Located in the heritage-listed Palacio Pereira, the Roberto Montandon Paillard Documentation Center of the National Monuments Council (CEDOC CMN) is a specialized unit dedicated to cultural heritage. It safeguards one of the most significant documentary and photographic collections of 20th-century Chile, recognized in 2022 as a National Monument in the category of Historical Monument.
The collection bears the name of Swiss researcher Roberto Montandon Paillard, who settled in Chile in 1936 and served as an advisor to the National Monuments Council for nearly five decades. His work represents one of the most outstanding efforts to identify, document, protect, and promote cultural heritage across the country.
Since 2005, the Documentation Center has carried out cataloging, conservation, and digitization projects for this archive, supported by competitive grants and government programs. Additionally, it has published books, digital catalogs, and held exhibitions in various cultural venues nationwide, helping to share Montandon’s legacy with the public.
Today, the Documentation Center provides information services to users, facilitating access to its collections for research and other purposes. It has also expanded its literary offerings, including a dedicated children’s section and classic titles, encouraging greater community engagement with the library.
