Regional Museum of Malargüe

National route No. 40 - Km. 327
Cultural Bureau Tel. No. 02627-470154 / 471696 - Ext. 84
Open Mondays through Fridays from 9:30a.m. to 7:30p.m.;
Saturdays and Sundays from 9 to 12a.m. and from 4 to 8p.m.

This museum comprises four halls devoted respectively to paleontology and mineralogy, archaeology, history, and folklore and children's art, containing works made by children living in the rural areas. Exhibits include sea fossils and shells from the Jurassic Period, petrified tree trunks and the remains of an ichthyosaur. There are also two mummies discovered in 1980 in Payén that are believed to belong to the Puelche culture. Also on show are ceramic pieces, lithic objects and textiles. The hall devoted to history and folklore contains farming implements such as plows and wooden spades used to take bread out of the oven. There is also a Victrola dating from 1909.

Malargüe
The city of Malargüe lies 421km. away from the city of Mendoza and 1,345 m. above sea level. Very close by is the Valley of Las Leñas where the most prestigious ski resort in Argentina is located. To get to Malargüe from the city of Mendoza, the best way is to make a detour to San Rafael and to carry on from there since, through Malargüe is situated on national route No. 40, part of the road is not paved. To get to San Rafael one must take national routes No. 40 and 143. From this city, one must then travel along national routes No.144 and 40. San Rafael is distant 200km. from Malargüe.