Museo Nacional de Colombia
Quick Facts
- Location
- Colombia, Bogota
- Category
- Museum
- Duration
- 2-3 hours
- Opening Hours
- Monday Closed (Monday) · Tuesday 09:00-17:00 · Wednesday 09:00-17:00, free from 14:00 · Thursday 09:00-17:00 · Friday 09:00-17:00 · Saturday 10:00-17:00 · Sunday 10:00-17:00 · From the su-visita page on museonacional.gov.co (checked 5 November 2026): Tuesday to Friday 09:00-17:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00-17:00. Monday is closed to the public even when it is a holiday, because the halls and objects are cleaned and maintained then. Entry is free on Wednesdays from 14:00 and during the whole last Sunday of each month. On 24 and 31 December the museum closes at 13:00, and on 25 December and 1 January it stays shut all day. The page also quotes the Bogota resolutions on museum fares and timetables and notes free admission on 18 May, International Museum Day, within the usual 09:00-17:00 hours.
- Ticket Price
- Adult: Colombian citizens and residents aged 18 to 59 pay 6,000 Colombian pesos plus a voluntary donation; foreign visitors in the same ages pay 15,000 pesos plus a donation · Student: Aged 13 to 17: 4,000 pesos for locals, 10,000 pesos for foreign visitors · The box office only accepts cash in Colombian pesos, with no debit or credit cards and no US dollars. Fares follow Bogota resolution 2137 of 2025, the timetable follows resolution 1552 of 2026 and the museum-day waiver comes from resolution 0847 of 2026.
- Address
- Museo Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
- Coordinates
- 4.6155, -74.0684
Introduction
Colombia's oldest museum occupies an extraordinary building: a panopticon prison completed around 1874, its cells fanned around a circular hall so a single watchman could see every cell. Converted into the national museum in 1948, the building still betrays its past in iron doors and cell-sized galleries. The permanent collection sweeps from pre-Columbian ceramics through colonial religious art and independence-era relics to modern Colombian painting — a national history told in one continuous route. Walking a country's story through its former prison makes the architecture itself the museum's most powerful exhibit.
✨ Highlights
🛈 Practical Info
Opening Hours
| Monday | Closed (Monday) |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00-17:00, free from 14:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00-17:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00-17:00 |
From the su-visita page on museonacional.gov.co (checked 5 November 2026): Tuesday to Friday 09:00-17:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00-17:00. Monday is closed to the public even when it is a holiday, because the halls and objects are cleaned and maintained then. Entry is free on Wednesdays from 14:00 and during the whole last Sunday of each month. On 24 and 31 December the museum closes at 13:00, and on 25 December and 1 January it stays shut all day. The page also quotes the Bogota resolutions on museum fares and timetables and notes free admission on 18 May, International Museum Day, within the usual 09:00-17:00 hours.
Ticket Information
| Adult | Colombian citizens and residents aged 18 to 59 pay 6,000 Colombian pesos plus a voluntary donation; foreign visitors in the same ages pay 15,000 pesos plus a donation |
|---|---|
| Student | Aged 13 to 17: 4,000 pesos for locals, 10,000 pesos for foreign visitors |
| Senior | People over 60 enter free with an optional donation |
| Child | Ages 0 to 5 free; ages 6 to 12 pay 2,000 pesos locally or 5,000 pesos for foreign visitors |
| Free Admission | Free after 14:00 on Wednesdays, all day on the last Sunday of the month and on 18 May, International Museum Day |
The box office only accepts cash in Colombian pesos, with no debit or credit cards and no US dollars. Fares follow Bogota resolution 2137 of 2025, the timetable follows resolution 1552 of 2026 and the museum-day waiver comes from resolution 0847 of 2026.
💡 Tips
FAQ
What are the opening hours of Museo Nacional de Colombia?
Monday: Closed (Monday); Tuesday: 09:00-17:00; Wednesday: 09:00-17:00, free from 14:00; Thursday: 09:00-17:00; Friday: 09:00-17:00; Saturday: 10:00-17:00; Sunday: 10:00-17:00; From the su-visita page on museonacional.gov.co (checked 5 November 2026): Tuesday to Friday 09:00-17:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00-17:00. Monday is closed to the public even when it is a holiday, because the halls and objects are cleaned and maintained then. Entry is free on Wednesdays from 14:00 and during the whole last Sunday of each month. On 24 and 31 December the museum closes at 13:00, and on 25 December and 1 January it stays shut all day. The page also quotes the Bogota resolutions on museum fares and timetables and notes free admission on 18 May, International Museum Day, within the usual 09:00-17:00 hours.
How much is the admission for Museo Nacional de Colombia?
Adult: Colombian citizens and residents aged 18 to 59 pay 6,000 Colombian pesos plus a voluntary donation; foreign visitors in the same ages pay 15,000 pesos plus a donation; Student: Aged 13 to 17: 4,000 pesos for locals, 10,000 pesos for foreign visitors; Senior: People over 60 enter free with an optional donation; Child: Ages 0 to 5 free; ages 6 to 12 pay 2,000 pesos locally or 5,000 pesos for foreign visitors; Free Admission: Free after 14:00 on Wednesdays, all day on the last Sunday of the month and on 18 May, International Museum Day; The box office only accepts cash in Colombian pesos, with no debit or credit cards and no US dollars. Fares follow Bogota resolution 2137 of 2025, the timetable follows resolution 1552 of 2026 and the museum-day waiver comes from resolution 0847 of 2026.
Any practical tips for visiting Museo Nacional de Colombia?
Sundays are free but busiest; choose a weekday morning for a calmer visit. Start by looking up in the central rotunda — understanding the architecture unlocks the exhibitions.
How long should I spend at Museo Nacional de Colombia?
A typical visit takes 2-3 hours.
