Housed in an old mansion with a pretty central courtyard, this museum is a 70s art time capsule. The exhibits were gifts from artists who supported the socialist Allende government. The main attractions are works by Matta, Miró, Tapies, Calder and Yoko Ono, though there's also fabulous geometric art by lesser known, but still very wacky, 70s artists.

After the 1973 coup, the entire collection spent 17 years in the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, awaiting the return of civilian rule.

The sculptures and paintings themselves are less overtly political than one might expect, altough the museum also includes a multimedia station for viewing films about the history of the Allende government and the Unidad Popular.

If you only have time to visit one museum in Santiago, this should be it. Inside, you'll see relics of 4500 years of pre-Columbian civilisation. There are lots of breathtaking figurative ceramics and beautiful, intricate textile works. Some of the exhibits have explanatory captions in English. The museum also has a good giftshop and cafe.

Most of the items come from the personal collections of the Larraín family, but special exhibits run from time to time. There are separate halls for Mexico & Central America, Peru & Bolivia, Colombia & Ecuador, modern Chile and Argentina (and parts of Brazil). Make sure you see the Chinchorro mummies, a product of Chile's indigenous culture, which are thousands of years older than the Egyptian equivalent.

Parque Metropolitano is central Santiago's largest open space and a magnet for cyclists, joggers and walkers. It's dominated by an iconic 14m/46ft-high statue of the Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción, topping Cerro San Cristóbal. There are breathtaking views, lovely gardens, nearby swimming pools, a zoo and a 2000m-long teleférico ride.