Circuito Mágico del Agua

An outing, not a museum

The Circuito Mágico del Agua has no collection: it is a group of illuminated fountains in a large public park, which you visit at the end of the day for the water jets, the lights and the shows projected onto a screen of water. It appears in this section for historical reasons; the address is the same. It is a good, inexpensive family outing that requires neither booking nor any prior knowledge.

A park from 1929, fountains from 2007

The Parque de la Reserva was built from 1926 and inaugurated in 1929, under the presidency of Augusto B. Leguía, to plans by the French architect Claude Sahut. It covers eight hectares. Its name pays tribute to the reservists who fought in the battles of San Juan and Miraflores, during the War of the Pacific against Chile.

The fountain circuit was inaugurated on 26 July 2007. It has thirteen fountains and holds a Guinness World Record for the largest fountain complex in a public park.

What you do there

• Stroll from one fountain to the next, each with its own effect: synchronised jets, arches of water, illuminated columns.
• Go through the interactive fountains, where the jets shoot up from the ground unpredictably: children come out soaked, which is the point.
• Watch the multimedia show: music, lights and images projected onto a curtain of water. Three shows each evening according to the website: 19:15, 20:15 and 21:10.

With children

Under-5s get in free on presentation of a physical identity document; ask at the entrance what is accepted for a foreign child (passport or copy). Bring a towel and a change of clothes: in Lima, evenings in the southern winter (June to September) are cool and damp, and a wet child soon gets cold. The crowds grow considerably at weekends and on public holidays; a weekday evening is quieter.

Practical information

• Opening: every day from 15:00 to 22:00.
• Admission: S/ 7; free under 5; half price over 65 and for people with disabilities, with proof.
• Getting there: entrance on Jirón Madre de Dios. The park borders the Paseo de la República expressway; the Estadio Nacional stop on the Metropolitano is the closest. By taxi, ask for the “puerta del Circuito Mágico del Agua”.
• Afterwards: the park is in the Cercado de Lima; for dinner, the neighbourhoods of Lince, Jesús María or the centre are closer than Miraflores.

Our suggestion

Arrive around 18:00, at dusk, go round the fountains before the crowds, then stay for the 19:15 show. Bring a change of clothes for the children.

What to ask before you go

• The show times of the day: they may change during events or works.
• What proof is accepted for free entry for a foreign child under 5 (the website mentions a physical identity document).

Have the opening hours, a dish or a price changed? Let us know and we will correct this page.