Museums in Chile
27 museums in Chile.
Top museums in Chile
Centro Cultural Matucana 100
Art museum
Named after its own street address, Matucana 100 brings dance, theatre, music, photography, the visual arts and cinema together under one not-for-profit cultural center. Rather than a fixed...
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art
Archaeology museum
The private collection of Chilean architect and antiquities collector Sergio Larraín García-Moreno, gathered over nearly fifty years, forms the foundation of the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art...
Chilean National History Museum
History museum
The Chilean National History Museum occupies the Palacio de la Real Audiencia on Santiago's Plaza de Armas, the building where Chile's first government junta assembled in 1810 to replace the Spanish...
Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts
Art museum
Founded in 1880, the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes) is the oldest institution of its kind in South America. It remains one of the major centres for Chilean art...
Chilean National Museum of Natural History
Natural history museum
Founded in 1830 by the French naturalist Claudio Gay, the Chilean National Museum of Natural History (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, often shortened to MNHN) is one of Chile's three national...
Chilean National Zoo
Zoo or aquarium
Chilean native animals and birds, including rare and endangered species, are the focus of the Chilean National Zoo's most distinctive exhibits. Known locally as the Zoo Nacional de Chile, it sits at...
Londres 38
History museum
Known to the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) by the code name Yucatán, the building at Londres 38 in downtown Santiago served as a detention and torture center for opponents of Augusto...
Museo Colonial
Art museum
A gigantic genealogical tree of the Franciscan Order, containing 644 miniature portraits, is the standout piece at the Museo Colonial (Colonial Museum). The museum occupies the convent beside San...
Museo de la Guerra del Pacífico
History museum
The only museum in Chile devoted exclusively to the War of the Pacific, the Museum of the War of the Pacific occupies a site in Santiago's Barrio Brasil. Its full name, Museo Guerra del Pacífico...
Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende
Art museum
Named after Salvador Allende, president of Chile from 1970 to 1973, the Museum of Solidarity Salvador Allende (Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende) was founded in 1972, during his time in...
Museo Histórico Carabineros de Chile
Art museum
The history of policing in Chile, from the arrival of Pedro de Valdivia in the Mapocho Valley to the present day, is the subject of the Historical Museum and Cultural Center of the Carabineros de...
Museum of Memory and Human Rights
Memorial museum
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos) in Santiago commemorates the victims of human rights violations committed during Chile's military dictatorship under...
Santiago Museum of Contemporary Art
Art museum
Run by the University of Chile's Faculty of Arts, the Santiago Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santiago, or MAC) shares the grand Palacio de Bellas Artes in Parque Forestal...
Museums by city in Chile
Chile’s museum landscape stretches from major national institutions in Santiago to smaller cultural spaces shaped by the coast, the Andes, and regional history. In the capital, visitors can move between the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts, the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, and the National History Museum, each offering a different view of the country’s artistic and historical development. Mooseum helps travelers explore these places with digital tools that make planning simpler.
Beyond central Santiago, museum visits in Chile often connect closely to place. Pablo Neruda’s Casa de Isla Negra on the Pacific coast reflects literature, collecting, and maritime imagination, while venues such as Centro Cultural Matucana 100 show how contemporary culture fits into the country’s museum and exhibition scene. In Concepción, Casa del Arte adds another regional perspective, linking university life, visual arts, and southern Chile’s cultural networks.
Natural history and science are also an important part of museum-going in Chile. The Chilean National Museum of Natural History introduces visitors to the country’s biodiversity, geology, and ecosystems, while family-friendly sites like the Chilean National Zoo are often included in broader cultural outings. On Mooseum, travelers can discover museums that match their interests, whether they are looking for archaeology, fine arts, literature, or natural heritage.
Map of museums in Chile
Museums in Chile: questions
- How many museums are there in Chile?
- Mooseum lists 27 museums in Chile. Santiago has the most, with 15.
- What kinds of museums are in Chile?
- Of the 26 whose type we know, the most common are art museums (10), history museums (6), archaeology museums (3) and natural history museums (3).
- Pre-Columbian collections in Santiago provide context for Indigenous cultures from Chile and across the wider Americas.
- Museum houses linked to Pablo Neruda, including Casa de Isla Negra, connect literature with personal collections and coastal settings.
- National museums in Santiago cover fine arts, political and social history, and natural history within a relatively compact urban area.
- Regional institutions such as Casa del Arte in Concepción highlight local artistic life beyond the capital.
