Pre-Columbian and Indigenous Art Museum

MAPI is an important and often overlooked museum in the Ciudad Vieja — While its permanent collection of pre-Colombian artifacts on the ground floor are limited, the second level hosts a permanent installation of indigenous masks from 21 Latin American countries. It is one of the world’s best and unique collections of masks from Latin America on exhibit anywhere. More than worth a visit! Re: practicalities — the museum is accessible; has clean bathrooms and a beautiful but ancient elevator. For non-Uruguayans: there is an admission ticket machine to your left as you enter. For Uruguayan citizens entry to national museums are free with your CI. The reception desk is to your right as you enter. Also there is a museum cafe; entrance by reception desk.

I found this museum near Mercado del Puerto. The entrance inside the building is impressive with the natural light ceiling and marble stairs. I enjoyed the large display of masks by foccusing on the detail. Vhuntermassage LLC

On Monday the museum is free for entry. It has a beautiful exhibit of carnival masks, and the tile floor and the building itself are worth the visit to see it.

I liked what they had to show but it feels like the displays and exhibits could be expanded as well as a greater amount of indigenous art. It’s free entry and worth the visit! Temporary collections were interesting also concerning the carnival

Very disappointing. I don't think I've ever given one star to a museum before. The exhibition, if that's the right word, is organised across three floors. But alot of the exhibition spaces are EMPTY, presumably being refurbished. The carnival exhibits there, well go to the "Carnival Museum" instead. You'll see much better there. Also there is almost no English descriptions of the items display. Don't waste U$130 coming here, go to the "Carnival Museum" (near the dockside) instead.

Nice museum with exhibits that illustrate the various indigenous peoples in central and South America. Very manageable. Nice cafe attached where you can relax.

The museum's architecture is really nice it is antique. However, the building is falling apart. The exhibition is limited, and there is not enough information about what is being exhibited. The building is being rebuilt and fixed. It does not worth the price, 200 pesos.

A wonderful building, some nice examples of precolumbian art and artifacts (very few of them outstanding) and a couple of rooms (strangely unmarked and often so hidden that it almost seems like they aren't supposed to be found) with curiously random exhibitions, some of which may have their appeal. Absurdly high entry fee for what you get; especially the archaeological exhibits are ridiculously underdocumented, there seems to be next to no clear concept to the collections/exhibition. In museological terms, this is a disappointment. And it does get VERY hot.