Museum of Memory & Human Rights on Postcard

"Museo de la Memoria There’s something within these walls—perhaps simply the silence—that helps visitors imagine the real-world horrors that once took place in Chile . A visit to Santiago ’s Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos is a trip through the darkest hours of Chilean history, those surrounding the military dictatorship that ran from 1973 to 1990 which left behind thousands of victims and unsolved “disappearances.” The museum is a modern, almost 54,000-square-foot (5000-square-meter) facility that recounts the sickening history, soberly, in the form of survivor testimonies as well as in displays of victims’ correspondence and personal items. There are also radio reports, press clippings, drawings and literature, alongside other artifacts of a past from which often only fragments remain. A prominent mural shows the faces of those no longer with us. On the third-floor, screening booths play related documentaries. The museum is a must for anyone looking to understand today’s Chile . By Travesías"

El Centro: Santiago's Historic Heart

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@afar

"Museo de la Memoria There’s something within these walls—perhaps simply the silence—that helps visitors imagine the real-world horrors that once took place in Chile . A visit to Santiago ’s Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos is a trip through the darkest hours of Chilean history, those surrounding the military dictatorship that ran from 1973 to 1990 which left behind thousands of victims and unsolved “disappearances.” The museum is a modern, almost 54,000-square-foot (5000-square-meter) facility that recounts the sickening history, soberly, in the form of survivor testimonies as well as in displays of victims’ correspondence and personal items. There are also radio reports, press clippings, drawings and literature, alongside other artifacts of a past from which often only fragments remain. A prominent mural shows the faces of those no longer with us. On the third-floor, screening booths play related documentaries. The museum is a must for anyone looking to understand today’s Chile . By Travesías"

A Perfect Day in Santiago

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Valek

Google

This museum is a deeply moving place that shows Chile’s history during the Pinochet dictatorship. It tells the stories of the victims of human rights violations during that time, promoting awareness. Getting there is super easy via Quinta Normal metro station. During my 2 hours visit, I noticed a lot of students in the museum, which give me a sense of hope that younger generations are engaging with this important history. It’s totally free to visit. Emotionally, it’s not an easy visit, but definitely it’s a must-see. If you need to choose only one museum to visit in Santiago, this is it. Well done, Chile!

Simona Marinkova

Google

Very informative and well arranged museum. Highly recommend if you are visiting Santiago. My only suggestion is to add a bit more of the content in English.

Kitty

Google

Important and informative museum, in Spanish. After visiting, I learned that you can hire audio guides. I wish I had asked reception about this when leaving my backpack. There were a lot of school trips, which is great but not for regular visitors as I missed a lot and had to walk around the many groups or wait a long time if I really wanted to see something. The museum is free.

Casey Bane Taylor

Google

Free museum with an excellent history leading up to Pinochet’s coup…then including time under this regime and fight for free elections. Excellent artifacts. Our group guide provided by the museum was excellent, she led the tour in English.

TG Koh

Google

If you want to know the recent tumultuous period in Chilean history, this is the go to place. You can rent a headphone for CLP5000 to listen to the English commentary to better understand the exhibitions.

Sandra Margolis

Google

I'm not sure why, but entry was free. I took advantage of that to buy more postcards at their nice little store near the entrance. The place is huge and beautiful, makes you think big. It's worth going just to meditate or maybe to write postcards to friends ans family. And there is a nice café there too. In the museum, I wish that all texts on the walls were also in english below but only a few of them are. English is such a universal language, I hope they keep making the place better. I used my iPhone camera to translate many texts but that gets tough on the battery so bring an external battery pack if you'll be doing like I did. Though, I think they rent headphones for audio tours in english. That might be a better option if your Español is not that great yet.

Dinesh Sud

Google

A poignant reminder of the terror let loose by Genral Pinochet whose hands were strengthened by none other than Henry Kissinger. A must visit place to see how democracy can be threatened by the Army. Entry is free. Location next to metro Norma Quanta.

Natalie Taylor

Google

A very informative museum!! Would highly recommend going. They have audio guides you can rent as well which was helpful for us English speakers!

