Gustave Le Page Museum

The Padre Gustave Le Page Archaeological Museum is one of the most important museums in northern Chile. It was founded by a Belgian missionary living in San Pedro de Akatama between 1955 and 1980.

In addition to his spiritual activities, Gustave Le Page paid considerable attention to the history of this region and eventually an archaeological museum appeared here under the tutelage of the Catholic University.

The expositions of the museum are grouped in such a way that it is possible to trace the development of local cultures from ancient times to the pre-Columbian era to the present day. In each hall there is an electronic guide, on the display of which you can get acquainted with the exhibits in detail.

Central to the collection is the ancient mummies of the Atacamamenyo tribe, which are several thousand years old. Thanks to the dry sands of the desert, not only the appearance of people has been preserved, but also clothes, jewelry, shoes.

Once such an exhibit caused a storm of indignation of the local population, who believed that the deceased should not be exhibited “in the windows”. Therefore, the interactive map of the museum became a necessary compromise that suited everyone.