2 Best Sights in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Peru

Everyone comes to "ooh" and "eeww" over this archaeological museum's collection of Inca mummies, but the entire facility serves as a comprehensive introduction to pre-Columbian Andean culture. Packed with textiles, ceramics, and dioramas, there's a lot to see here, and displays bear labels in Spanish and English. One room is dedicated to the story of Mamakuka ("Mother Coca"), and documents Indigenous people's use of the coca leaf for religious and medicinal purposes. The building was once the palace of Admiral Francisco Aldrete Maldonado, the reason for its common designation as the Palacio del Almirante (Admiral's Palace).

Artifacts that Hiram Bingham unearthed during his 1911 "discovery" of Machu Picchu and brought back to Yale University resided with the university for a century. After a hotly contested custody battle, an agreement was reached between Peru and Yale, and the artifacts began to be returned to Peru in 2011. Some can now be seen on display at this small but fascinating museum housed in a colonial mansion built atop the palace of Tupac Yupanqui. While the artifacts are interesting, the real reason to go is for the video, which presents research findings on these pieces. If you have time, visit the museum before your trip to Machu Picchu for a deeper understanding of what is currently known, and still unknown, about this world wonder.