Quito's Metropolitan Cultural Center occupies a 17th-century building just off Plaza Grande and hosts temporary art, history, and cultural exhibitions. Its courtyards and arcades make it worth stepping inside even if you only have a little time in the historic centre.
It pairs naturally with the cathedral, Palacio de Carondelet, and nearby Museo Alberto Mena Caamaño for a fuller look at the civic heart of old Quito.