In a ceremony attended by over 250 guests —including politicians, entrepreneurs, academics, and intellectuals from British society— Peruvian Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Mathews —during his recent trip to the UK last week— inaugurated the first permanent exhibition of Peru at the British Museum.
It features over 50 objects from the country’s Moche, Nazca, Lambayeque, Chimu, Chincha, and Inca cultures.
“Our cultural richness will be displayed at the exhibition ‘Ancient Stories of Peru for the World’ in the Welcome Gallery of the museum, starting from November 1. This space is dedicated to beliefs about life and death in many societies,” Minister Mathews stated.
This significant achievement was made possible through the efforts of PromPeru, through its London office.
It had the collaboration of Peruvian contributors such as Nilda Cañanaupa, founder of the Traditional Textile Center of Cusco; Manuel Choqque, farmer and agricultural engineer from Chinchero, Cusco region; Victor Huamanchumo, fisherman from Huanchaco, La libertad region; and Nereida Apaza, a visual artist from Arequipa.
The selected 50-plus objects were produced by Andean societies over more than 2,000 years. Crafted in ceramics, textiles, wood, stone, and shell, they tell stories about one of the most significant civilizations of the ancient world, the official added.
A temporary exhibition was previously held in collaboration with PromPeru in 2021, titled “Peru: A Journey Through Time.”
With 80 pieces from the British Museum’s collection and 43 additional items borrowed from seven Peruvian museums, the exhibition attracted around 73,000 visitors in just four months, generating unprecedented local press coverage for Peru.
Minister Mathews also emphasized that thanks to the success of this temporary exhibition, the British Museum and PromPeru London continued to work together, mutually supporting each other to showcase the beauty and history of Andean cultures.
As a result of this collaboration, Peru now has a permanent space in one of the world’s most iconic museums in its 270-year history.
“The Peru exhibition is accompanied by a series of promotional and dissemination activities. We have launched a campaign with iconic images of the exhibit in strategic locations in London to encourage the public to visit the exhibition and also to visit Peru,” he added.
United Kingdom: A strategic market for Peru
The Peruvian exhibition at the British Museum is part of a comprehensive plan to boost tourism from the British market, due to its significant potential as a source market and spending capacity.
From January to December 2022, there were 35,446 arrivals of British tourists, representing a 1,174% growth compared to the same period in 2021.
Until September of this year, 27,097 travelers from the United Kingdom have visited Peru.
Additionally, PromPeru has participated in important destination fairs. From June 19 to 21, it was present at LATA Expo 2023, the largest event for tourism operators dedicated to Latin America.
From July 14 to 16, it presented the bird routes of the north, center, and south at the annual Global Birdfair, highlighting the diversity of the regions of San Martin, Cajamarca, Amazonas, Madre de Dios, Loreto, and Cusco.
Starting from the second week of October, the “International Receptive Tourism 2023” campaign – UK edition is being carried out to strengthen the positive image of Peru through outdoor advertising and social media videos.
In the same line, Latam Airlines confirmed the start of direct flights between Lima and London from December 1 of this year. There will be 5 frequencies per week, one for each day.
Thanks to this direct flight, British travelers have the opportunity to discover the country in a more accessible way than ever before. This air bridge not only shortens geographical distances but also strengthens cultural and commercial ties between both nations.