Museum Description:
This museum comes at its subject from an interesting angle: although all its pieces come from different American cultures that existed before 1492 and none of the artists are known, it thinks of itself as primarily an art museum as opposed to history. The statues, carvings, ceramics and bits of textiles are artfully displayed and meant to be enjoyed as much as studied. It is considered by guide books and sites to be one of Santiago's best museums.
The Good:
The museum is also very informative. The pieces are grouped by culture and location and each display includes a detailed description of the culture and the function of the piece of art in question. The museum has some very impressive pieces from some unlikely places, such as the Aztec and Maya cultures in far-off Mexico. The textile exhibit, which contains not only original weavings but also modern reproductions which make it easier to appreciate the work and techniques used, is as detailed and informative as if it were made by an overachieving PhD candidate. The museum contains some very singular pieces, such as the fifteenth-century quipu prominently displayed in the Inca section. Quipus were a recording system used by the Inca consisting of knotted cords. Properly maintained and read, they were every bit as accurate an an account book. There are very few remaining to this day. The gift shop is smallish but packed with interesting books. Their website (see sidebar) is also extremely informative about the pieces in question and the cultures that produced them, although for now it's only in Spanish.
The Bad:
There's not much to complain about at this excellent museum. Oddly, there are no artifacts from the famous Easter Island (a.k.a. Rapa Nui) which is part of Chile. Presumably, they are on display elsewhere.
Important Information:
The museum is located at the corner of Bandera and Compañia streets about a block from the Plaza de Armas, Santiago's central square. Entrance cost depends on current exchange rates, but varies between $5-$10. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10-6.
