Tours and Activities:
Mauricio Van de Maele Museum
The exhibited items are of great value and were once part of private and academic collections that are now under the care of the Austral University of Chile, responsible for making them available to the interested public.
Mauricio Van de Maele Historical and Anthropological Museum lies opposite the Calle Calle River overlooking the coquettish waterfront. Surrounded by neat gardens, it invites visitors to see one of the greatest cultural heritages in the City of Valdivia.
Upon arriving at the Andwandter House, as it is also known, we are greeted by a building of remarkable architectural beauty. Built in 1853 by the German pioneer Carlos Andwandter, its design is neoclassical, featuring wooden-clad walls, a gabled roof, and a façade adorned with a portico of three lowered arches. The entire ensemble is both charming and refined.
Once inside, as we walked through the different rooms, we observed an engaging display highlighting the main ethnic groups and cultures that shaped the region´s identity. It traces back to the first inhabitants of the temperate forests some 12,000 years ago, continues through the Spanish presence beginning in the 16th century, and reaches the German colonization starting in 1850. This influx defined the history that is still alive in the city today.
The ground floor has been arranged with furniture, artifacts, decorative art, and documents from the 18th century, during the Creole-Hispanic settlement. One of the exhibits refers to the work of Friar Camilo Henriquez, who was born in Valdivia in 1769 and was an active member of a group that fought for Chile´s independence.
The south wing of the house has been devoted to German culture regarding its housing units and the changes carried out in the city in the mid-nineteenth century, with the contribution of customs and scientific facts by European immigrants. There, household items, photographs, and furniture are preserved, illustrating how urban and rural life in Valdivia was transformed with the arrival of the settlers.
Archeological elements from central and southern Chile are on display on the second floor. Thus, the relationship of the natives and the Hispanic, as well as the great cultural legacy of the Mapuche "Williche" community, is exposed. We observed some silverware, ceramics, textiles, and baskets of high artistic value corresponding to the Pitrén complex (300 AD – 1200 AD) and to the Valdivia style (1400 AD – 1800 AD). The pottery societies had their zenith from the beginning of the Christian Era up to the nineteenth century.
The museum, declared a National Historic Monument in 1981, is named after the anthropologist and historian Mauricio van de Maele, in recognition of the valuable contribution this revisionist made to the collection on display. Today, as part of the Museology Directorate, the Austral University of Chile ensures its educational and scientific character.
Admission is free, and it is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, making it one of the most visited cultural spaces in the Los Ríos Region.
Contact
Museo Histórico y Antropológixo M. Van de Maele
Tel: +56 63-2212872
See also: © 2007-2025 Total or partial reproduction forbidden. Derechos de Autor 675243 Ley 11723
