The Top Museums To Visit In Chile

In Chile and wondering which museums to visit? Check out our guide, featuring museums from the capital all the way south to Magallanes. From art to poetry and battleships, Chile is full of fascinating exhibitions. Here’s our pick of the best.

Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos - Museum of Memory and Human Rights

Museum

The Museum of Memory and Human Rights is a commemoration of the victims of the human rights violations during Pinochet’s sixteen-year regime (1973-1990). President Michelle Bachelet inaugurated the museum on January 11, 2010, saying, “We cannot change our past; We can only learn from what has been lived.” Stop by the Museum of Memory and Human Rights to learn from the past and protect the future.

Museo Interactivo Mirador - Mirador Interactive Museum

Cinema, Museum

Whether it’s a rainy day or your kids are experiential learners, Chile’s leading interactive museum is a must, with around 430,000 visitors passing through its doors every year. Located in the capital, Interactive Museum Mirador contains exhibits exploring a variety of science-related themes, such as citadels, mechanisms, fluids, mind and brain, light, energy, robotics, perception, electromagnetism, mining and 3D cinema.

La Chascona - Chascona House Museum

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One of the homes of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, La Chascona is located in the beautiful Bellavista barrio of Providencia in Santiago and has been a national monument since 1990. For literature lovers or those interested in relics of famous people, this quaint home is a must-see. Pablo Nerudo’s other house museums can be found in Valparaíso and Isla Negra.

Mapuche Museum Ruka Mani

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From Alpacas to woodcarvings and tools, Mapuche Museum Ruka Mani is a great representation of the native Mapuche people, who primarily lived in the Araucania region and in southern Chile and Argentina. Their impact is still evident today as descendants proudly share their indigenous heritage. Check out this museum to learn more about Chile’s native people.

Nao Victoria Museum

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If you are interested in maritime history, be sure to check out the private Nao Victoria Museum in Puna Arenas. Nao Victoria was a ship under the control of Ferdinand Magellan that completed the first circumnavigation of the globe. You’re sure to enjoy the interactive museum containing an audio guide, touch screen and replicas of weapons. Punta Arenas is one of Chile’s most beautiful places, so be sure to check out this unique attraction.

Museo del Meteorito

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San Pedro de Atacama is one of the best places to stargaze in Chile, due to the open space and lack of artificial light. Probably the coolest museum is Museo del Meteorito, it has one of the world’s largest displays of meteorites – all of which fell in the Atacama Desert. If you are interested in the planet and the solar system, this is the place for you, offering audio tours in Deustch, English, Español, Francais and Portugués.

Palacio Sara Braun

If you appreciate French neoclassical architecture and design, then be sure to check out Palacio Sara Braun in Punta Arenas. Braun was of Baltic German ethnicity, but moved to Chile with her parents in 1873 in response to a Chilean initiative to increase European immigration. She later married a wealthy Portuguese business man, José Nogueiram, who left Braun with a fortune, part of which funded the construction of this house. For the history buff and the artist alike, a trip to Palacio Sara Braun will be exciting and whimsical. http://instagram.com/p/BWILoQgDk7R/?tagged=palaciosarabraun