Arequipa Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA)

The Arequipa Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA) is one of the city’s most representative cultural spaces, dedicated to the dissemination, preservation, and promotion of modern and contemporary art in southern Peru. Located in a historic mansion near the center of Arequipa, MACA offers a meeting point between the architectural tradition of the White City and the most current artistic expressions.

MACA is not just a place to admire art; it is also a living space, where temporary exhibitions, educational activities, workshops, discussions, and projects are held to bring contemporary art closer to the community. Thanks to this, it has become a key venue for understanding the cultural identity, creativity, and current artistic movement of Arequipa.

Its galleries display paintings, sculptures, photographs, and mixed-media works by local, national, and international artists, showcasing the evolution of Peruvian art from the 20th century to the present.

A bit of its history

The seed of the museum began in 1993, with the creation of the board of trustees that promoted its foundation. After several years of planning, the museum was officially inaugurated on May 28, 2003. Its opening responded to the need to provide Arequipa with a space dedicated to modern and contemporary art, different from traditional museums, with an emphasis on recent visual arts.

Since its inception, MACA has positioned itself as a space for contemporary visual arts: paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, and watercolors—works by Peruvian and international artists from recent decades. Over the years, it has promoted both permanent and temporary exhibitions, incorporating local and national artists, and creating a critical space for artistic expression. In particular, it has served to highlight the “new Arequipa painting,” a movement that reinterpreted local themes using new techniques and contemporary languages.

Collection and Spaces

MACA brings together a diverse and representative collection of contemporary Peruvian art, with works ranging from the first half of the 20th century to the present. Its galleries display paintings, sculptures, prints, installations, and photographs by prominent Peruvian artists, as well as a select collection of works by international creators that complement the vision of modern art in the region.

Among its most important areas are the thematic rooms, which allow visitors to engage with artistic expressions characteristic of Arequipa and with works of high historical value.

Arequipa Watercolor Room: a space dedicated to a widely recognized local tradition, showcasing works that stand out for their mastery of color, light, and technique. This room pays tribute to the Arequipa watercolor school, one of the most influential in the country.

Room Dedicated to the Photographic Work of the Vargas Brothers: a permanent exhibition that brings together part of the renowned work of the Vargas photographers, known for capturing the social, cultural, and architectural life of Arequipa and southern Peru during the 20th century. Their images form an invaluable record of regional identity.

In addition to its permanent collection, the museum carries out an active program of temporary exhibitions, showcasing contemporary art proposals that incorporate new techniques, visual narratives, and experimental languages.

Cultural and Artistic Importance

The Arequipa Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA) is one of the city’s cultural pillars, serving as an essential space for the dissemination, preservation, and promotion of contemporary art in southern Peru. Its presence has helped expand Arequipa’s cultural offerings beyond colonial and republican art—dominant in the region—by incorporating new forms of visual expression that engage with current realities. The museum plays a key role in valuing local visual arts, providing visibility to artists from Arequipa and southern Peru, and promoting styles and initiatives that are part of the region’s cultural identity.

Its location in a historic mansion in Arequipa’s traditional “English quarter” adds an additional heritage value: a visit to the museum not only provides contact with contemporary art, but also an immersive experience in the city’s traditional architecture.

Location and contact information

ddress: Tacna y Arica 201, Cercado, Arequipa, Peru.

Phone: (054) 221068

Email: museoarteaqp@gmail.com

If you have trouble finding the location, you can contact Uber beforehand to get to the exact address.

Visiting Hours

According to recent information:

Tuesday to Friday: from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

It is advisable to check beforehand, since hours may change.

What to keep in mind when visiting

It’s a good idea to check for special events or temporary exhibitions — in case the gallery programming changes. You can take advantage of its central location to combine the visit with a stroll through Arequipa’s historic center. If you are interested in Peruvian contemporary art — painting, photography, watercolor, sculpture — this museum offers a very good overview of the regional and national scene.