Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Contemporary art museum in Valdivia, Chile

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Valdivia occupies the ruins of the former Anwandter brewery, built in 1851 on the bank of the Calle-Calle River on Isla Teja. Its structure combines steel, masonry and concrete, with two arched vaults from the industrial building and hypostyle halls set below the level of Isla Teja and above the river plain. Since 2019 a restoration of 1,831.62 m² and an enlargement of 1,394 m² have been under way.

The museum was founded in 1994 by Hernán Miranda together with the architects Juan José Ugarte and Wren Strabucchi, with Manfred Max-Neef then rector of the Universidad Austral de Chile. It opened in the ruins of the Anwandter brewery, built in 1851 and collapsed in the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. Its first exhibition, "Proyecto Valdivia", opened in January 1996 with works by Francisco Smythe and Gonzalo Mezza. Since 2019 the building has been under restoration and expansion.

The museum's name is tied to the former Anwandter brewery, whose brick vaults and hypostyle halls now frame the exhibitions. Its first show, "Proyecto Valdivia", opened in January 1996 with works by Francisco Smythe and Gonzalo Mezza, and Nicanor Parra and Juan Francisco Salazar have also exhibited here.

The museum stands on Isla Teja, on the bank of the Calle-Calle River, and is reached by crossing the river from Valdivia's centre. Since mid-2019 the building has been under restoration and expansion, with works halted in 2022, so check access and opening conditions before travelling.

The museum occupies the ruins of the Anwandter brewery, built in 1851 and collapsed in the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. Two arched vaults from the old industrial building survive and shape the exhibition rooms. The 2019 expansion added 1,394 m² to the restored 1,831.62 m², though work stalled in 2022 over missing permits.