Museo Naval de Iquique, Naval museum in Iquique, Chile

The Museo Naval de Iquique occupies the former Peruvian customs house, built in 1871 and known as the Palacio Rimac. The rectangular two-storey building has an inner courtyard with two-level corridors, an octagonal lookout over the entrance, and Oregon pine beams in its warehouses. Since a 2015 fire damaged the building, the museum has operated in a room of the Museo Militar Tarapacá.

Built in 1871 as the Peruvian provincial prefecture and customs house, the building was first known as Palacio Rimac. On 5 April 1879 Arturo Prat announced from here the Chilean blockade of the port. After the naval combat of 21 May 1879, survivors of the corvette Esmeralda were held in the building, and Prat's remains lay in front of it for several hours.

The museum preserves artifacts from the corvette Esmeralda and shows how these ships played an important role in Chile's naval history. The exhibitions help visitors understand the connection between this vessel and Iquique's local identity.

The museum sits in central Iquique and is easy to reach on foot, with enough space to explore the exhibitions without crowding. Visitors should allow time to see all rooms, especially when groups are present.

The historical patio displays cannons from Chilean naval ships and the Peruvian Independencia from the time of the Pacific wars. These visible reminders show the direct conflict between the two countries.