Housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century building with a picture-perfect colonial courtyard, the Museos Universitarios consist of three separate halls housing colonial relics, anthropological artifacts and modern art. Most interesting are the cases filled with dolls dressed in traditional ethnic fiesta clothing and, for the more macabre, a collection of skulls and mummified remains. The permanent gallery of paintings are mostly dark and dour portraits of generals and politicians; the quality of the contemporary exhibitions varies. Spanish and English text.
Museos Universitarios
Sucre
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.21 MILES
For a dose of Bolivian history, it’s hard to beat this museum where the Bolivian declaration of independence was signed on August 6, 1825. It has been…
24.2 MILES
Despite the presence of other camera-wielding gringos and the ubiquity of travel agencies in Sucre selling 'tours,' Tarabuco's Sunday market is well worth…
0.44 MILES
This superb museum of indigenous arts is a must for anyone interested in the indigenous groups of the Sucre area, focusing particularly on the woven…
Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore
0.22 MILES
Known locally as MUSEF and housed in the impressive former Banco Nacional building, this museum brings together a series of fascinating temporary…
3.35 MILES
It seems that 65 million years ago the site of Sucre’s Fabrica Nacional de Cemento SA (Fancesa) cement quarry, 5km north of the center, was the place to…
0.11 MILES
Next door to Sucre's cathedral, this museum holds one of Bolivia’s best collections of religious relics. There are four sections, ritually unlocked as…
0.47 MILES
Overlooking the city from the top of Calle Polanco, La Recoleta was established by the Franciscan Order in 1601. It has served not only as a convent and…
Templo Nuestra Señora de la Merced
0.13 MILES
After several years of restoration work (the completion date was still unknown at the time of research), this church's interior is still mostly bare, but…
Nearby Sucre attractions
1. Museo Eclesiástico de Sucre
0.11 MILES
Next door to Sucre's cathedral, this museum holds one of Bolivia’s best collections of religious relics. There are four sections, ritually unlocked as…
0.11 MILES
Run by the university, this museum is an old aristocrat’s house stocked with a hodgepodge collection of gaudy 19th-century decor. Think gilded gold…
3. Convento de San Felipe Neri
0.12 MILES
The view from the bell tower and tiled rooftop of the San Felipe Neri convent more than explains Sucre’s nickname – the ‘White City of the Americas.' In…
4. Templo Nuestra Señora de la Merced
0.13 MILES
After several years of restoration work (the completion date was still unknown at the time of research), this church's interior is still mostly bare, but…
0.13 MILES
This 16th-century church with an imposing whitewashed facade was built by the Dominican order.
0.14 MILES
Sucre’s cathedral dates from the middle of the 16th century and is a harmonious blend of Renaissance architecture with later baroque additions. It’s a…
0.17 MILES
For the best view in town, inquire at the national police office inside the wedding-cake-like Prefectura de Chuquisaca, next to the cathedral. If they're…
0.18 MILES
Located in the Santa Clara Convent, this museum of religious art, founded in 1639, contains several works by Bolivian master Melchor Pérez de Holguín and…