It has been over three decades since the founding of the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian art. It was a novel idea for the countries of Latin America - to create an institution that would protect, study and disseminate the creative legacy of the pre-Columbian peoples of America, without regard to political boundaries separating these countries.

It was founded by the outstanding Chilean architect and collector of antiques Sergio Larrain Garcia-Moreno, who was looking for a place to store his collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, purchased for fifty years.

With the support of the municipal government of Santiago, as well as the personal participation of Sergio Larrain Garcia-Moreno, it began construction of the museum and research institute founded on its basis. The museum opened its doors in December 1981 in the Palacio de la Real Aduana de Santiago, in the historic center of Santiago de Chile. From late 2011 to 2013 the museum was closed for renovation of its collections and the restoration work.

The building of the Palacio de la Real Aduana de Santiago, still known as the Palace of the Royal Palace and the Old Customs Court, built between 1805 and 1807 year. Its construction was commissioned military engineer José María de Atero and carried out by the famous architect Joaquin Toeska. In 1969 the building was listed as a national monument of Chile.

The museum has an extensive collection of materials on the pre-Columbian culture, the culture of the Aztecs, Mayas and Incas, Chilean indigenous peoples - diaguitas, Mapuche, Rapa Nui, Selknam and many others.

The museum has more than 3,000 exhibits, representing almost 100 different pre-Columbian cultures of over 10 000 years .  The collection is divided into four zones .  First, Area mesoamerica, where you can see a statue of the deity Xipe Totec, the censer with Teotihuacan, Maya reliefs Easter Island .  Second, Area Intermedia, on the shelves of the hall where you can see pottery culture Valdivia and Capula, gold objects from the province of Veraguas (Panama) and Dikuis, pre-Columbian indigenous cultures from Costa Rica, which flourished from 700 g .  n . e .  to 1530 N . e .  Third, Area Andes Centrales, with a large collection of masks and copper figures, many of whom were removed from graves .  Also in this part of the exhibition you can see a large collection of textiles Moche culture (the area north of Peru) and the Chavin culture - civilization that developed in the northern Andes on the territory of modern Peru with 900 g .  Don . e .  to 200 g .  Don . e .  The oldest exhibit in this part of the museum - dyed fabric, which is almost 3000 years .  The fourth area, Area Andres del Sur, is a collection of ceramic urns Aguada culture, snuff the culture of San Pedro and objects of the Incas from the stack of the territory of modern Chile and Argentina .

Visitors can get acquainted with the exhibits of the permanent and temporary exhibitions pre-Columbian art of Latin America throughout the year.