The Museo del Gaucho y de la Moneda occupies the ornate Palacio Heber Jackson in central Montevideo, which is reason enough to step inside. Its galleries connect two very Uruguayan stories: rural gaucho culture and the country's monetary history.
The gaucho displays are the more travel-relevant half, with silverwork, mate gear, saddles, knives, and clothing that explain the aesthetic of the pampas. The money collection is more specialised, but together they make a compact museum that fits easily into a Ciudad Vieja or Centro walk.