While the precise position of the Equator is up for debate, it’s believed to be here — a few yards/meters from the Mitad del Mundo monument, which also stakes claim to the demarcation line. Museum tours inspire curiosity and fascination as you balance an egg on a nail, watch water spin opposite ways, feel the loss of muscle strength when standing on the Equator, observe the chronometer, which uses the sun to measure time. Other exhibits dig into Galápagos Islands biodiversity and tribal rituals from hunting to head shrinking. Outside, guinea pigs and llamas wander freely. Most half-day and full-day tours include a ride on the Teleférico Quito cable car to the top of Pichincha Volcano where you can hike or horseback-ride along trails.
Intiñan Museum is located roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of the center of Quito. Take a taxi or a bus going in the direction of Mitad del Mundo. From there, it’s an 8-minute walk to the museum. If driving, parking is available on-site.
The museum is open daily from morning to evening. Peak season in Quito runs from June to September, coinciding with the Ecuadorian dry season. Throughout the year, the high-altitude climate is consistently springlike with warm days and chilly nights. To experience the city in festival mode, visit from February to April for Carnival and the religious holiday Semana Santa.
While at the museum, walk over to the Mitad del Mundo monument, a 98-foot (30-meter) tall structure that designates the “official” equator line, as it was measured by 18th-century geographer Charles-Marie de La Condamine. On the grounds is the Ethnographic Museum Middle of the Earth, featuring a planetarium, a miniature model of Quito, and exhibits dedicated to the indigenous cultures of Ecuador.