Samay Huasi Museum of Natural Sciences

Located 2km. away from the city on provincial route No. 12.
Tel. 0825-23692
Open Mondays through Fridays from 8a.m. to 1p.m. and from 1:30 to 7:30p.m.;
Saturdays and Sundays from 8 to 12a.m. and from 2 to 6:30p.m.

The building that houses the museum was originally called "La Carrera" (the race), and belonged to an English miner who later sold it to Dr. Joaquín V. González. The National Government purchased it in 1941 and turned it into a museum in 1960.
One enters into Samay Huasi through a stone portico engraved with its name. The large old house built in the colonial style has 14 bedrooms, most of which are equipped with a private bathroom, and is used as a hotel nowadays. In addition to the museum, the house harbors an art gallery, a library and an iconographic exhibition hall. Samay Huasi is under the authority of the National University of La Plata that carries out research work for the museum and supports it. Exhibits include caricatures, a tracing of Fioravanti, old photographs and sundry writings.

Chilecito
The city of Chilecito is located on national route No. 40, 192km. away from the city of La Rioja, at the foot of the eastern flank of the Famatina massif 1,100m. above sea, level. It owes its name to the fact that a large number of Chilean laborers worked in its mines. The city's original name was Santa Rita. Nowadays it has developed into a summer resort with an active social and commercial life.