Fodor's Expert Review Museo Santuarios Andinos

Arequipa Museum/Gallery Fodor's Choice

Referred to as the Juanita Museum, this fascinating little museum at the Universidad Católica Santa Maria holds the frozen bodies of four young girls who were apparently sacrificed more than 500 years ago by the Inca to appease the gods. The "Juanita" mummy, said to be frozen around the age of 13, was the first mummy found in 1995 near the summit of Mt. Ampato by local climber Miguel Zárate and anthropologist Johan Reinhard. When neighboring Volcán Sabancaya erupted, the ice that held Juanita in her sacrificial tomb melted and she rolled partway down the mountain and into a crater. English-speaking guides will show you around the museum, and you can watch a video detailing the expedition.

Museum/Gallery Fodor's Choice

Quick Facts

La Merced 110
Arequipa, Arequipa  Peru

054-215–013

www.ucsm.edu.pe/museo-santuarios-andinos

Sight Details:
Rate Includes: S/15, S/20

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