Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City), Quito

The Museum of the City is the first museum in Quito to illustrate everyday life in the city through the centuries. It is housed in the former Old Saint John’s Hospital, a beautiful sixteenth-century building that is part of Quito’s UNESCO World Heritage zone.

In 1998, the historic hospital was transformed into a museum. Its impressive collection and diverse exhibitions explore local traditions, legends, cuisine, clothing, crafts, and daily activities, offering visitors a detailed picture of life in Quito over time.

In addition to pre-Columbian artifacts, the museum features rooms dedicated to the colonial period between 1500 and 1700, highlighting Spanish colonization and the influence of Catholicism on Ecuadorian culture.

A dedicated section explores the history of the Old Saint John’s Hospital, illustrating how diseases were treated and how medical care was provided to the city’s residents in past centuries.