Santiago – Museums

Santiago is home to a wide array of museums including those focused on art, culture and heritage, science, and more. The Chilean Ministry of Culture currently offers 360-degree tours of many of the museums and heritage sites in the country, making it easy to plan in advance. Visitors looking for a premium art experience will enjoy the National Museum of Fine Arts, while those looking to learn more about Santiago’s history may wish to visit the Chilean National History Museum. The Artequin museum is popular amongst families, where many interactive exhibits including videos and more are on offer.

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art)

Dedicated to the art from the pre-Columbian era, this museum includes exhibits focused on Chile as well as Central and South American countries. Opened in 1981, the museum underwent an extensive renovation between 2011 and 2013 and has since reopened to the public. The original building housing the museum was constructed in 1805. It includes more than 3,000 unique pieces that cover a span of nearly 10,000 years of history. Broken up into four distinct exhibit areas, visitors find ancient historical artifacts but also modern pieces from Chile and the surrounding countries.

Address: Bandera 361, Santiago, Región Metropolitana
Phone: +56 2 2928 1500
Operating Hours:
– Monday closed
– Tuesday 10:00am – 6:00pm
– Wednesday 10:00am – 6:00pm
– Thursday 10:00am – 6:00pm
– Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm
– Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm
– Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Admission Cost:
– Chileans and resident foreigners: $1,000
– Foreigners: $8,000
– Chilean students and resident foreigners: $500
– Foreign students: $4,000Access policy:
• Free entrance for children under 10 years of age.
• Free entrance for native peoples.
• Free entrance for teachers of the formal Chilean education system and for academics of Chilean universities*.
• Free entrance for mediated visits to nursery, primary and secondary educational Chilean establishments.**
• Free entrance for members of Club Barrio Santiago.
• Free entrance for officials of the Municipality of Stgo.
• Free entrance for workers of public and private museums.
• Free entrance to the ZIM Galery of the Mustakis Foundation.
• Entry is free on the first Sunday of each month for Chileans and residents.

*Present in reception identity card where the teacher’s title is mentioned or copy of the professional title (in digital or printed format). The card of the College of Teachers is also valid.
**The group of students may be accompanied by up to 4 teachers/guardians, who will have a free entrance.

Website

Chilean National Museum of Natural History

Located in Quinta Normal Park, the Chilean National Museum of Natural History is one of three national museums in the country. It is one of South America’s oldest natural history museums, having been founded in 1830 by Frenchman Claudio Gay. The original focus of the museum was on the biology and geography of Chile. The current building was originally constructed in 1875 to serve as a pavilion for the Chilean International Exhibition. 1889 saw the expansion of the museum’s focus to include botany, zoology, and mineralogy. Visitors can browse exhibits amongst twelve permanent sections. This includes halls that focus on interactive games for children, the biogeography of Chile, archaeology, anthropology, and much more. The museum also houses some of the oldest mummies in the world, including several that are more than 7,400 years of age.

Address: Del Parque Santiago, Quinta Normal, Santiago, Región Metropolitana
Phone: +56 2 2997 9229
Operating Hours:
– Monday 11:00am – 12:30pm; 2:00pm – 4:00pm
– Tuesday 9:00am – 8:00pm
– Wednesday 9:00am – 8:00pm
– Thursday 9:00am – 8:00pm
– Friday 9:00am – 8:00pm
– Saturday 9:00am – 8:00pm
– Sunday 9:00am – 8:00pm
Admission Cost:
– FREE
Website

Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts

The oldest fine art museum in South America, the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1880. The current location dates back to 1910 and was part of Chile’s first bicentennial celebration. The building was designed in Beaux-arts style and is located adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art, the University of Chile, and the School of Fine Arts. The museum’s center houses a glass cupola that was brought to Chile from Belgium. The museum’s internal layout and façade were both modeled after the Petit Palais of Paris. Visitors can explore more than 5,000 unique pieces of fine art, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures from Chile and around the world.

Address: José Miguel de La Barra 650, Santiago, Región Metropolitana
Phone: +56 2 2997 8700
Operating Hours:
– Monday closed
– Tuesday 10:00am – 5:30pm
– Wednesday 10:00am – 5:30pm
– Thursday 10:00am – 5:30pm
– Friday 10:00am – 5:30pm
– Saturday 10:00am – 5:30pm
– Sunday 10:00am – 5:30pm
Admission Cost:
– FREE
Website