The 10 Best Museums in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is world-famous for its music, architecture, sports, and cuisine. In addition to its history and culture, it has dozens of remarkable museums worth visiting. From precious art to colonial history, its museums cater to a wide range of interests and are always well-curated and easy to visit. With its efficient subway and bus system, it’s easy to get around, making it a must-see destination for any museum-loving traveler. Below are the top 10 museums to visit in Argentina’s beautiful capital, Buenos Aires.

In the neighborhood of Recoleta, you can find one of South America’s best museums for fine art. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Art) houses over 13,000 classic and modern paintings. Its collection started in 1896 in the now famous Galerías Pacífico building. The museum moved to its current location in 1933 to a former pump house, which was remodeled by architect Alejandro Bustillo.

In its 12 rooms are European masterpieces such as Vincent Van Gogh’s The Blute-Fin Windmill, Montmartre, Pablo Picasso’s Femme allongée, and Francisco Goya’s War Scene. There are also masterpieces from Argentina’s greatest artists. You can see national treasures such as Emilio Pettoruti’s Arlequín, Raquel Forner’s Bañista, and Antonio Berni’s iconic First Steps. In addition to the paintings and sculptures, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes has an extensive collection of artifacts from Argentina’s rich history. Personal items such as jewelry, dining wear, and other items from the city’s Victorian era are on display.

2. Museo Moderno (MAMBA)

Inside the museum, you’ll find an enormous range of art from different mediums. Rotating exhibitions from Argentine and international artists are featured throughout the spacious building. You’ll see avant-garde pieces and thought-provoking works that challenge the country’s social norms and political structure. The museum holds a collection of over 7,000 works of modern and contemporary art. After visiting, don’t miss taking time to enjoy its cafe, Café Del Moderno, for a coffee and a traditional Argentine alfajor cookie.

The Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo is in the wealthy neighborhood of Recoleta. Here, you can see items from the glory days of Victorian and early 20th-century Buenos Aires. During the turn of the century, Argentina was one of the world’s largest economies. Spurred by a growing industrial and agricultural sector, its capital city grew exponentially and attracted some of the world’s most famous architects to leave their mark on the city’s skyline.

The MNAD was once the estate of Argentine aristocrats Josefina Alvear and Matías Errázuriz Ortúzar. It was built by the world-famous French architect René Sergent in 1911. Today, the museum displays over 6,000 pieces of art, sculptures, furniture, and historical artifacts collected during the period. You’ll also get the chance to see priceless works by artists such as Goya, Manet, and El Greco, which are sometimes shown in the museum’s revolving collections. Afterward, don’t miss a chance to see the smaller museums in the surrounding area, such as the Museo de Arte Popular Jose Hernandez.

4. Museo Larreta

Museo Larreta is located in Belgrano, just a few blocks from Buenos Aires’s Chinatown. This former mansion was once home to the Argentine writer, painter, and aristocrat Enrique Larreta.

The museum houses an impressive collection of paintings, furniture, and historical memorabilia from the writer’s life and Buenos Aires during colonial times. You’ll see incredible Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces and some of the city’s most impressive architecture.

Outside, don’t miss the chance to walk amongst the beautifully manicured garden. Here, there are frequent events, concerts, and art-centered activities. After your visit, don’t miss the impressive Museo Histórico Sarmiento next door. It is dedicated to the life and work of another Argentine writer and influential figure, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, and contains impressive historical artifacts and memorabilia worth seeing.

In the historic neighborhood of San Telmo is El Zanjón de Granados. The museum is dedicated to the early colonial history of Buenos Aires and is one of Buenos Aires’ most unique museums.

You’ll get to experience the city’s earliest structures and see tunnels that were once part of the city’s initial center. After the 18th century, the center of the city moved north, and the area of San Telmo was abandoned because of flooding and disease.

