Programas · Educational
Educational programme
'Discovering our heritage' — guided tours for pre-school, primary and secondary pupils
The Monastery of Santa Catalina is a museum and historic monument of invaluable cultural richness. To know it is to draw closer to our identity and to understand why we should feel proud of our heritage. School age is the most fertile time to begin this learning, sowing seeds of values in children and young people — our present and our future.
That is why we have designed a programme of themed visits for pupils of Basic Regular Education, with six tours specially prepared for the Pre-school, Primary and Secondary levels — each one with topics and playful activities adapted to the age and curriculum of the students.
School levels
Six tours, three levels
Each level has specific tours designed around the age and curriculum of the students.
Pre-school
Learning with Sor Anita
We bring younger children closer to the heritage through Sor Anita the puppet, hands-on crafts and age-appropriate experiences.
Topics
- · The clothing of novices and nuns
- · The life of Sor Ana de los Ángeles
- · Materials: sillar, wood and stone
- · What is a monastery and a cloister
Tour No. 0 · 30-min tour + 15-min activity + 15-min snack
Primary
Historical and artistic exploration
Three tours to choose from that spark curiosity about architecture, trades, daily life and the cuisine of the monastery.
Topics
- · Trades and roles in the museum
- · Daily life and colonial education
- · Arequipa cuisine
- · Founding of the monastery
Tours No. 1, 2 and 3 · 45-min tour + 15-min activity
Secondary
Critical and cultural thinking
Two tours that go deeper into architectural history, earthquakes, restoration and viceregal life at the monastery.
Topics
- · Earthquakes and architectural evolution
- · Restoration and opening to the public
- · Traditions of the viceroyalty
- · Religious art and the Cuzco school
Tours No. 4 and 5 · 45-min tour + 15-min activity
Tour details
The six themed tours
Visiting the monastery with Sor Anita
Tour with a puppet show and a craft to take home. An introduction to conventual life and to Sor Ana de los Ángeles.
Discovering trades and roles inside the monastery
Trades, roles, utensils and museum staff functions. Includes worksheets.
Daily life, education and cuisine in the monastery
The daily life of the nuns, colonial education and Arequipa cuisine. Includes a documentary video.
Getting to know the Monastery of Santa Catalina
Founding, biography of Sor Ana de los Ángeles and the vocational testimony of today's nuns.
Earthquakes, architectural evolution and opening to the public
Earthquakes in Arequipa, evolution of the monastery and its restoration. Includes the testimony of engineer Eduardo Bedoya.
Recalling the times of the viceroyalty at the Monastery
Viceregal traditions, religious art, the Cuzco school and the life of Sor Ana de los Ángeles.
Programme topics
What children and teenagers learn during their visits, distributed across the different tours:
- History and founding of the Monastery of Santa Catalina
- Sillar architecture and colonial building techniques
- Daily life of the nuns through the centuries
- Colonial education and the monastery's boarding school
- Cuisine and traditional dishes of Arequipa
- Colonial religious art and the Cuzco school
- Sor Ana de los Ángeles, Arequipa's first beata
- Earthquakes, architectural evolution and restoration
Practical information
How to organise the visit
Calendar and times
Days: Monday to Friday
Months: March, April, May, June, November and December (excluding Holy Week)
Available time slots:
- · 8:30–9:30 a.m.
- · 8:45–9:45 a.m.
- · 9:00–10:00 a.m.
- · 9:15–10:15 a.m.
Group size
Pre-school: Up to 15 pupils + tutor and assistant
Primary and Secondary: Up to 20 pupils + one teacher
Maximum 2 groups per slot (40 pupils)
Fees
Pre-school
S/ 7.00
S/ 4.00 admission + S/ 3.00 guided tour
Primary and Secondary
S/ 13.00
S/ 10.00 admission + S/ 3.00 guided tour
Additional accompanying teacher
S/ 23.00
S/ 20.00 admission + S/ 3.00 guided tour
Includes: guided educational tour inside the historic monument, hands-on activity and materials.
Payment methods: Cash, bank transfer, credit/debit card or Yape.
Bookings (required)
Bookings must be made at least one week in advance. Coordination by:
Patricia Obando
Visits Coordinator
Official brochure with every detail of the educational programme
Book your visit
Request information for your school
Fill in the form and our coordinator will get in touch to confirm availability and visit details.