Museo Diocesano de Arte Jesuítico Guaraní de San Ignacio Guazú
Paraguay's first Jesuit mission and capital of Guaraní baroque art
About Museo Diocesano de Arte Jesuítico Guaraní de San Ignacio Guazú
San Ignacio Guazú was founded on December 29, 1609, by Jesuit priests Marcial de Lorenzana and Francisco de San Martín together with cacique Arapysandú; Father Roque González de la Santa Cruz joined later and went on to become its superior. Paraguayan tourism and cultural sources consider it the first Jesuit reduction founded on what is now Paraguayan territory that still stands on its original site, though broader Jesuit historiography qualifies this: the reduction of Nuestra Señora de Loreto, organized in 1610 in the Guairá region, is cited by some historians as the first properly organized reduction of the Jesuit Province of Paraguay, though that site was later relocated after Bandeirante raids and is not located in Paraguay today. Owing to its age and continuity, San Ignacio Guazú is known as the "Capital of Hispanic-Guaraní Baroque," 225 km from Asunción.
The Diocesan Museum of Guaraní Jesuit Art, housed in the old indigenous school building from the Jesuit era (one of the oldest buildings among the missions), opened around 1975. It is organized into four thematic rooms: Creation, Redemption, The History of Christ in the Church, and The History of the Society of Jesus, displaying wood-carved images, maps of the earliest missions, and historical documents. During Holy Week, local actors stage outdoor "living tableaux" recreating religious scenes.
In May 2026 a new cultural space opened in the city: MUVA – Museo Viedma, created by artist Manuel de Jesús Viedma Romero and centered on 78 of his murals displayed across three main halls, plus temporary exhibition rooms, a library, an auditorium, a shop, and a café. It is a distinct institution from the traditional Diocesan Museum, inaugurated on May 28, 2026, by President Santiago Peña.
Opening Hours
- Monday 07:00–17:00
- Tuesday 07:00–17:00
- Wednesday 07:00–17:00
- Thursday 07:00–17:00
- Friday Today 07:00–17:00
- Saturday 07:00–17:00
- Sunday Closed
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Address
Iturbe esq. Padre Marcial de Lorenzana, San Ignacio, Misiones, San Ignacio, Misiones