Concepción Province: Discover Nature and Culture

Green spaces in Concepción

Parque Ecuador is next to Cerro Caracol, which is considered the green lung of the city of Concepción. Cerro Caracol covers more than 1,200 hectares and reaches a height of 250 meters. Parque Ecuador is an extensive recreation area with various tree species, children's playgrounds, and a cycling path. Thus, two neighboring nature attractions with different focuses are featured: the park is noted for its recreational features, while Cerro Caracol is described in terms of its size and height.

Nature in Concepción Province

Nonguén National Park covers parts of the municipalities of Concepción, Chiguayante, and Hualqui in Concepción Province. Its location across three municipalities gives it a different geographical scope from the places mentioned in Concepción: Parque Ecuador and Cerro Caracol.

Art and collections

A guided tour at Casa del Arte José Clemente Orozco lasts one hour. It includes a presentation about the mural Presencia de América Latina and tours of exhibition rooms; which rooms are included depends on the exhibitions available at the time. The tour is intended for groups of 5 to 45 people with reservations. Check the current opening hours before your visit; they may change.

The 250 m² mural at Casa del Arte was created by Mexican artist Jorge González Camarena. Salvador Almaraz, Manuel Guillén, Javier Arévalo, Albino Echeverría, and Eugenio Brito also contributed. Work began in November 1964 and ended in April 1965. The work’s size, authorship, and creation period offer several tangible points of reference for exploring the art at Casa del Arte.

The Museo de Historia Natural de Concepción offers another perspective on the city's collections. It holds more than 16,000 items spanning natural sciences, archaeology, ethnography, history, photography, and handicrafts. About 4 percent of them are on display in five permanent exhibition halls. The permanent exhibition thus presents a small part of a collection whose subject matter extends well beyond the natural sciences.

History and architecture

Galería de la Historia de Concepción opened in 1983 and presents episodes from the history of the city of Concepción and the region. Its dioramas combine miniature figures carved from wood with oil paintings in the background. The diorama room is one of the oldest and most extensive collections of Chilean artist Rodolfo Gutiérrez Zerreitug. Unlike the Museo de Historia Natural, it focuses on the city’s and region’s history as told through scenes.

At Mercado Central de Concepción, the focus is on construction: the building was built in 1940 and has an earthquake-resistant reinforced-concrete structure with a parabolic vault. Concepción’s cultural landscape thus includes not only paintings and museum collections but also a clearly defined architectural theme.

University and walks

The Concepción campus of Universidad de Concepción is a popular place for walks among residents of Concepción and the surrounding area. At the same time, it presents itself as a center for the creation of knowledge, culture, science, technology, and research. The campus thus adds another perspective on the city’s cultural and scientific character to its museums.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Concepción, Talcahuano, Tomé, San Pedro De La Paz, Hualpén, Coronel, Biobío Province, Arauco Province.

Go to the main travel overview: Bío-Bío.