Why You Should Visit Exhibition Park in Downtown Lima

Lima’s Parque de la Exposición, Exhibition Park, was built in 1872 for an international exhibition. Today, it’s a tranquil and scenic park boasting ample gardens, a lake and fountains alongside the city’s main art museum, a theater, pavilions, and an open-air amphitheater. It’s not just a peaceful park for lounging and people-watching; it also offers travelers a look into the artistic and cultural life of Lima.

The main structure inside the park is Exhibition Palace, a steel structure with an intricate façade in the neo-renaissance style. Although it served varied uses over the year, it’s been home to the MALI, the Lima Museum of Art, since 1957. A visit to see its permanent and temporary exhibitions offers travelers a great introduction into the city’s art scene. It houses 3,000 years of Peruvian art, and the entrance fee for adults is just S/12 (approximately US$3.70).

There’s also a theater known as La Cabaña, and an amphitheater for concerts, which draws in local artists seeking to practice or to put on a show. The artists themselves draw in locals and travelers alike, as well as omnipresent street vendors hawking snacks and drinks. You may be surprised to see that what begins as a casual walk through the park ends with attending a concert or play.

As you stroll through the park, you’re sure to be drawn to the exuberant, domed Byzantine Pavilion, and to the Moorish Pavilion with its innovative curved stair. At dusk, they give off a romantic air in the fading light.

The park also has a fountain and large lake, and a few gardens. The Japanese garden is a draw, with its painted rocks and Japanese-style monuments. Much of the park comprises a sprawling lawn and trees, ideal for lounging on the grass on a sunny day, alongside the many local couples which gather there, while planning the next leg of your trip. Buy some snacks in the food stands, or if you’re feeling generous, some fish food to toss into the lake. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see some of the park’s animals, which includes peacocks.

You’ll find Exhibition Park in central Lima, near the CIVA and Flores bus stations, Plaza Grau, and the National Stadium.