Street art in Barranco, Lima: Peru’s murals neighborhood (w/ pics!)

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you know how much I love street art. So when I traveled to Lima, Peru, you can bet I was pleased as punch to explore Barranco, one of the hippest neighborhoods in Lima. One reason why: all the murals! Street art in Barranco, Lima is everywhere—which makes it one of the best things to do in Barranco.

Barranco, Lima is an extremely walkable part of the city. And while you’re wandering, you’ll inevitably come across incredible murals. Nearly every available wall has been taken over by vibrant expressions of artists’ imaginations.

So when you visit Lima, Peru, don’t miss the street art in Barranco. This neighborhood is one of the best places to see murals in Lima—and perhaps all of Peru.

Want to know what to look for? Read on for some of my favorite murals in Barranco. What’s more, at the end of this post, I’ll share some of the other best things to do in Barranco, Lima!

Why is there so much street art in Barranco?

Barranco is the beating heart of Lima’s arts and culture community. Here you’ll find galleries, museums, innovative restaurants and book stores that make you want to dive in and never leave.

It makes perfect sense, then, that Lima’s artists (and muralists from elsewhere) find a welcome reception for Barranco’s street art.

And while I recommend checking out this neighborhood’s arts centers, hip shopping and museums, don’t miss Barranco’s street art. Muralists have turned this corner of Lima into an outdoor gallery—a place where public art is truly meant for everyone.

Where to find Barranco street art

One of the wonderful things about street art is it changes constantly. Chances are, the murals in Barranco that I saw will be different than the ones visible when you explore.

Murals come and go, so no one can be sure if the street art will still be displayed—or painted over, tagged or torn down.

That said, there are a few spots that have become permanent centers of street art in Lima. Here’s where to find murals in Barranco:

1.Under the bridge next to the Parque Federico Villarreal. If you’re wondering where to find murals in Barranco, Lima, you can’t go wrong walking under this bridge. You’ll see some of Lima’s most famous murals and maybe folks painting new ones, like I saw when I visited. Street musicians also perform her often, especially on weekends.

2. The famous street art stairs in Barranco. Pretty much every square inch of wall is painted along these famous stairs in Barranco. You can find them by their entrance next to Restaurante Javier. It’s near the Puente de Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), the romantically named but fairly underwhelming bridge.

3. Everywhere! Besides these two spots, Barranco murals are spread all over the neighborhood. You can’t help but run into them as you walk around Barranco!

More murals in Barranco, all the time

The Barranco District has embraced its identity as the street art center of Lima. Beginning in 2015, murals festivals and contests have added more public art to this hip neighborhood.

In addition to sanctioned and professional murals, you’ll also probably spy street art that went up on the sly. These more ad hoc murals stick closer to the art form’s history as a subversive, grassroots expression.

Regardless if the artists are world renowned or anonymous, you’ll love seeing the street art in Barranco.

Where else to see art, galleries and museums in Barranco

Since you’re in an art and culture mood, you should also check out the indoors arts. If you’re looking for things to do in Barranco, Lima, add these to your list. These are some of my favorite galleries and museums in Barranco:

Jade Rivera’s studio

Jade Rivera is one of the most famous muralists of Peru, and he keeps a studio in Barranco. The studio is open to the public, and you can buy his art—on a smaller scale (which is much easier to fit in a suitcase than an entire wall!).

You’ll also want to meet the cats that hang out here!

Museo de Arte Contemporaneo – MAC (Modern Art Museum, Lima)

On the border between Miraflores and Barranco, you’ll see the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo. (It’s just past the Barranco sign.)

This modern art museum is fairly small, making it a quick stop. You can make your way through the exhibitions in an hour. Its works are continually rotating, so you never know what you’ll see.

The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (MAC) also has a little outdoor cafe for quick bites to eat and a drink. Don’t forget to walk the museum grounds to see large outdoor sculptures.

If you’re spending time in Miraflores, you’ll definitely want to read my post on things to do in Miraflores, Lima. It’s one of my most popular posts!

Pedro de Osma Museum

On the other side of Barranco, I definitely suggest you visit the Pedro de Osma Museum. This museum has a completely different feel and exhibits art primarily from the 1600s-1800s. You’ll see how imperialism and Catholicism mixed with indigenous values and religion to create a wholly unique artistic style.

This Barranco museum also holds art and artifacts from Peruvian cultures dating from the fifth century onward.

The Pedro de Osma Museum is housed in the mansion that belonged to the art collector the museum is named after. In the second and smaller building of the museum, you’ll see portraits, art and artifacts from the collector’s family.

I also enjoyed walking around the museum grounds. Its perfectly manicured lawn and palm trees made me feel like I’d traveled back in time—that I might see Pedro de Osma Gildemeister himself pulling up in a horse-drawn carriage.

MATE Museum (Mario Testino photography museum)

Mario Testino is a famous Peruvian photographer who made his name as a fashion photographer. Throughout his career, he photographed portraits of the rich and famous, including Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Madonna and Angelina Jolie. He was also recently accused of sexual harassment and assault by some of the models he worked with—so I leave it to you if you want to visit the MATE Museum. (The museum is a nonprofit, so the money you spend there doesn’t actually go to the photographer.)

I didn’t visit it personally, but some of the people I traveled with went. The MATE Museum focuses on photography, especially that of Mario Testino. It also includes other photography special exhibitions.

When my sister and friends went, they were actually more interested in the visiting exhibition than in the photography. A Peruvian artist had spent four days collaborating with regular ol’ people to create vibrant, spontaneous pieces of art.

Things to do in Barranco, Lima: See all the street art!

There are so many things to do in Barranco, Lima. I loved visiting Barranco museums, shopping in the independent stores, perusing book shops, eating artisan gelato and so much more. Most of all, though, I fell in love with Barranco’s street art!

I’m pretty sure you will, too. If you’re heading to Peru, you should stop in Barranco, even if you’re only staying in Lima for a day. It was one of my favorite neighborhoods in Lima.

And if you’re heading to Machu Picchu, you’ll want to read my post that details visiting Machu Picchu!