Santiago's loveliest park commenced in 1841 as a plant-acclimatization nursery for imported species, when the area was still outside the boundaries of Santiago. The park grew to include 38 hectares (96 acres) of grassy lawns, dozens of varieties of trees (splendid mature examples of Monterey pine, Douglas firs, Sequoias, Babylonian willows, and more), sporting facilities, and a lagoon with paddle boat rental. It is truly one of Santiago's most underrated attractions, however I wouldn't recommend the park as a top destination if you only have 1 day in the city, unless you have children. The park's four museums are kid-friendly, including the Natural History Museum(tel. 2/680-4615; www.mnhn.cl), open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5:30pm, Sunday from noon to 5:30pm (Nov-Mar), and 11am-4:30pm (Apr-Sept); admission is $1.25 (£1.15) adults, 75¢ (40p) children under 18, Sundays and holidays free. The museum occupies an airy and exceptionally handsome neoclassical building; however, the museum is underfunded and many of the displays are in need of renovation. More worthwhile is the Artequín Museum, Av. Portales 3530 (tel. 2/682-5367; www.artequin.cl), open Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 11am to 6pm; admission is $1.35 (70p) adults, 90¢ (45p) students, free on Sundays.
The museum is housed in a fascinating cast-iron building accented with a kaleidoscope of colorful glass; it was first used as the Chilean exhibition hall at the 1889 Parisian centenary of the French Revolution. Workers took the building apart, shipped it to Santiago, and reassembled it here. The museum displays only reproductions of famous paintings by artists from Picasso to Monet, the idea being to introduce visitors -- especially kids -- to important works of art. A popular museum with kids here is the Museo de Ciencia y Tecnología (Museum of Science and Technology) (tel. 2/681-6022; www.museodeciencia.cl) for its engaging, hands-on displays. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm; admission is $1.40 (70p) adults, $1.25 (65p) students. At the southern end of the park, on Avenida Portales, is the fourth museum here in the park, the Museo Ferroviario (Railway Museum) (tel. 2/681-4627; www.museodeciencia.cl/homeferroviario.htm), with railway exhibits that include 14 steam engines and railway carriages, including the train that once connected Santiago with Mendoza until 1971. It's open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm; admission is $1.25 (65p) adults, 75¢ (40p) students.
