A far more powerful painter than I had realized - Learning that Guayasamin was an activist against the dictatarships that at one time occupied Ecuador, gave new meaning to me about the importance of this artist. The chapel was far more interesting than I anticipated and the guide who spoke very good English, was excellent. In the house tour, the guide's English was not quite as good but still the story was fascinating, especially the video of him painting the portrait of a friend. However, we did have a problem at the entry with our Viator tickets as unfortunately the ticket taker at the entrance had not been informed that tickets were being sold also through Viator, not just at the entry. It took several minutes to get that sorted out. On the positive side, the entry stored our luggage while we toured as we had come directly off a bus.

Stunning - Our tour guide for the museum was particularly informative; both were very good. This was an amazing, not to be missed experience. Guayasamin is extraordinary.

worth the visit - 5 fun and interesting museum. well organized and presented. definately worth visiting especially on a wet day would go again

Expand your horizons - I visited this place the first time by accident. The second time, it was a planned part of my week in Ecuador. Oswaldo Guayasamin is to Ecuador what Diego Rivera was to Mexico. He is a national treasure, one of ten children of a farmer. His father drove a tractor and would bring home artifacts he found in his work; these turned out to be ancient pre-Columbian pieces which fueled Guayasamin's love for art from a young age. He knew many world leaders, and painted images of them, including Mitterand, Castro, Allende, and others. His style is distinctive, however, he was able to diverge into different types of painting, depending on the year and the subject. It is amazing to go into his home and see his shirt splattered with paint, his art collection, breathtaking religious artifacts, handmade furniture, and his studio, with paint still in it. It is a lovely place where he spent the last twenty years of his life atop a hill in Quito in the Bella Vista Area. I found the experience quite moving and appreciated his empathy for the suffering of his fellow man, as well as his hope for civility in the future. This place is so important and I am grateful that he bequeathed it and its contents to Ecuador for all to enjoy. His remains are at rest under the "tree of life" out in the yard.