Art museum

     The Exhibition Palace, the building that houses the Art Museum of Lima, also called the MALI, is one of the best examples of architecture of Lima. It was designed and built for the first major public exhibition in our country, the "Big Show of Arts, Science and Industry”, which was held on the fiftieth anniversary of Peru’s independence.

     The museum was built between 1870 and 1871, during the government of José Balta. It was a very original building in Latin America, because it was one of the earliest and most important works made with iron. It was designed in neo -Renaissance style by Antonio Leonardi. Surrounded by statues, gardens and a zoo, the Palace was the heart of one of the most important urban projects of the last century, following the example of European expositions.

     Today, it is part of one of the busiest areas of the city, in the centre of Lima. Because of its importance, the Palace was declared a historical monument in 1973 by the National Institute of Culture.