Valek

Google

This museum is a deeply moving place that shows Chile’s history during the Pinochet dictatorship. It tells the stories of the victims of human rights violations during that time, promoting awareness. Getting there is super easy via Quinta Normal metro station. During my 2 hours visit, I noticed a lot of students in the museum, which give me a sense of hope that younger generations are engaging with this important history. It’s totally free to visit. Emotionally, it’s not an easy visit, but definitely it’s a must-see. If you need to choose only one museum to visit in Santiago, this is it. Well done, Chile!

Simona Marinkova

Google

Very informative and well arranged museum. Highly recommend if you are visiting Santiago. My only suggestion is to add a bit more of the content in English.

Kitty

Google

Important and informative museum, in Spanish. After visiting, I learned that you can hire audio guides. I wish I had asked reception about this when leaving my backpack. There were a lot of school trips, which is great but not for regular visitors as I missed a lot and had to walk around the many groups or wait a long time if I really wanted to see something. The museum is free.

Casey Bane Taylor

Google

Free museum with an excellent history leading up to Pinochet’s coup…then including time under this regime and fight for free elections. Excellent artifacts. Our group guide provided by the museum was excellent, she led the tour in English.

TG Koh

Google

If you want to know the recent tumultuous period in Chilean history, this is the go to place. You can rent a headphone for CLP5000 to listen to the English commentary to better understand the exhibitions.

Sandra Margolis

Google

I'm not sure why, but entry was free. I took advantage of that to buy more postcards at their nice little store near the entrance. The place is huge and beautiful, makes you think big. It's worth going just to meditate or maybe to write postcards to friends ans family. And there is a nice café there too. In the museum, I wish that all texts on the walls were also in english below but only a few of them are. English is such a universal language, I hope they keep making the place better. I used my iPhone camera to translate many texts but that gets tough on the battery so bring an external battery pack if you'll be doing like I did. Though, I think they rent headphones for audio tours in english. That might be a better option if your Español is not that great yet.

Dinesh Sud

Google

A poignant reminder of the terror let loose by Genral Pinochet whose hands were strengthened by none other than Henry Kissinger. A must visit place to see how democracy can be threatened by the Army. Entry is free. Location next to metro Norma Quanta.

Natalie Taylor

Google

A very informative museum!! Would highly recommend going. They have audio guides you can rent as well which was helpful for us English speakers!

Marilu F.

Yelp

One of the rare museums that's actually free. We went as I was very curious to learn about a dark time in Chile's history: Pinochet's regime. Spent probably a couple of hours there. They offer free Wi-Fi and a downloadable app that essentially gives you an audio tour. When we went, one of the three floors was closed, as was part of an exhibit on the first floor. Nevertheless, with the amount of information found at the museum, it may be for the best. The subject matter is rough. There are signs everywhere warning adults to accompany children, and considering that there are objects from children back in the day, unaware of when they would, if ever, see their parents again I can understand why. A somber and humbling experience, be prepared to think and maybe even walk away sooner than you think. This isn't for the faint of heart. Pinochet's regime was no joke, and to this day, Chile is still trying to rise above it.

David L.

Yelp

This was the best (and most unique) museum I visited during my trip to Santiago. Be forewarned that it is a very heavy museum and many Chileans that I observed while visiting were noticeably upset and moved by the subject material. It reminded me of the holocaust museum in Washington DC. I feel fortunate that I was able to visit and I had nothing else on my agenda for the afternoon. A Spanish speaker can easily spend a full day exploring all of the exhibits here and watching all of the content that is available. The do have an audio guide that is available in English and other languages. I also found myself using Google Translate to help with many of the signs and exhibits. Do not miss this stop while you are in Santiago. It is easily accessible from the metro and completely free to enter. Highly recommended!

Yayo T.

Yelp

Not a political commentary, simply a reflection. This was a sad moment of my visit to Chile. Going thru the museum puts a lot of the political turmoil front and center for an outsider looking in. Did the US play a part in the era, or could more have been done for victims of abuse during the era of the Pinoche administration /regime/dictatorship/presidency? I knew very little of that era, but this museum gives a great amount of detail. Please do visit. Allow a good 2-3 hours to read and hear the stories.

