The Slightly Bizarre Zoological Museum in Trujillo
The Museo de Zoología Juan Ormea Rodríguez is a small zoological museum located in the historic center of Trujillo. Run by the biological sciences department of the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, it features a wide range of preserved animal specimens housed in glass cabinets in two rooms.
If you want an introduction to Peru’s incredibly diverse wildlife, from the Andean condor to the Peruvian ocelot, the Zoology Museum is a good place to start.
At the same time, the Museo de Zoología is a good example of the slightly more bizarre side of Peruvian museums.
Many of the animal exhibits have seen better days. Being alive rather than stuffed would certainly qualify as “better,” but here it’s the post-mortem manipulation that seems to have been lacking finesse. There are some true oddities in Trujillo’s Museo de Zoología, including crazed-looking opossums, Jim Henson-like squirrel monkeys and an owl that seems to be missing half its body. And that’s just for starters.
The educational nature of the museum is clear to see, with most specimens labelled and arranged in logical fashion. You can definitely learn a thing or two during a 30 minute or one hour visit (that should be more than enough time), but the slightly stranger aspects of the museum also make it worth a visit -- especially if you’re a fan of travel oddities.
If you want an introduction to Peru’s incredibly diverse wildlife, from the Andean condor to the Peruvian ocelot, the Zoology Museum is a good place to start.
At the same time, the Museo de Zoología is a good example of the slightly more bizarre side of Peruvian museums.
Many of the animal exhibits have seen better days. Being alive rather than stuffed would certainly qualify as “better,” but here it’s the post-mortem manipulation that seems to have been lacking finesse. There are some true oddities in Trujillo’s Museo de Zoología, including crazed-looking opossums, Jim Henson-like squirrel monkeys and an owl that seems to be missing half its body. And that’s just for starters.
The educational nature of the museum is clear to see, with most specimens labelled and arranged in logical fashion. You can definitely learn a thing or two during a 30 minute or one hour visit (that should be more than enough time), but the slightly stranger aspects of the museum also make it worth a visit -- especially if you’re a fan of travel oddities.
Trujillo Zoological Museum Details
- Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday
- Entrance fees: S/.2 nuevos soles (US$0.72) for foreign visitors; S/.1 for residents
- Location: Jr. San Martín 368 (just a couple of blocks from Trujillo’s Plaza de Armas)