Museum Visits in South America: 15 That Fill a Day Properly

1.Bogotá City Tour with Monserrate, Gold and Botero Museums

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 584 reviews · 5 - 7 hours · from $65Our pick

Spend 5 to 7 hours with a private English or Spanish-speaking guide exploring La Candelaria, Bolívar Square, the Gold Museum, Botero Museum, and Monserrate. You’ll taste chicha, Colombian fruit, juice, and coffee, with hotel pickup and the mountain cable car included. Guides such as Sara, Sergio, Leslie, and Rodrigo are praised for flexible, personal tours.

“Love the tour and the guide was great. Well educated and versed with knowledge. Definitely recommend Gerardo for your tour. He is also the best photographer and took amazing pictures of ours!”

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2.Tickets to Boca Juniors Museum & Stadium

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 581 reviews · 1 day · from $38

Visit the Boca Juniors Museum and La Bombonera in Buenos Aires with a self-guided Express Visit or Spanish-led Complete Visit. See historic shirts, interactive displays, Boca idols, the 360-degree Esto es Boca show, and one stadium stand. Stadium access can be limited on match or event days.

“it was great to get to go onto the pitch. the group size was very big. almost entirely through spanish even though advertised as with english speaking guide”

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3.Skip the Line: Casapueblo Museum Admission Ticket in Punta del Este

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 281 reviews · 1 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $15

Explore Casapueblo Museum and workshop in Punta Ballena, 13 kilometers from Punta del Este. See Carlos Páez Vilaró’s art, watch a short film, visit exhibition rooms, and enjoy ocean views from the terraces. Arrive early for the sunset ceremony, when a recording of the artist’s poem bids farewell to the sun.

“Amazing place, with amazing surroundings. The sun cerimony was something unforgettable - I went without any expectations, thinking that was just BS for tourists… but it turned out to be the most beatiful sunset I ever saw.”

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4.City Tour, Monserrate, Gold Museum, Plaza de Bolivar

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 168 reviews · 6 hours · from $88

This private six-hour Bogotá tour pairs hotel pickup with the Gold Museum, Botero Museum, Plaza de Bolívar, La Candelaria, and Monserrate. English- and Spanish-speaking guides such as Edwin, José, and Diego lead the day, while private transport saves time between stops. The Monserrate ticket costs extra, and the Gold Museum closes Mondays.

“Diego the guide speaks Spanish and little English but is a great human being. He is quite chatty and explains the city well and took me to all the sites and waited with patience. The highlight of the tour was us having local lunch together at Plaza Bolivar. Super day will recommend him highly”

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5.City Tour in Cusco & visit Museum South American Camelid Private.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 147 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $49Top rated

Spend about six hours exploring Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay with a private guide and driver. The camelid farm adds alpacas, llamas, vicuñas, weaving, and textile traditions. Guides such as Christian, Americo, Percy, and Juan Vargas have earned strong praise for clear, lively explanations.

“Absolutely stunning. A must to do. Our tour guide was one of the best that I had in many years! Extremely knowledgeable and informative.”

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6.City Tour, Monserrate, Gold Museum, Botero Museum, Plaza Bolívar

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 146 reviews · 6 hours · from $81

Explore Bogotá with a private guide in Spanish or English, using private transport to connect La Candelaria, Plaza Bolívar, the Gold Museum, Botero Museum, Monserrate, Chorro de Quevedo, and more. Museum entries and a light snack are included. Monserrate admission and the funicular cost extra.

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7.Petrópolis Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro including Imperial Museum and Crystal Palace

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 101 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $93

Travel from Rio to Petrópolis with a multilingual guide such as Marco, Adriana, Tanya, TT, or Tété, depending on the departure. Tour Pedro II’s former palace, see the imperial crown and Princess Isabel’s signing pen, visit the cathedral and Crystal Palace, then choose shopping or Bohemia brewery time.

“excellent knowledgeable guide speak many language,keeps everyone entertained.”

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8.City Tour in Cusco & visit Museum South American Camelid

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 80 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $11Best value

See Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay with a bilingual English-Spanish guide. The $11.70 tour lasts about four to five hours and uses an air-conditioned vehicle between sites. Admission fees are extra, and the advertised camelid museum visit is not listed in the detailed route, so confirm it before booking.

“Regina was an excellent guide. She took special care throughout the tour, whether on the bus or at the various sites, to explain everything in both Spanish and English. We spent an appropriate amount of time at each site and she was able to answer all of our questions.”