In 1986, the ruins were discovered by the developer Jorge Eckstein, who funded an excavation project after finding ruins in an abandoned property he bought. His team found dozens of artifacts, tunnels, and layers of history buried beneath the abandoned building. He later converted the property into an interactive museum. When you visit the fascinating El Zanjón de Granados, you’ll see firsthand the origins of the city and how, for centuries, it remained buried underneath the city. After your visit, head next door to see Casa Mínima, an intriguing narrow house and one of the city’s most memorable landmarks.

6. Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA)

The idea for the MALBA arose after the private Costantini Collection’s collection of Latin American art traveled between art museums in Europe and Latin America due to high demand. In 1998, the Costantini Collection received government and private funding to add additional pieces to its renowned collection and to build a new museum to house it.

Argentine architects Gastón Atelman, Martín Fourcade, and Alfredo Tapia were awarded the project to build the new museum. Today, the MALBA is one of South America’s most famous art museums and a must-see landmark in Buenos Aires. Inside the beautiful building, you’ll see highlights such as Mexican muralist and longtime resident Diego Rivera’s Portrait of Ramón Gómez de la Serna. You can also see works by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Maria Martins, and the Argentine surrealist Antonio Berni.

The Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Art Collection, facing the city’s iconic docks in the Puerto Madero neighborhood, is a must-see museum that houses the private collection of Argentine philanthropist Amalia Lacroze. The collection’s museum houses astonishing European and Latin American works in a stunning modern building designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly. You’ll see works such as La Oreja by Argentine artist Carlos Alonso and a stunning collection of art by international artists such as Salvador Dalí, William Turner, and Andy Warhol, whose portrait of the late Amalia Lacroze sits proudly. After visiting the museum, you can enjoy the cafes and shops surrounding the historic Puerto Madero neighborhood. Don’t miss the nearby Woman’s Bridge landmark as well as the Presidente Sarmiento naval frigate.

8. Museo de la Pasión Boquense

Argentina is one of the most passionate countries about soccer. Its national team is a global phenomenon. Nevertheless, nothing compares to the passion and culture behind the Boca Juniors Football Club. Boca Juniors’ history is intertwined with the city’s. The club started in 1905, and in 1981, it signed Buenos Aires’ most famous soccer star and national sports hero, Diego Maradona.

The museum is full of fun and educational exhibits and features in-depth guides, memorabilia, and tours of the iconic La Bombonera stadium. The team’s colors are adorned on the entire exterior of the stadium, and during games, the weight of the crowds makes the entire structure move and flex. Games are notoriously passionate. Inside the museum, you’ll see iconic photographs and items that take you through the history of the stadium, the team, and the iconic neighborhood of La Boca.

Few theaters in the Americas are as internationally beloved as Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colón. Several miles south of the theater, in the industrial neighborhood of La Boca, is the theater’s costume and set production facility, Colón Fábrica. The factory opens its doors as an interactive museum where you can try on costumes, enjoy the famous sets, and learn about the theater and its productions. You can enjoy a guided tour where theater staff take you around the factory and give you inside information about the theater’s famous productions. After visiting the museum, you’ll be in the heart of the La Boca neighborhood. Don’t miss walking through the colorful streets of Caminito, an active and popular street museum that’s dedicated to the culture of La Boca.

10. Benito Quinquela Martín Museum in Buenos Aires

Benito Quinquela Martín was one of Buenos Aires’ most accomplished painters. He grew up in the industrial neighborhood of La Boca during a time when waves of immigrants arrived in the city. This influenced his work, and he created masterpieces such as Elevadores a pleno sol that represented his world and the city’s soul.

If you’re in the neighborhood of La Boca, don’t miss visiting the Benito Quinquela Martín Museum. Here, you can see the world’s largest collection of his works, including his etchings and oil paintings. The museum also has work from other influential Argentine artists and Benito Quinquela Martín’s personal items on the third floor. The Benito Quinquela Martín Museum also functions as a neighborhood art center and school, catering to the inner-city children and aspiring artists who grow up here.