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Facade of the museum, a characteristic colonial house |
Museo de Colchagua, one of the most comprehensive private museums in the country, which has the largest collection in South America, located 200 km. South of Santiago in the town of Santa Cruz, Region del Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, heart of one of the most typical rural regions of the country. Few could imagine that behind its modest facade, typical of the Chilean colonial time, one can find such a comprehensive exhibit.
Colchagua Museum is a private institution, managed by Cardoen Foundation, headed by the Chilean businessman Carlos Cardoen. There is a collection that includes nearly 7,000 items mainly related to the areas of Paleontology, Archeology, History of Chile and the World, including specific pavilions about Modernity, History and Development of Weapons, outfit worn by the Huasos (typical Chilean country men), carriages, Agricultural Machinery, Pavilion of the Railroads, exhibition halls that host the largest private collection of Latin America.
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Image: registromuseoschile.cl |
The original building that houses the museum was severely damaged with the earthquake of February 27, 2010, so it was closed for eight months, to perform various major repairs. More than 50% of its collections were harmed, resulting completely destroyed the display of pre-Columbian Art. The museum was reopened on October 2 of that year, with the presence of President Sebastian Pinera.
Collections of Museo de Colchagua
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Colchagua Museum on Pinterest |
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Golden Chalice inlaid with Emerald Image: museocolchagua.cl |
La Republica, contains furniture, documents, clothing, weapons, photographs and many other objects all directly related to events that occurred in the nineteenth century such as the Pacific War, armed conflict from 1879 to 1883 which pitted Chile against Bolivia and Peru; the development of the nitrate industry in the far North; the Revolution of 1891; the incorporation of Easter Island to Chilean territory, and other events. Modernity, pavilion dedicated to show the advancement of the modern World (XIX and XX centuries), including the radio, beginnings of the cinema, television and other communication technologies, means of transportation, etc. Weapons Pavilion, one of the most important collections of the country, displays arms used since ancient times to World War II. The Motor Show, has a gallery of vintage cars, reflecting the technological advances occurred during the first decades of the twentieth century of this invention of the late 1800's. Some models of the exhibition are a Deupressoir, a French model of one cylinder, made in 1903, Chile's oldest car; a Paige of 1913, considered the best preserved of the country, a Racing Car of the 1940's decade, belonging to Bartolome Ortiz, a renowned Chilean driver of that time; a bus from the 50's; the limousine that in 1946 carried Argentine President Juan Domingo Peron during his visit to Santiago and more recently, the Indy Racing Car used by the Chilean driver Eliseo Salazar.
The pavilion Joyas de Los Andes (Jewels of the Andes), collects a large amount of jewelry of the pre-Columbian World, featuring pieces made by the Mayas, Aztecs, further south some belonging to Andean cultures, the relatively recent archaeological discovery of Sipan in Peru; a huge collection of jewelry in "plateria Mapuche", manufacture of silver jewels, craft activity of great relevance within the Mapuche culture, of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The exhibition is complemented with human reproductions as the figure based on the discovery of the Lord of Sipan, Moche culture of Peru. Charles Darwin's room, dedicated to honor the renowned British naturalist who left his mark on Chile between 1832 and 1835, when he crossed the country from Tierra del Fuego to Copiapo, making geological, botanical, zoological and anthropological observations. During his visit to the southern provinces, Darwin even witnessed a violent earthquake. Railway in Chile, as in the rest of the world, the railroad in Chile was the noisy and smoky symbol of progress, from the mid-nineteenth century. The long distances between cities and the emerging trade between regions made even more justifiable the efforts for its implementation. In this part of the museum are shown elements related to its history and development.
Countryside Machinery, Chile is a country that stands out for its large forest, agricultural and wine production. This section displays hand- operated, animal traction and steam- operated machinery, used during the beginnings of mechanization of field work in Chile. You can also visit the Carriages section, which were used mostly in the region of Colchagua during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and Aperos del Huaso, a section of the display dedicated to show all the equipment, clothing, musical instruments, etc. used by the Huaso, typical Chilean countryman who in turn, is recognized for being a skilled horseman. A section that moves the visitors is "El Gran Rescate" (The Big Rescue), an exhibition dedicated to the feat of saving alive the miners trapped underground for two months in the San José Mine, Atacama Desert in 2010, an event that was known throughout the world.
Open:
Winter: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00 hrs.
Summer: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 19:00 hrs.
Address:
Avenida Presidente Errázuriz 145
Santa Cruz, Valle de Colchagua, Chile.
Open:
Winter: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00 hrs.
Summer: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 19:00 hrs.
Address:
Avenida Presidente Errázuriz 145
Santa Cruz, Valle de Colchagua, Chile.
Landline:
56 72 282 1050
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