Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Santiago

The Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos) in Santiago serves as a poignant tribute to the victims of human rights violations endured during the military dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990. This significant establishment was inaugurated on January 11, 2010, under the auspices of then-president Michelle Bachelet, marking a vital component of Chile's bicentennial commemoration.

The museum's foundation stone was laid on December 10, 2008, with Bachelet presiding. Her own experience as a torture victim during Pinochet's regime gave the project personal significance. The core collection came from Casa de la Memoria, arriving on June 16, 2009. The museum's board was established on December 3, 2009, and Romy Schmidt became executive director on January 6, 2010.

The museum holds haunting relics of the Pinochet dictatorship: torture devices, poignant letters from prisoners, newspaper clippings, and survivor testimonies. It explores human rights philosophically, offering a profound experience. The entrance features a moving tribute to Víctor Jara, displaying his final poem, "Estadio Chile," written before his tragic demise during the 1973 coup.

In 2013, the Foundation Museo de la Memoria joined hands with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in a momentous agreement. Their collaboration aimed to establish a network of institutions dedicated to this vital theme, fostering joint conferences, seminars, and exchange of officials, professional practices, research, and publications—a united effort to uphold the memory and rights of those affected by this dark period in Chile's history.