Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán

Top choice in North Coast


Opened in November 2002, the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán is the pride of northern Peru – as well it should be. With its burgundy pyramid construction rising gently out of the earth, it’s a world-class facility specifically designed to showcase the marvelous finds from Sipán. Photography is not permitted and all bags must be checked.

Visitors are guided through the museum from the top down and are shown some of the numerous discoveries from the tomb in the same order that the archaeologists found them – this small detail alone, rare in the museum world, adds a fascinating context to visits. The first hall contains detailed ceramics representing gods, people, plants, llamas and other animals.

On the 2nd floor there are delicate objects such as impossibly fine turquoise-and-gold ear ornaments showing ducks, deer and the Lord of Sipán himself. The painstaking and advanced techniques necessary to create this jewelry place them among the most beautiful and important objects of pre-Columbian America.

Finally the ground floor features exact reproductions of the tombs as they were found. Numerous dazzling objects are displayed, the most remarkable of which are the gold pectoral plates representing sea creatures such as octopus and crabs. Even the sandals of the Lord of Sipán were made of precious metals, as he was carried everywhere and never had to walk. Interestingly, since nobility were seen as part-animal gods, they used the nariguera (a distinctive nose shield) to conceal their very human teeth – and the fact that they were no different from everyone else.

As interesting as the artifacts on display are the exhibits on this remarkable archaeological find was excavated.

The lighting and layout is exceptional (though it takes a minute to get used to the dark interior lighting). The signage is all in Spanish, but English-speaking guides are available for S45 to S60 per group.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby North Coast attractions

1. Brüning Museum

0.33 MILES

This museum, once the regional archaeological showcase, is now overshadowed by the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán, but it still houses an excellent…

2. La Casa de Logia

0.52 MILES

La Casa de Logia, a block south of the main plaza, is a crumbling mansion with a 67m-long, 400-year-old balcony, said to be the longest colonial balcony…

3. Mercado Modelo

5.9 MILES

This is one of Peru’s most interesting markets, sprawling over several blocks. Most notable for tourists is the mercado de brujos (witch doctors’ market)…

4. Cathedral

6.23 MILES

This cathedral was built in the late 19th century. In contrast the Plaza de Armas (Parque Principal) wasn’t inaugurated until 1916, which gives an idea of…

5. Paseo de las Musas

6.53 MILES

This pleasant, narrow city park, a short walk south of the main plaza, showcases classical-style statues of mythological figures.

6. Pimentel

9.52 MILES

The poshest of the beach towns near Chiclayo, Pimentel has a long pier, a broad malecón (boardwalk) fronted by high-end, glassed-in houses, and the nicest…

7. Museo Nacional Sicán

9.59 MILES

Located in Ferreñafe, this splendid museum displays replicas of the 12m-deep tombs found at the Sicán site at Batán Grande, among the largest tombs found…

8. Santa Rosa

12.26 MILES

A more modern set of ruins than the nearby pre-Hispanic sites, this rough, dilapidated fishing village is organic, pungent, powerful and quite entrancing…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "peru/lambayeque/attractions/museo-tumbas-reales-de-sipan/a/poi-sig/1275529/1317717",
      "destination": "North-Coast",
      "continent": "South-America",
      "country": "Peru",
      "region": "North-Coast",
      "position": "superzone"
    }