Description of the attraction
The Historical Museum de Colchagua in Santa Cruz was opened in 1995 by Chilean entrepreneur Carlos Cardoen. The mansion that houses the museum was badly damaged in an earthquake in February 2010. The museum remained closed for eight months to carry out various renovations. About 60% of the museum's collection was damaged, and the collection of pre-Columbian art was completely destroyed. The museum began to receive its visitors again only in October 2010.
Its collection numbers about 7,000 items that relate to paleontology, archeology and the history of Chile and the world. The museum now has 23 rooms open. It takes almost 4 hours to visit all the halls with a guide. Each room is dedicated to one particular topic. The exhibition on paleontology contains fossils of various species of fauna and flora. The exhibition "Prehistoric Chile" is dedicated to the history of the indigenous people of the pre-Hispanic culture of the continent.
The collection contains documents and personal belongings that belonged to Pedro de Valdivia (the recognized founder of Chile, who lived in the 16th century), as well as a collection of weapons, household items, coins and antique furniture of those times, as well as a collection of sacred objects from the 17th and 18th centuries.
On the stands you can see unique exhibits such as the Constituent Act of the Government of the Junta of Chile from 1810, a piano that belonged to Bernardo O'Higgins (a famous military politician of the early 19th century), insignia of President Jose Miguel Carrera (one of the founding fathers of Chile at the end XVIII - early XIX century).
The exhibition presents models of cars from different eras, weapons used by mankind from ancient times to World War II. There is the "Hall of Great Salvation", which tells about the tragedy of 33 miners - for this exposition the museum was noted by the British newspaper "The Independent" as the best museum that touches on the social problems of society.
The Historical Museum de Colchagua is located in the center of Santa Cruz and is open every day throughout the year, except holidays.
