The Museo Nacional Aeronáutica y del Espacio (MNAE) is an institution responsible for disseminating the aeronautical heritage in
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
.
History
It was created on July 13, 1944, as Museo de Aviación, during the government of
Juan Antonio Ríos, by Supreme Decree No. 486, which stipulated, among other things, that it would be located in
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
, that it would depend on the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics and that it would be developed thanks to
donation
A donation is a gift for Charity (practice), charity, humanitarian aid, or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including money, alms, Service (economics), services, or goods such as clothing, toys, food, or vehicles. A donati ...
s and expenditures.
Originally located at Cathedral Street in Central Santiago, it later moved to other facilities belonging to the Directorate of Aeronautics and the
Museo Histórico Nacional. In 1968, it was transferred to the Paris Pavilion of the
Quinta Normal, which is now occupied by the
Museo Artequin; Finally, on September 20, 1988, construction began on the modern museum building, located in
Cerrillos commune on land that previously belonged to
Los Cerrillos Airport (Avenida Pedro Aguirre Cerda No. 5000). The architect in charge of its design was Fernando Torres Arancibia.
On March 9, 1992, the museum was inaugurated by the then
president of Chile
The president of Chile (), officially the president of the Republic of Chile (), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is responsible for both Government of Chile, government administration and s ...
,
Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin Azócar (; 26 November 1918 – 19 April 2016) was a Chilean politician from the Christian Democratic Party of Chile, Christian Democratic Party, lawyer, author, professor and former senator. He was the 30th president of Chil ...
, the minister of defense,
Patricio Rojas, the commander in chief of the
Fuerza Aérea de Chile,
Ramón Vega, the general director of civil aeronautics, José de la Fuente, and the director of the museum, Mario Jahn. Later, the then president,
Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
Eduardo Alfredo Juan Bernardo Frei Ruiz–Tagle (; born 24 June 1942) is a Chilean politician and civil engineering, civil engineer who served as president of Chile from 1994 to 2000. He was also a Senate of Chile, Senator, fulfilling the role of ...
, signed Supreme Decree No. 800 of October 26, 1995, with which the character of "national" was recognized and it obtained its current name.
[Ogden 2008, p. 537]
Due to the
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic, the MNAE was closed to the public in April 2020 and reopened in January 2022.
See also
*
Los Cerrillos Airport
*
List of aviation museums
Bibliography
*
References
External links
*
Museo Artequin
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Aeronautico
Aerospace museums
Museums in Santiago, Chile
1944 establishments in Chile
Museums established in 1944