Hua W.

Yelp

The museum, a toppled tower of sea-green glass resting on two stone pillars, memorializes General Pinochet's 1973 coup and the resulting two decades of human rights violations and Chile's isolation from the world. You can watch footage of the attack and read accounts of the secret prisons, and get a deeper understanding of the dark underbelly of Chile's history.

Danielle F.

Yelp

This is an excellent museum covering a dark part of the history of Chile. As a citizen of the United States, I knew a little but not a ton about Pinochet's rule. This museum provides a thorough and impressive account of this chapter in Chile's modern history. The subject matter is uncomfortable to digest at times, but I would say that this is an imperative visit when you are in Santiago. Accessing the museum is quite easy, as the Quinta Normal train stop is across the street. We were staying closer to the Museo Bellas Artes and the train ride took about 10 minutes. When you get to street level, you'll see a very modern looking piece of architecture across the street. That is where you are headed. I'd suggest opting for the audio guide, we were able to get one in English (I assume other non-Spanish languages are available as well). The museum is spread across three floors. I'd plan on giving yourself close to two hours to complete (particularly if you get the audio guide). In addition to the content provided by the audio guide, there are short films (mostly Spanish language news) that are dotted throughout the museum. It chronicles the events unfolding as they occur and are quite riveting. While the subject matter may feel uncomfortable, this is an exceptionally well-done museum. If you are visiting Santiago, this is a place you must visit.

Sasha B.

Yelp

If you would like to learn more about the dictatorship and what it was like to live during the years of the Pinochet's rule this is a must see. It is free to the public and located conveniently right next to the metro Quinta Normal. This museum is relatively new, as it was opened to the public in 2010. President Michelle Bachelet was the person to spearhead this initiative (she herself was tortured during the dictatorship). The museum functions with a single goal: to keep the memory alive of the atrocities and human rights violations that occurred between 1973 and 1990. They want to make sure the victims are not forgotten and their stories are told, so history does not repeat itself. This 3 story building is separated into different exhibits, which use many mediums, to give the visitor a real understanding of the brutality that occurred during the dictatorship. You can see what it was like to live in a torture camp, see the beds, the items they were tortured with and as you walk down the hallways, you can see the photos, videos and propaganda of the time. Although there are audio guides in several languages for the permanent exhibits, it is important to keep in mind that some of the information, like the videos, are in Spanish (the videos were by far the most impactful for me.) That is why I recommend taking advantage of their free guided tours. Their normal tours are in Spanish (Sundays and Saturdays at 12pm 3pm and 4pm) but if you contact them in advance, you can schedule a free guided tour in English if you are part of a group. Note: The architecture is beautiful, with their open floor plan and large windows, you can see out onto the city while learning about Chile's history. They have a large plaza outside as well, where the museum holds events and free concerts to promote Chilean artists.

Greg B.

Yelp

Moving. Never have I been to Civil Rights or History Museum so artfully done. In contrast to other museums that tackle heavy topics and/or history, Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos told narratives using creative collages of the missing, handwritten letters of prisoners crafted into meaningful origami-like shapes and patterns, and more. The exhibits were engaging and refreshing, as opposed to merely dense, educational, and austere. The architecture of building itself is worth the trip!

Alex D.

Yelp

Dedicated to commemorate the victims of human rights violations during the civic-military regime led by Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990. Located in Matucana Ave 501 (Quinta Normal Subway, Green Line); Opening from Tuesday trough Sunday - 10 AM to 6 PM.

Juan S.

Yelp

Excellent museum. Architecturally stunning building and very impressive presentation and displays makes you not forget part of the horror of Chile's history. A must see.

Stacey G.

Yelp

What an incredible and moving museum. This is not for the faint of heart. It is touching and will certainly bring both a smile and tear to your eye. We brought our kids 9 and 11. Some material was just too much for them but some was good.

Museum of Memory & Human Rights

Museum of Memory & Human Rights

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