I stood in line for several hours to see the treasures of a Peruvian excavation at the Fowler Museum at UCLA. It was phenomenal. The wealth in gold eclipsed anything I had seen in exhibits from neighboring countries.
Specifically they had HUGE peanut necklaces with many peanuts several inches long. Many were needed to make a whole necklace. The amount of gold was amazing.
That was the Lord of Sipan exhibit - the "American King Tut." I saw it too and it was a fascinating glimpse into a remarkable culture. We've only begun to understand pre-Columbian people, especially in South America.
Did you happen to see the Moche pottery collection at the Folwer at the same time? That really put a face on those people.