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Bolivia🇧🇴 | attractionsMuseo Tambo QuirquinchoDiablada masks, old La Paz paintings, colonial silverwork, stone courtyard | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Museo Tambo Quirquincho
👌 Worth visitingattraction ranked #12
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 19, 2026

I stepped through the carved stone doorway on Calle Evaristo Valle, paid at the little desk, and left my daypack at the coat check, because the guards here prefer you roam free-handed. Museo Tambo Quirquincho sits in La Paz, Bolivia’s seat of government, a short downhill walk from Plaza San Francisco. Inside, a colonial courtyard opens onto rooms of masks, silverwork and old city paintings. Entry is cheap and the crowds are thin, so you get rooms to yourself. Skip midday guesswork: the museum closes on Sundays and takes a break around lunchtime on other days, so check hours before you climb up.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #12 attraction in BoliviaWhat sets this place apart

Museo Tambo Quirquincho gives you La Paz in compact form, which helps when the city’s steep streets and thin air make long museum days a bad idea. You can finish it in about an hour and leave with a clearer sense of how the city grew. Three reasons stand out. The Carnival masks and Diablada costumes explain the dances you will later see at Gran Poder and Oruro. The city photographs and paintings show a La Paz before its skyscrapers and cable cars. And the 18th-century tambo building itself, once a stopover for traders, is a rare surviving piece of colonial architecture near the center.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Carnival and Diablada masks: Horned devils, bulging eyes and sequined costumes fill the cases, showing how much craft goes into the dances you will see on the street.
  2. The colonial courtyard: Stone arches and a quiet patio make a calm break from the traffic outside, and the architecture is the original draw.
  3. Historic paintings of La Paz: Canvases show the plaza-centered town long before it climbed the valley walls, handy for orienting yourself.
  4. Old photographs of the city: Black-and-white prints of trams, markets and processions give faces to the streets you are walking.
  5. Colonial silver and metalwork: Ornate pieces show the wealth that Bolivian mining once sent through the region.
  6. Contemporary art rooms: Rotating exhibitions of Bolivian artists give a current counterpoint to the historic displays.
… read more 👉
  1. Carnival and Diablada masks: Horned devils, bulging eyes and sequined costumes fill the cases, showing how much craft goes into the dances you will see on the street.
  2. The colonial courtyard: Stone arches and a quiet patio make a calm break from the traffic outside, and the architecture is the original draw.
  3. Historic paintings of La Paz: Canvases show the plaza-centered town long before it climbed the valley walls, handy for orienting yourself.
  4. Old photographs of the city: Black-and-white prints of trams, markets and processions give faces to the streets you are walking.
  5. Colonial silver and metalwork: Ornate pieces show the wealth that Bolivian mining once sent through the region.
  6. Contemporary art rooms: Rotating exhibitions of Bolivian artists give a current counterpoint to the historic displays.
  7. Textile and ceramic displays: Andean weaving and pottery show the traditions behind the costumes and decorations elsewhere in the museum.
If time is short, skip the rotating contemporary rooms and head straight for the masks.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

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Learn Bolivian Cuisine/Cooking Class

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Private. Valley of the Souls and Moon, Uni Mística Indigenous Viewpoint

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Best time to visit Museo Tambo Quirquincho

May to October is the easiest window for Museo Tambo Quirquincho, when La Paz has dry, sunny days and little rain at 3,650 m (11,975 ft) of altitude.
  • Dry Season (May to October): Days reach 15 to 19°C (59 to 66°F), nights drop to around -2 to 3°C (28 to 37°F). Daylight lasts about 11 to 12 hours. Crowds and hostel prices peak in July and August.
  • Wet Season (November to April): Afternoon downpours hit 10 to 18°C (50 to 64°F) days, and January to February are the wettest. A museum visit suits a rainy afternoon, and rooms are cheaper.
  • Festivals: Gran Poder (May or June) and the Alasita fair (late January) fill the streets and raise prices.
Go in the morning, then walk downhill, since the altitude makes steep climbs tiring.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: highly recommended for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: good for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
when-to-go

