Outings and excursions · Temuco
The Roots of a People
The Araucanía Regional Museum presents a comprehensive collection on the region's past, where the legacy of both the Mapuche people and European settlers has shaped much of its history.
Regional museums play a vital role in preserving the heritage of past generations within their respective communities. The Regional Museum of La Araucanía embodies this mission, protecting and exhibiting a significant cultural legacy that reflects both Mapuche traditions and the broader history of the region.
This important museum was founded at the request of Temuco´s residents, who in 1938 petitioned the government for its creation. It opened its doors in 1940 and, in 1970, moved to its current building, the former residence of the Carlos Thiers Spielmans family, which was declared a National Monument in 1997 under the name Casa Thiers.
Over time, the mansion has undergone several renovations to preserve its heritage value and enhance the visitor experience. Its most recent restoration, carried out between 2023 and 2024, included improvements to accessibility, lighting, exhibition halls, and the conservation laboratory. The museum reopened during the Night of Museums 2024, reaffirming its role as a key cultural space. Among its highlights is an interactive room dedicated to Mapuche culture, along with guided tours, workshops, a handicraft shop, and full accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility.
The Exhibition
The museum´s valuable exhibition features a diverse collection of cultural artifacts from Mapuche communities, Spanish immigrants, other European settlers, and Chilean colonists.
Today, the museum safeguards around 3,500 heritage objects, organized into six main collections: archaeology, ethnography, history, painting, photography, and books/documents. A representative ion of about 484 pieces is on permanent display to the public.
The exhibits explore themes such as Spanish colonization (16th-17th centuries) and Mapuche resistance, showcasing items utensils, traditional weapons, and everyday objects. There are also graphic materials, historical photographs, and artworks that trace the region´s cultural evolution.
The museum park features exotic and ornamental species such as linden trees, palms, and giant sequoias, alongside gardens inspired by early 20th-century ornamental landscaping typical of the mansion´s original setting.
In addition to its permanent collection, visitors can enjoy temporary exhibitions on art, natural sciences, local history, and other disciplines. Recent shows have included missionary photography, contemporary cartography, and heritage documentation projects with a Mapuche focus.
