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The Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino), in the historic city center of Santiago, opened in 1981. The collection is among the best pre-Columbian art in the world and is definitely worth visiting.
The museum was founded by Chilean architect and art collector Sergio Larraín García-Moreno to display the collection he amassed over the course of nearly 50 years. With the support of the city government, he was able to secure the former Royal Customs House (Palacio Real de la Casa Aduana), built between 1805 and 1807, to house his collection.
Visiting the Museum
Admission for foreigners is CLP$10,000 (as of May 2024). It’s only a block from Plaza de Armas and is open daily except Mondays from 10am to 6pm.
Collections
The collection is divided into the different regions of South and Central America, including Mesoamerica, Caribbean, Amazon, Central Andes, and Southern Andes. It contains over 3,000 artifacts representing almost 100 different groups of people and ranging over 10,000 years.
The biggest collection by far is the Andean textiles. Ceramics, metals, stone work, jewelry, and other items are also on display. Many of the cultures represented are virtually unknown to the public, but their legacy is nicely on display at this excellent museum.