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9.River Plate and Boca Juniors Museum Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 72 reviews · 3 - 5 hours · from $103

Start in San Telmo and visit the Boca Juniors and River Plate museums with a live English or Spanish guide. The Boca stadium is currently closed for renovation, so this tour includes the museum only there, while River Plate includes stadium access and field photos. Guides such as Ariel and Martin have led highly personal visits.

“Quiero agradecer a Ariel, nuestro guía quien se portó maravillosamente! FELICITACIONES¡! Solo una pena que el Estadio de la Boca no se pueda entrar a su cancha.”

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10.7-Hour Shared Group Santos Tour : Mont Serrat, Coffee Museum and Sightseeing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $89

Spend seven hours seeing Santos with a bilingual guide such as Romilda, Mary, Elaine, or Gladys. Visit Monte Serrat, the Pelé Museum, Coffee Museum, Orquidário, historic churches, viewpoints, and the famous beach garden. Pickup is at the cruise terminal, with transport, admission fees, and a group capped at 15 people.

“Super guide très impliqué je recommande Maria . très bonne journée faite lui confiance très à l écoute et très impliqué dans son travail.je suis à ma 18 croisière alors je sais reconnaître les super guide”

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11.Larco Museum, Pisco Old Tavern and Magic Water Circuit Evening Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 66 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $75

Spend a four-hour Lima evening with a guide such as Victor, Gabriela, or Liliana, visiting the Larco Museum, a traditional tavern, and the Magic Water Circuit. Your $75 includes hotel pickup, museum and fountain admission, a Peruvian snack, and one pisco sour. Expect a small group of up to 15 people and a 4 p.m. start.

“Our guide was very friendly, knowledgeable and shared information in a way that it was apparent that she loved her job. We enjoyed our time with her and especially appreciated her going above and beyond to assist in obtaining transport back to our ship.”

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12.Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & Historical Rio

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 66 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $72

Start with hotel pickup, then explore Cais do Valongo, Porto Maravilha, Museum of Tomorrow, São Bento Monastery, Praça Quinze, and Confeitaria Colombo. Guides such as Carlos, Sandra, Alexia, Gabriella, and Newton have led this route, which mixes short van rides with substantial walking. The museum visit lasts about 90 minutes.

“Learning about Brasil, and walking throughout the city was excellent. Oh, the best part was the pastry shop, Confeitaria Colombo...yummy. One big tip is to wear comfort shoes and be ready to walk, and it's worth it!”

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13.Pachacamac’s Inka Pyramids Tour including Museum Small-Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $52

Spend about three and a half hours visiting Pachacamac, a vast sacred complex southeast of Lima. Your guide leads you through adobe temples, Inka-era ruins, and an excellent onsite museum. Pickup and return transport are included, with morning or afternoon departures and groups capped at 10 people.

“Pachacamac was such an interesting place to visit and learn about the history of Inca and earlier indigenous cultures from a descendant whose knowledge was both from academic sources and his own elders. From Edwin we learned about the items and sites we saw, but also about the philosophy and religion of Incan people that is still practiced today. Definitely a memorable experience.”

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14.Olympic Boulevard, AquaRio and Museum of Tomorrow Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 54 reviews · 4 hours · from $49

You’ll tour Rio’s renewed port district with a Spanish-, English-, or Portuguese-speaking guide, entering the Museum of Tomorrow and, if selected, AquaRio. Expect striking architecture, a huge Kobra mural, interactive ideas about the planet’s future, and a long walk between attractions. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“El guía fue excelente. El tour en general es bueno, pero la peor parte es la larga caminata por el bulevar para llegar al museo del mañana. Esta parte del tour se debería obviar y hacer el traslado en el mismo minibús.”

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15.Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 47 reviews · 4 hours · from $67

See a modern and historic side of Rio on a four-hour guided tour from the South Zone. Visit Valongo Wharf, Eduardo Kobra’s huge mural, the Museum of Tomorrow, São Bento Monastery, Praça XV, and Confeitaria Colombo. English, Spanish, and Portuguese guides lead the tour, with museum admission and hotel transport included.

“La guía, Marilia, se perdió al llevarnos de un punto a otro. No explicaba los lugares de visita, siempre nos estaba apurando a pesar del tiempo que perdió al perderse entre las calles. El transporte casi nos deja al final del recorrido ya que como eran dos tours en el mismo transporte parecía que estábamos ligados al segundo tour. No fue una experiencia agradable. Por lo que no lo recomiendo.”

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