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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

The best base for Museo Tambo Quirquincho is the Casco Viejo and Sagárnaga area, a 10 to 15 minute walk away, where dorm beds run about US$5 to 10 a night.
Calle Sagárnaga and the streets around Calle Linares are the traditional backpacker zone. You get hostels with shared kitchens, common rooms and tour agencies, which makes it easy to meet other solo travelers and book Death Road or Tiwanaku trips. Markets and cheap set-lunch cafes sit within a few blocks. The Witches’ Market is right there, so you can browse in the evening.
Around Plaza San Francisco and Av. Mariscal Santa Cruz you find more … read more 👉
The best base for Museo Tambo Quirquincho is the Casco Viejo and Sagárnaga area, a 10 to 15 minute walk away, where dorm beds run about US$5 to 10 a night.
Calle Sagárnaga and the streets around Calle Linares are the traditional backpacker zone. You get hostels with shared kitchens, common rooms and tour agencies, which makes it easy to meet other solo travelers and book Death Road or Tiwanaku trips. Markets and cheap set-lunch cafes sit within a few blocks. The Witches’ Market is right there, so you can browse in the evening.
Around Plaza San Francisco and Av. Mariscal Santa Cruz you find more hotels and better transport links, with quieter nights. The museum sits on a slope on Calle Evaristo Valle, so staying uphill from the center means a steep walk back. Stay downhill if the altitude bothers you. Keep to busy, lit streets after dark and use radio taxis at night.
Best hostels in Bolivia


Best quality hotels in Bolivia

👛 Costs (as of 19 October 2026)Travel costs and budget guide for Museo Tambo Quirquincho

Budget about US$12 to 30 a day around Museo Tambo Quirquincho, including a dorm bed, meals and local transport.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Museum entryUS$0.60 to 1.50A small ticket, paid in bolivianos, and cheaper for locals. Free on some cultural days.
Accommodation (high season)US$6 to 12Dorm bed in the Sagárnaga and Casco Viejo area.
FoodUS$4 to 10Set almuerzo lunch costs US$2 to 4, dinner in a cafe more.
Local transportUS$0.30 to 2Minibuses cost under US$0.50, short taxis US$1 to 2. Most sights are walkable.
Other sightsUS$1 to 5Nearby museums on Calle Jaén charge small fees, and Mi Teleférico rides cost about US$0.45 per line.
Total Daily BudgetUS$12 to 30Per person, per day, in high season.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Museo Tambo Quirquincho needs about 1 to 1.5 hours. It holds a small collection of colonial art, masks, silverwork and photos of old La Paz across a restored 18th-century courtyard building. Pair it with nearby Calle Jaén museums for a half day.
Museo Tambo Quirquincho is worth the tiny entrance fee of roughly US$0.60 to 1.50. You get Carnival masks, Pre-Hispanic and colonial objects and city history in a calm courtyard, usually without crowds. Check opening days before going, since municipal museums often close on Mondays.
Museo Tambo Quirquincho sits on Calle Evaristo Valle, a few blocks from Plaza San Francisco, about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Calle Sagárnaga. Walk downhill from the Casco Viejo, or take a minibus or taxi for US$1 to 2 from central La Paz. From El Alto airport a taxi takes 30 to 45 minutes and costs around US$8 to 12.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Bolivian attractions near Museo Tambo Quirquincho

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We 💚 feedbackWhat to keep in mind

Museo Tambo Quirquincho pairs well with a loop through Plaza San Francisco, the Witches’ Market and the Mercado Lanza on the same morning. I would visit first, so the Carnival masks give meaning to the costumes and crafts you meet afterward in the markets.

✈️ When did I visit Bolivia?
Bolivia I visited during my half year trip through South and Central America back in 2003

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Bolivia, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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