National Museum

National Museum, museum in Lima, Peru, that contained artifacts offering an overview of pre-Hispanic human history in Peru. It constituted an archaeological record spanning the period from 14,000 bce to 1532 ce. The museum closed in the 2010s, and its collection (along with that of the Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú and the federal archives) was moved to the Museo Nacional del Perú (Muna), which partially opened in 2021.

The museum was opened in 1990 and occupied a large building that was originally built to house government offices. Its four floors of exhibition space contained textiles, ceramics, sculptures, jewelry, weapons, and other materials, many contextualized in scenic recreations and dioramas representing Peru’s cultures throughout different eras and regions. The museum’s chronological organization traced the various cultural interactions, from trade to war, that shaped Peru’s ancient history. It began with evidence of human origins and proceeded by highlighting the major periods of Andean society, discussing advanced techniques in farming, architecture, and social organization. Temporary displays typically had national or regional themes, frequently emphasizing more-contemporary events.