- Chile’s museums often reflect the country’s geography, with exhibitions shaped by the Pacific coast, Andean landscapes, mining history, and biodiversity.
- Many museums in Santiago close on Mondays or have shorter hours on Sundays, so check schedules in advance before planning a full museum day.
- Look for discounted or free entry days at public museums, especially in Santiago’s national institutions, and carry cash or a bank card for smaller venues.
- Use Santiago’s Metro to reach major museums in the historic center, Quinta Normal, and Bellas Artes areas; it is usually the easiest way to get around.
- If you are visiting coastal sites like Isla Negra in summer, book transport early and allow extra time, as weekends and holiday periods can be busy.
All museums in Chile
Every museum in Chile listed on Mooseum. Search by name or type.
| Name | Type | Website | Links | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Historic house, palace or castle | www.fundacionneruda.org/en/isla-negra/address.html |  | — | |
Art museum | www.pinacoteca.udec.cl | | — | |
Centro Cultural Matucana 100Named after its own street address, Matucana 100 brings dance, theatre, music, photography, the visual arts and cinema together under one not-for-profit cultural center. Rather than a fixed... | Art museum | www.m100.cl | | — |
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian ArtThe private collection of Chilean architect and antiquities collector Sergio Larraín García-Moreno, gathered over nearly fifty years, forms the foundation of the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art... | Archaeology museum | www.precolombino.cl | | — |
Chilean National History MuseumThe Chilean National History Museum occupies the Palacio de la Real Audiencia on Santiago's Plaza de Armas, the building where Chile's first government junta assembled in 1810 to replace the Spanish... | History museum | www.mhn.gob.cl | | — |
Chilean National Museum of Fine ArtsFounded in 1880, the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes) is the oldest institution of its kind in South America. It remains one of the major centres for Chilean art... | Art museum | www.mnba.cl | | — |
Chilean National Museum of Natural HistoryFounded in 1830 by the French naturalist Claudio Gay, the Chilean National Museum of Natural History (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, often shortened to MNHN) is one of Chile's three national... | Natural history museum | www.mnhn.cl | | — |
Chilean National ZooChilean native animals and birds, including rare and endangered species, are the focus of the Chilean National Zoo's most distinctive exhibits. Known locally as the Zoo Nacional de Chile, it sits at... | Zoo or aquarium | www.parquemet.cl | | — |
— | www.museorapanui.cl/Inicio | | — | |
Londres 38Known to the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) by the code name Yucatán, the building at Londres 38 in downtown Santiago served as a detention and torture center for opponents of Augusto... | History museum | www.londres38.cl | | — |
Natural history museum | www.conaf.cl/parques/monumento-natural-los-pinguinos | | — | |
History museum | www.museomartingusinde.gob.cl | | — | |
Art museum | www.mavi.cl | | — | |
Museo ColonialA gigantic genealogical tree of the Franciscan Order, containing 644 miniature portraits, is the standout piece at the Museo Colonial (Colonial Museum). The museum occupies the convent beside San... | Art museum | www.museosanfrancisco.com | | — |
Art museum | www.macvaldivia.cl | | — | |
History museum | www.museosaustral.cl/index.php/museos/museo-r-a-philippi-de-la-exploracion | | — | |
Museo de la Guerra del PacíficoThe only museum in Chile devoted exclusively to the War of the Pacific, the Museum of the War of the Pacific occupies a site in Santiago's Barrio Brasil. Its full name, Museo Guerra del Pacífico... | History museum | www.guerradelpacifico1879.cl | | — |
Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador AllendeNamed after Salvador Allende, president of Chile from 1970 to 1973, the Museum of Solidarity Salvador Allende (Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende) was founded in 1972, during his time in... | Art museum | www.mssa.cl | | — |
Museo Histórico Carabineros de ChileThe history of policing in Chile, from the arrival of Pedro de Valdivia in the Mapocho Valley to the present day, is the subject of the Historical Museum and Cultural Center of the Carabineros de... | Art museum | www.museocarabineros.cl | | — |
Archaeology museum | www.museosaustral.cl | | — | |
Transport museum | www.museoaeronautico.cl | | — | |
Archaeology museum | www.museodeatacama.cl | | — | |
Museum of Memory and Human RightsThe Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos) in Santiago commemorates the victims of human rights violations committed during Chile's military dictatorship under... | Memorial museum | www.mmdh.cl | | — |
Art museum | www.murosquemiranalmar.org | | — | |
History museum | www.memorialpaine.cl | | — |