts from the pre-Conquest era, precarious overlooks, and colorful markets, La Paz is truly unique. The Witches’ Market, in the center of the city, sells charms and potions for Aymara rituals, as well as souvenirs.
Restaurants in La Paz
1. Casa Museo Solon
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 20 reviews
Currently on display "Free Thinkers: Transformative Lines". A selection of drawings, paintings, altarpieces, engravings and fabrics by Walter Solón Romero Gonzales (1923-1999) based on continuous lines that appeal to the free interpretation of the viewer. The exhibition covers five spaces in the Museum: Between Lines (1968), Lighting Ideas (1969), After the Lost Warp (1976), Unfinished Altarpieces (1999) and Engravings Selection (1968 - 1985). On the third floor is the artist's studio with two unfinished murals: one about the history of the coca leaf and another about his life.
2. Museum of Musical Instruments - Museo Instrumentos Musicales de Bolivia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 192 reviews
Especially fun for children, this museum lets them try playing the assortment of ancient instruments, all made from natural elements, like wood, bone, turtle shells and toucan beaks.
Reviewed By VG1302 - Blue Mountains, Australia
This museum is hands-down the best one on Calle Jaen! Even if you skip the other 4 located in this part of La Paz and visit just this one, it is time well spent. There are musical instruments from Bolivia, the rest of South America and all around the world. They are all displayed in different rooms. There were flutes made out of palm straw, bamboo, condor bones, condor feathers and what not! There was a huge and unique collection of guitars made out of armadillo and turtle shells. To make things a bit more interesting, there is a room which is full of miniature depictions of all these instruments. There is an interesting map of Bolivia and South America showing where all the different musical instruments originated. Then there is also depicted this fascination of the Amazonian tribes to decorate their musical instruments with nuts, seeds and feathers. Similar to Larco Museo in Lima, there were depictions on pottery of people playing instruments and even flutes showing erotic depictions which I thought was unique to this museum. The entry ticket to this museum is separate from the other 4 museums. This one costs Bs. 5 per person. From memory, they are closed during lunch hours. This is a must visit museum if visiting La Paz! Highly recommended.
3. National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 299 reviews
The museum has among its exhibitions, a collection of textiles, hats and pottery from the different regions of Bolivia. The higlights are for sure the masks display and the feather art collection. Finally, you can see a basketry, coins and metals exhibitions.
Reviewed By WeakKneeTraveler - Singapore, Singapore
This museum has a very good exhibit of traditional accessories such as masks, hats, etc. Recommended to visit to understand a very essential part of the Bolivian culture. There is also a mini cafe in the museum which serves really nice hot chocolate.
4. Museo de Textiles Andinos Bolivianos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 46 reviews
The Museum exhibits a broad variety of textiles and clothing from the Bolivian Andes, which allow visitors to appreciate the richness and experience the magic of understanding a weaving by reading in its colors and figures the stories and myths of women and men, and their cultures.
Reviewed By Chinapjs - Washington DC, United States
Beautiful private small museum focusing on social and cultural nature of indigenous textiles. Some beautiful pieces and great explainations (all in Spanish). Very friendly person in charge. Set high on top of La Paz so there are some great photo ops nearby too. Take a taxi and arrange for taxi to stay as you only need about twenty minutes. Cost is about $2.20 per person. Nice gift shop too. If you like indigenous textiles this is a must visit.
5. Museo Tambo Qirquincho
6. Museo Nacional de Arqueologia MUNARQ
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 24 reviews
Bronze Inca figures, mummies and a monolith are among the artifacts from the Tiwanaku and Inca cultures housed in this museum.
Reviewed By pancj2018 - Lima, Peru
As an archaeologist and museum professional, archaeology museum are at the very top of my list of local attractions anywhere I go. Sometimes, I'm profoundly disappointed and at others I'm wildly impressed. This is not one of the great museums of South America (think Lima and Bogota), but it is an absolutely terrific museum of the archaeology of Bolivia, that has done the absolute maximum with a limited budget. It is both chronologically and regionally oriented with a natural focus on Tiwanaku the imperial capital not far from La Paz. The stonework they have from Tiwanaku is fantastic and worth a visit all by itself. Apart from the focus on this ancient imperial city, they have very good exhibits on first inhabitants, pre-Tiwanaku cultures around Lake Titicaca, post- Tiwanku/Inca material and good exhibits on prehistoric cultures in other parts of Bolivia. If you have any interest in the archaeology of Bolivia and its ancient cultures, this is an important visit.
7. National Museum of Art - Museo Nacional de Arte
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 91 reviews
Inside this 1775 colonial-style building is an outstanding collection of famous Bolivian colonial artwork as well as some modern art.
8. Museum of Contemporary Art - Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Plaza
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 91 reviews
This late 19th-century mansion, designed by the creator of the Eiffel Tower, contains artwork reflecting issues in modern Bolivian society as well as works by famous international artists.
9. Museo de Metales Preciosos
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 69 reviews
Reviewed By lisalou1963
Loved this little museum on Calle Jaen, not just for its small collections of gold and silver, but they have a small room with amazing ceramics, some so unbelievably fine and delicate.
10. Museo Murillo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By AMsays - Thornhill, Canada
Found on colourful Calle Jaen, also known as Casa de Murillo, this was originally the home of Pedro Domingo Murillo, Bolivian revolutionary leader who was later hanged by the Spanish and became a martyr fer modern day Bolivia. Now a museum on two floors, it houses treasures of the former Bolivian aristocracy. There are ornate silver artifacts, paintings, statues, colonial furniture, household wares, textiles, and assortment of glass items amongst many other things. It is an interesting collection especially if you want to envision how the aristocracy lived circa 1800s. Look out for the prominent paintings “The Execution of Murillo” and “Los Plantas Calientes”, both prominently displayed.
