San Francisco Colonial Museum

San Francisco Colonial Museum

The San Francisco Colonial Museum is located within the monastery adjacent to the San Francisco Cathedral, the oldest church in Chile's capital, Santiago. It sits on Avenida O'Higgins in the city center, with both the cathedral and its adjoining monastery being among the oldest colonial-era buildings in Chile.

After part of the monastery was sold off in the early 20th century and redeveloped into a community center, the remaining section was transformed into the Colonial Museum. This museum is a hub of Santiago’s history, culture, and religious heritage. Through its collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, and other artifacts, it explores Chile’s and South America’s colonial past. Many of the exhibits are religious in nature and were produced in the former colonial capital of Peru. Notably, the museum’s centerpiece is the Franciscan Genealogy, an enormous religious family tree featuring 644 miniature portraits—well worth a close-up look. Additionally, the museum displays instruments of penance, as well as the collection of Saint Francis the Physician, which includes 54 oil paintings from Cusco. This is Chile’s most valuable collection of colonial art and the most comprehensive such collection in South America.

San Francisco Colonial Museum

Why Go: Chile’s most comprehensive collection of colonial art

Continent: South America【South America】

Country/Region: Chile [Chile]

Province/State: Santiago Metropolitan Region [Santiago Metropolitan Region]

City: Santiago [Santiago]