Museo Histórico Carabineros de Chile

The Historical Museum and Cultural Center of the Carabineros de Chile is a police museum located in Providencia, Chile. Dedicated to the historical heritage of the Carabineros de Chile, the institution serves as the official body for the safeguarding of the national police's historical patrimony. Its mission is to rescue, preserve, investigate, exhibit, and disseminate the historical heritage corresponding to the Chilean police function, acting as an informal educational agent. The museum's vision is to consolidate itself at a national level as a reference for the dissemination and registration of the Chilean police function. Its collections chronicle the history of policing in Chile from the arrival of Pedro de Valdivia in the Mapocho Valley in 1541 to the present day.

The institution was originally created as the Museum and Historical Archive of the Carabineros de Chile through General Order 189 on March 17, 1958, by General Director Jorge Ardiles Galdames. Its initial purpose was to conserve documents and objects related to the various police systems and similar organizations that have existed in the country. It was officially inaugurated on April 29, 1977, coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of the Carabineros de Chile. After operating in several different facilities, the museum was permanently transferred in 1992 to the Carabineros del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo School, occupying the old house previously used by the directorate of the institution. In 2007, funded by the Cultural Donations Law, the museum underwent a profound physical and methodological modification aimed at modernizing its museography and disseminating the evolution of the police function. Architect Gonzalo Mardones Viviani remodeled the building, preserving its original structure while adapting the interior spaces for museum functions. The exterior was subsequently painted completely white to connect it visually with the architectural concept of the Carabineros de Chile Cultural Center.

The museum's holdings are classified into eight distinct categories: painting, sculpture, equipment and accessories, phaleristics, weapons, books and documents, textile and clothing, and vehicles. Beyond exhibition, the institution maintains a specialized library on historical topics alongside a documentary and photographic archive related to the history of the Chilean police function. The museum operates across six areas of work: museography, conservation and restoration, historical research, education, communications, and a documentation center and historical archive. Schoolchildren represent an important audience for the institution. It facilitates learning and social interaction through talks and presentations by different ranks of the Carabineros, particularly during winter vacation programs. The museum also conducts outreach through itinerant exhibitions and participation in national events such as the Day of Cultural Heritage and Midnight Museums. In the investigative field, the museum published the text Carabineros de Chile, the evolution of the police function, for institution students, followed by the first issue of the Historical Museum of the Carabineros de Chile Magazine in 2013.

Several specific objects stand out within the museum's collections. The painting Chilean Carabinero, created in 1953 by the renowned national artist Jorge Délano, is a signature piece. Sculptural highlights include the portrait medallion of Commander Manuel Chacón Garay, sculpted by Nicanor Plaza in 1875. The museum also preserves the personal belongings of Lieutenant Hernán Merino Correa, who died in Del Desierto Lake in 1965. In the realm of sports and phaleristics, the institution holds the silver medals won by Captain Óscar Cristi Gallo at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. A major vehicle in the collection is the Popemobile, specifically a Metalpar model, used by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Chile in April 1987.

The museum is situated on the north side of the Carabineros del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo School, occupying the former house of the institution's directorate. During the 2007 renovation, architect Gonzalo Mardones Viviani preserved the building's original structure while adapting the interior spaces to properly fulfill museum functions. The exterior of the structure was painted entirely white as part of the redesign, establishing a visual and architectural connection with the adjacent Carabineros de Chile Cultural Center.

The museum is located at 1690 Antonio Varas Avenue in the commune of Providencia, Chile. Operating hours are Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 to 17:30, Friday from 10:00 to 16:30, and Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00, though one source notes slightly different opening times on weekdays, suggesting Tuesday through Thursday and Friday hours begin at 9:30. Guided tours can be arranged and planned from Monday to Friday. The institution maintains an official website for public access and information.