Prohibido Centro Cultural — Attraction in Cuenca

I'm all for talking about cultural taboos, but this museum was just a creepy, overpriced (at $2 entrance fee) experience. My dad and I visited thinking we could check out some weird artwork and grab a beer or coffee inside, but the place was just too filthy to consider ingesting anything here. It wasn't the Christ figures with erections that bothered me but just the musty, stained environment and dirty kitchen that was easily visible. Taboos don't frighten me as much as the prospect of sickness from food service. All the artwork seemed to be just sculptures and wall art from some tattoo artist trying to show how edgy he was. I know it has a different cultural significance in Ecuador than in other places, but I felt like plenty of others had done it before and much better. Infrequently interesting and definitely not for kids or...

When I read Arte Extremo on the outside of the building I did not expect anything too unique upon entering. I was wrong. Across 4 rooms and a small basement I was absolutely intrigued by the hundreds of pieces across several mediums. With a definite taboo theme in common, each piece still felt unique and interesting and kept my attention for several minutes. A few pieces also encourage participation and make great pictures. The staff was family of the artist and were incredibly inviting and informative on the pieces. They also helped point out more hidden pieces that would be overlooked. My fiancee and I enjoyed it so much we immediately returned when her sister and husband arrived into town to show of the weird treasure we found in Cuenca. A must visit for those with an open mind and an interest in risque...

Forget everything you know about museums — Prohibido Centro Cultural in Cuenca is something else entirely.

Step inside and you’re not in a gallery… you’re in another dimension. Dark corridors twist past sculptures made of bones and glass, paintings that seem to stare back at you, and relics that feel like they’ve been pulled from forgotten dreams (or nightmares). Every corner is a little rebellion against ‘polite’ art — raw, unapologetic, and beautifully unsettling.

It’s the kind of place that makes you ask questions you didn’t even know you had. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s a hidden door, a shadowed staircase, or an object that changes the way you see the rest of your day.

Not for the faint of heart… but unforgettable for anyone brave...