About
In 1725 the Franciscans founded the Santa Rosa convent as a school for missionaries with a focus on converting the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. At the height of its influence around 1800 the convent served over 70 parishes and missions over a vast swath of South America, and practically every mission into the Peruvian Amazon started from the school.
In 1824 Simon Bolivar took the school, confiscated its riches and, finding only Spanish missionaries and teachers, ordered it shut down. While the school was reopened in 1838 it never regained its full splendour and in 1970 it was converted into a museum.
The convent grounds now hosts many works of colonial art, including from members of the Cusco School, along with a natural history room and a library containing books from the fifteenth century.
Know Before You Go
The convent is situated on the outskirts of the village of Santa Rosa de Ocopa, a one to two hour minibus ride from the city of Huancayo. Catch any minibus headed to Concepcion on the Avenida Ferrocarril in central Huancayo, then catch another minibus or colectivo to Santa Rosa de Ocopa. The museum is open from 9-12 and 3-6 every day except Tuesday, and entrance costs 10S at time of writing. Access is only granted as part of a guided tour and guides speak only Spanish.
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Published
December 18, 2025
