Museum of the Andean Sanctuaries in Arequipa
2025 Guide

Located just 200 meters from the Plaza de Armas, in the heart of Arequipa's historic center, the Santuarios Andinos Museum is managed by the Catholic University of Santa María. This unique museum offers an exceptional dive into the sacred rituals of the Incas, particularly the little-known practice of high mountain offerings called capacocha.

🧭 Introduction to the Santuarios Andinos Museum in Arequipa

This site stands out for its scientific vocation and its collection of natural mummies, preserved by Andean ice for over five centuries. Unlike Egyptian mummification, these bodies were preserved by the intense cold of volcanic peaks. The museum also houses a rich collection of sacrificial artifacts, shedding valuable light on the Inca worldview.

★ Juanita, the "Ice Maiden": centerpiece of the museum

Discovered in September 1995 by archaeologist Johan Reinhard on the slopes of the Ampato volcano (6,288 m), this Inca girl aged about 13 to 14 is the museum's jewel. Her exceptional state of preservation allows researchers to study:

• The weaving techniques of the Inca elite through her clothing.
• The offerings accompanying the sacrifices (statuettes, ceramics, spondylus shells).
• The dietary practices of children destined for the ritual (hair analysis).

▬ Historical context of Inca sacrifices (capacocha)

These sacrifices, called capacocha, were reserved for crucial moments in the Inca empire:

• Inauguration of a new emperor.
• Natural disasters (earthquakes, eruptions, droughts).
• Major territorial conquests.

The chosen children, considered pure, were offered to the gods to guarantee the balance of the world.

The museum houses a rich collection of Inca sacrificial artifacts, classified according to their origin and ritual function. These unique pieces were found during archaeological expeditions on various sacred volcanoes in the Arequipa region.

🧊 Andean mummies exhibited at the Santuarios Andinos Museum

▸ Juanita, the "Princess of Ampato"

Considered one of the best-preserved mummies in the world, Juanita rests in a special refrigerated chamber maintained at -19°C that recreates the conditions of her discovery:

• Probable cause of death: ritual cranial trauma (blow to the occiput).
• Estimated age: between 13 and 15 years.
• Associated offerings: gold and silver figurines, spondylus shells (considered more precious than gold), fine textiles.

Her analysis has revolutionized our understanding of capacocha, these sacrifices of children and adolescents considered the purest.

▸ Other sacrificial remains in the museum

💎 Sacrificial artifacts: treasures from the heights

The objects on display reveal the splendor deployed for these ceremonies and the technical mastery of the Incas:

Notable exhibits to see at the museum

• Precious metal statuettes: representations of animals (llama, alpaca) and human figures, sometimes dressed in miniature textiles.
• Ceremonial textiles: finely woven fabrics with symbolic patterns (tassels, feathers).
• Sacrificial quipus: knotted cords used to record offerings or ritual narratives.
• Wooden keru: ritual cups that contained chicha (corn beer).
• Cactus spines: used for divinatory rituals or bloodletting.

Before your visit, here is all the practical information you need to make the most of the museum.

⏱ 2025 opening hours of the Santuarios Andinos Museum

Special closures: Good Friday (April 18, 2025), December 25, January 1.

🎟 2025 entrance fees for the Santuarios Andinos Museum

Category	Price (soles)
Foreign adults	25.00
Foreign students (upon presentation of ID)	13.00
Peruvian adults	5.00
Peruvian students/schoolchildren	3.00
School groups (per student)	2.00

Free admission: Children under 5, Peruvian seniors over 65, people with disabilities.

📌 Visiting conditions at the museum

📷 Photography policy at the Santuarios Andinos Museum

• Photos allowed in all rooms EXCEPT the Juanita room (strictly forbidden to preserve conservation conditions).
• Prohibited: flash, tripods, selfie sticks.
• Instructions: backpacks must be left in lockers at the entrance.

🎧 Additional services

• Audioguides available in French, English, and Spanish (10 soles).
• Gift shop offering artifact replicas, books, and souvenirs.

♿ Museum accessibility

The museum is partially accessible for people with reduced mobility (except the Juanita conservation room). It is advisable to notify in advance for assistance.

The museum tour follows a chronological and thematic itinerary carefully designed to understand the evolution of Inca rituals. Allow about 50 minutes for a complete experience, including a 20-minute introductory film.

⌚ Guided tour of the Santuarios Andinos Museum

🛠️ Special facilities at the museum

• Listening booth: recordings of ritual chants in Quechua and traditional Andean music.
• Digital microscope: observation of textile fibers at the cellular level.
• Interactive terminals: to delve deeper into certain themes (Inca diet, natural mummification techniques).

📸 Can you take photos at the Santuarios Andinos Museum?

Photography is allowed only in certain areas such as the introductory room, the sacrificial room, and the gift shop. Photography is strictly prohibited in the Juanita gallery to preserve conservation conditions (light, even without flash, could accelerate degradation).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family visit to the mummy museum in Arequipa

The museum offers a light version of the tour without the presentation of the mummies, suitable for sensitive children or young visitors. Feel free to ask at the reception for advice on adapting the visit to your children's age and sensitivity.