Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art
Ethnographic museum · Monserrat ·

Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art

Ethnographic museum · Monserrat ·

Art & history museum, pre-Columbian artifacts, pottery, textiles

pre-columbian art
latin american civilization
ceramics
well organized exhibits
spanish and english descriptions
south american culture
mapuche statues
impressive collection
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by Photo by Wandering Trader
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null
Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art by null

Information

Bandera 361, 8320298 Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile Get directions

Restroom
LGBTQ friendly
Trans safe
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible restroom

Information

Static Map

Bandera 361, 8320298 Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile Get directions

+56 2 2928 1500
museo.precolombino.cl
@museoprecolombino
𝕏
@precolombinocl

Features

•Restroom
•LGBTQ friendly
•Trans safe
•Wheelchair accessible entrance
•Wheelchair accessible restroom

Last updated

Jan 17, 2026

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"For Lovers of Art & History Just off the iconic Plaza de Armas, the main square, housed in the old customs building, is the Museum of Pre-Columbian art. The museum has a solid collection of Latin American art and history and an extensive collection of ceramics and pottery. The building itself is a historic monument and testament to the colonial area with sunny interior patios and lovely arcades. To bring the museum to life, sign up for a free guided tour with a docent to see the best works, including an impressive collection of Mapuche "chemamulles," wooden statues thought to be guardians. Bandera 361, corner Compañía de Jesús Phone: 56 (2) 2928 1500"

El Centro: Santiago's Historic Heart
Photo by Wandering Trader
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

Howard Z.

Google
A interesting museum with excellent display of artifacts. Most displays are pots, figures for warships, etc. Even though those items are excellent, the amount of collections is on low side and the area of dispy rooms are not big comparing to others museums on similar levels.

Zemin H.

Google
This is the best place to learn and understand Chilean history and roots of their culture. Most artifacts are made of clay, some of them are very beautiful and artistic even like modern artifacts. It's interesting to learn that they have warrior level as social status at some point in the history.

Tamara Cortes S.

Google
This is a small but meaningful museum that deserves a visit. That said, the translation could be improved. From the standpoint of a bilingual Chilean familiar with both local and global historical contexts, the translation would benefit from greater accuracy and cultural sensitivity.

David M.

Google
What an absolutely beautiful museum with an intense and comprehensive collection on display. The curators have been very thoughtful in preparing the collection and it is complemented perfectly for tourists with all descriptions in English. I loved it so much, I had to buy a book on 14,000 years of Chilean history to take home with me

Lina B

Google
It’s a must visit place in Santiago! The place itself it’s very well designed, exhibition wise very good organised. It gives you not only some background on Chilean but also South America’s culture and identity.

Kate S

Google
Fantastic museum. Not too big. Has explanations in English. Start in basement. Need to pay to put backpack in locker so have change. Bring your reading glasses if you have trouble reading small print. The basement exhibit is pretty dark!

Regina M.

Google
Definitely one of the best museums in Santiago. Here, you can truly feel the essence of Chile’s native peoples, especially the Mapuche. The collection includes very ancient and priceless artworks, all incredibly original. The exhibits are well divided and organized. On top of that, you can also see the impressive Chemamülles sculptures up close. Absolutely worth a visit! Some people might not give it five stars simply because they’re not enthusiasts of this kind of art. But for those who love culture, anthropology, or prehistoric art, it’s a rare opportunity to see works that date back as far as 2,000 years before Christ.

alper B.

Google
Fascinating collection of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. A must see. Especially -1 floor is very impressive.
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Marilu F.

Yelp
Often recommended as a pit stop while in Chile, we stopped by this museum and found at least one floor of it closed. Not to mention, too, that the gift shop was closed. Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience, because although artifacts were limited, the ones presented proved to be well preserved and depicting a time in history not often discussed. At this museum, you will find pieces from before the Precolombino times, and these, of course, include things from the Inka and things pertaining to Easter Island. It's a nice little pit stop, but please don't expect to make a day out of it. I think we were there over an hour tops.
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Leo Y.

Yelp
It's truly amazing how advanced and impressive the Latin American civilization was before the arrival of Europeans decimated it. The ceramics, metallurgy, art, and society were at times more advanced than the Europeans who attacked them. The museum was well laid out, with information in Spanish, and then a brief summary in English. I translated some of the Spanish descriptions using Google Translate when I wanted more details than the English summary provided. It's easy to spend a few hours here if reading everything. A great collection from across south and central America.
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Steve A.

Yelp
This was my favorite part of my Chilean trip. So glad I was able to make time to go. They have three floors of exhibits. One was closed when I arrived but they only charged $5.000 (right now about $6) instead of the usual $8.000, which is unusual for museums. You will see things you can't see anywhere else. There aren't all THAT many artifacts but when you see how well preserved they are and think about how much has been lost or destroyed, it's so great to see this all in one place and I absolutely want them to have my money (and yours) to keep these and more preserved!
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Des S.

Yelp
What a beautifully curated museum! It's beautiful art and displays make it a delight! The cafe is really nice too! Generous portions and fresh food.
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George E.

Yelp
Only two floors but a top notch museum with fantastic, well thought out displays. The entry level has an interior courtyard cafe serving lunch and a museum store with a bit more than your average souvenir offerings. Besides pre-columbian replica pottery and vessels, they offer textiles, books and contemporary wares by Chilean artists.
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Alex D.

Yelp
The well-endowed collection of artifacts of the region's indigenous peoples, much of it donated by the collector Sergio Larraín García-Moreno, is displayed in the beautifully restored Royal Customs House that dates from 1807. The permanent collection, on the upper floor, showcases ceramics and textiles from Mexico to Patagonia. Unlike many of the city's museums, the displays here are well labeled in Spanish and English. Guided tours in English are available at no extra cost, but booking in advance is required. Located in Bandera Street 361 (Plaza de Armas Subway, Green Line); Opening from Tuestady through Sunday - 10 AM to 6 PM.
Wood grain pattern