8 Cuenca Museums Are Open This Holiday Weekend — Here's the Full Guide

Not sure what to do with four days off? Cuenca's museums have you covered.

The city confirmed that eight museums are open during the Labor Day holiday weekend, running from April 30 through May 3. Most are keeping regular hours, and a couple have exhibitions worth the trip on their own.

Open All Four Days (April 30 – May 3)

Museo Municipal Remigio Crespo Toral

• Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• What's showing: Three exhibitions — "El Modernismo," "El Coleccionismo," and watercolors by Rosalía Andrade
• One of Cuenca's flagship museums, down on Calle Larga

Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno

• Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• What's showing: "Parajes del silencio" (1975–2025) by Diego Jaramillo — a career-spanning retrospective

Planetario Municipal

• Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• What's showing: Astronomical projections
• Great if you've got kids (or just like staring at the ceiling in the dark)

Galería de la Alcaldía

• Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• What's showing: "KRAFT" by Antonio Jaramillo

Open Through May 2 Only

These four close a day early — skip them on Saturday the 3rd.

Museo de la Paja Toquilla

• Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Cuenca's toquilla straw hat museum — if you haven't been yet, the holiday is a good excuse

Museo de las Conceptas

• Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Religious art in a restored convent

Museo Pumapungo

• Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• The archaeological park and ethnobotanical garden are the main draw — plan to spend at least an hour outside

Museo de la Moneda

• Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Ecuador's monetary history — more interesting than it sounds, especially the pre-dollarization section

Tips

• Most of these are free or very cheap. Cuenca's municipal museums don't charge much, if anything
• Go in the morning. The 9 AM openers tend to be quieter before lunch. Afternoon crowds pick up, especially during a holiday
• Pumapungo closes earliest — 4 PM. If it's on your list, plan accordingly
• The weather forecast calls for high UV and possible afternoon rain. Sunscreen on the walk over, umbrella in the bag

If you're staying in Cuenca this weekend instead of heading to the coast, you've got no excuse to be bored.

Source: El Mercurio