An interior view from the old jail building in Valparaiso Cultural Park.

© Yasemin Olgunoz Berber/Shutterstock

Parque Cultural de Valparaíso

Top choice in Valparaíso


This cultural center built from the bones of a prison has a little bit of everything the thinking traveler could ask for. There are excellent murals in the old exercise yards (with practically no chance of getting shanked), rotating arts exhibits, live theater and dance, and occasional classes, courses, round tables and other intellectually stimulating events.

Reach it by walking up Subida Cumming.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Valparaíso attractions

1. Cementerios 1 & 2

0.09 MILES

The city's most illustrious, influential and infamous residents rest in peace in Cementerios 1 and 2, where the tombs look like ornate mini alaces. Nearby…

2. Cementerio de Disidentes

0.16 MILES

Adjoining the main cemetery, the Cementerio de Disidentes is the spot where English and European immigrants were buried. Despite the name, these departed…

4. Museo Lukas

0.37 MILES

Local cartoonist Lukas had a sharp eye for the idiosyncrasies of Valparaíso. You need to speak Spanish to understand his sardonic political strips…

5. Museo a Cielo Abierto

0.38 MILES

Twenty classic, colorful murals are dotted through this cerro's lower streets, forming the Museo a Cielo Abierto, an open-air museum with works from famed…

6. Museo de Historia Natural

0.39 MILES

Explore the natural history of central Chile in nine rooms that focus on biology and ecosystems. Signage is in Spanish only.

7. Ascensor Concepción

0.41 MILES

The city's oldest funicular, Ascensor Concepción takes you to Paseo Gervasoni, at the lower end of Cerro Concepción. Built in 1883, it originally ran on…

8. Museo de Bellas Artes

0.42 MILES

The rambling art nouveau building at the western end of Cerro Alegre is called Palacio Baburizza; it houses the Museo de Bellas Artes, which has a decent…

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