The Museo Nacional de Sicán, part of the Ministry of Culture, marked its 25th anniversary on March 20 as a leading center for research, conservation, and dissemination of northern Peru’s archaeological heritage.
The museum is located in Ferreñafe province and was established following the discovery of an intact tomb belonging to a member of the Sicán elite at the Bosque de Pómac Historic Sanctuary. This find at Huaca El Oro led to the creation of a dedicated space for preserving and studying one of Peru’s most complex pre-Hispanic civilizations.
Carlos Elera Arévalo, director of the Museo Nacional de Sicán, said, “Hace un cuarto de siglo participamos en todo el proceso de puesta en marcha del museo. Parece que fue ayer cuando encontramos en Huaca El Oro una tumba intacta de la élite Sicán, un hallazgo que hizo posible la creación de este espacio.”
Since its inauguration on March 20, 2001, the museum has housed a collection composed almost entirely of items recovered from excavations at Bosque de Pómac. Its permanent exhibition features 356 cultural artifacts. The Gold Room stands out by displaying part of the funerary offerings from the elite Sicán tomb, which included nearly 1,250 kilograms of mainly metal objects—making it one of the richest tombs recorded in the Americas. Among its most notable pieces is a gold mask painted red with emerald eyes discovered in 1991 at Huaca del Oro’s Mausoleum Temple.
Elera said, “El 99.9 % de nuestra colección proviene de las excavaciones en Pómac, lo que convierte al museo en un espacio único para comprender esta cultura.” Over its history, the museum has played an active role in protecting Bosque de Pómac against threats such as encroachment into protected areas by leading a management committee that coordinated efforts between government and private sectors to safeguard this heritage. The site is currently being considered for UNESCO World Mixed Heritage status.
The museum also supports research into local resources like loche squash and Mayascón cacao—an ancient variety with global genetic significance—and promotes conservation efforts for native cotton and dry forest species to preserve traditional knowledge related to food, medicine, and ornamental plant use. It encourages rural artisan associations to maintain ancestral techniques and iconography based on scientific studies conducted at the museum.
As it celebrates its anniversary, the Ministry of Culture reaffirmed its commitment to protecting this legacy and highlighted the museum’s role as a reference point for cultural heritage research and preservation.
