On the morning of 21 May 1879, early in the War of the Pacific, the old wooden corvette Esmeralda was blockading the then-Peruvian port of Iquique when the ironclad Huáscar arrived. The fight was hopelessly uneven. The Chilean captain, Arturo Prat, refused to strike his flag, leapt aboard the Peruvian ship when it rammed and was killed on its deck. The Esmeralda sank with her colours flying.
The defeat became Chile’s defining naval legend: 21 May is a national holiday, and nearly every town in the country has a street or square named after Prat. The Museo Corbeta Esmeralda, opened in 2011 on the Iquique waterfront, is a full-scale reconstruction of the ship as she was that morning.
Top things to do at Corbeta Esmeralda Museum
Tour the replica ship
Visits are guided and take you over the main deck and below to the officers’ cabins, the crew’s quarters and the engine room, all furnished as in 1879. Groups are small and visits run to a timetable, so reserve in advance through the museum, especially in summer and around 21 May.
Take a boat to the Esmeralda buoy
A buoy in the bay marks the spot where the corvette lies on the seabed. Small boats from the passenger pier beside the museum make the short trip, passing sea lions and the port on the way; the guided city tour on GetYourGuide includes it.
See the harbour and the old Customs House
Around the museum are the fishing cove of Caleta Riquelme and the 19th-century Aduana (Customs House), one of the oldest buildings in the city. From here it is a few minutes’ walk to Plaza Prat.
How to get to Corbeta Esmeralda Museum
- On foot: the museum is on the waterfront a few blocks west of Plaza Prat.
- From Cavancha: a short taxi or colectivo ride along the coastal avenue.
- With a guide: the city tour combines the historic centre with the boat trip to the buoy.
Insider tips
- Book the ship visit ahead and arrive early; late arrivals may lose their slot. Check opening days — museums in Chile commonly close on Mondays.
- Tours are mainly in Spanish; ask about other languages when you reserve.
- The bay can be choppy. If you are prone to seasickness, take the boat trip in the morning, when the sea is usually calmer.
- On and around 21 May the waterfront hosts naval ceremonies and is very crowded.
Bookable experiences to pair with Corbeta Esmeralda Museum
GetYourGuide’s Iquique catalogue is small, so these are the real, bookable experiences that fit best around a visit to Corbeta Esmeralda Museum:
City tour + boat from US$85 Iquique: Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy
A half-day introduction to the city with a guide: the nitrate-era square with its clock tower and theatre, then out by boat to the buoy that marks where the corvette Esmeralda sank on 21 May 1879. The most efficient way to understand why this date matters so much in Chile.
- Plaza Prat, the 1877 Clock Tower and the Municipal Theatre
- Boat trip across the bay to the Esmeralda buoy
- The story of the Battle of Iquique where it happened
