Museo del Recuerdo (Museum of Remembrance), Punta Arenas

The Museum of Remembrance offers visitors a vivid and immersive journey into the colonizing era of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Established in 1971, this unique heritage site was created to preserve and showcase the tools, homes, and daily lives of the region’s early settlers. Initially featuring a modest collection of around fifty items-including carriages, carts, locomotives, and various pieces of mechanical machinery-the museum has since grown into a rich and sprawling complex of indoor and outdoor exhibits spread across beautifully landscaped grounds.

Today, the museum boasts over eighty large outdoor objects and eight themed pavilions that narrate the story of colonization in southern Chile. Among the highlights are restored period buildings that include the Urban and Rural Pioneer Houses, a Livestock Pavilion, a Maritime Pavilion, the Old Garage, and the Coach House. One particularly striking addition is the “Joseph Baeriswyl” Pavilion, named in honor of a prominent regional figure. These restored structures not only house fascinating displays but also transport visitors back in time, offering an authentic sense of what life was like for early settlers, from livestock herding to maritime navigation.

The Museum of Remembrance has become a symbolic postcard of the city. Highlights include antique farm equipment, shearing sheds, and a shepherd’s trailer with wooden wheels-each item a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the pioneers who shaped this remote region.