Museo Aeronáutico del Perú

What makes it special

The Peruvian Air Force runs the museum in part of Castillo Rospigliosi, a medieval-style castle built by the Rospigliosi family. Look at the outside before you go in: crenellated towers, pointed arches, carved stonework and imported Italian marble.

The ground-floor rooms are about people, not machines. They hold the clothing, photographs and personal objects of Peru's aviation pioneers, Jorge Chávez and Pedro Paulet among them.

Upstairs, the rooms turn to aircraft models, weapons, flight equipment and historical documents, alongside replicas of the early machines built in the first attempts to fly. One room is given over to the Cenepa War.

Come expecting scale models, replicas and personal effects. The aircraft collection once kept at the Las Palmas air base is closed to visitors.

Visiting

At the castle entrance tickets are sold on the day, but an appointment is recommended for the tour, so make one before you cross town. A member of staff then leads you through the themed rooms, each built around the life and achievements of one figure.

The twelve rooms are spread over two levels. The pioneers' belongings are on the ground floor, and the stairs take you up to the models and documents.

The castle also holds a library and an auditorium, and there is parking on site if you come by car. Ask at the desk if you want to use the library after the tour.

Guided or on your own

Every visitor goes round with a member of staff, so there is no one else to hire. Tours are usually in Spanish, and staff speak only basic English. If you don't speak Spanish, ask at the desk whether an English-speaking guide is on shift before you start.

Tips

If you're coming as a group, ring the museum to book a slot. Anniversary open days, such as the one for the Alto Cenepa operations, have run on timed entries registered through the museum's official Facebook page, so look there first if your visit falls near one.

Wear shoes you can climb in.