10 Best museums in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires stands out for its wide cultural activity, so you can discover some of the most visited museums in Latin America. Check out the best proposals!

Matías Rodríguez

Matías Rodríguez

9 min read

10 Best museums in Buenos Aires

Casa Rosada | ©Cristian Monzon

Buenos Aires has some of the best and most important museums in Latin America, so during your visit you will be able to visit very interesting art and historical exhibitions. In this article I will tell you about the best exhibitions that you cannot miss.

Among the best proposals is to visit the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Modern Art, the MALBA Museum, the Museum of Decorative Art or the Museum of Spanish Art Enrique Larreta.

1. River Plate Athletic Club Museum

Inside the River Plate Museum| ©Gustavo Rada
Inside the River Plate Museum| ©Gustavo Rada

A must-do plan is to book a tour of the River Plate Museum, a space dedicated to the history of this soccer club, which is one of the most popular in Argentina along with Boca Juniors, with whom it disputes the superclassic.

The museum's collection includes objects related to the club's history such as jerseys, trophies, photographs, historical documents, flags and personal items donated by players and former players of River Plate.

The museum is divided into several thematic rooms, which include exhibits on the titles, the history of the club; the most important idols and the fans, since it is one of the teams with the largest number of followers in Argentina. It also has a movie theater where documentaries and films are shown, a souvenir store and a cafeteria with a view of the stadium. You will have access to the playing field.

Interesting details

  • Price: the tour has an approximate cost from 92 €.
  • Location: The museum is located in the team's stadium in the neighborhood of Núñez, the northern area of Buenos Aires. Figueroa Alcorta Av. 7597, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm.

Book tickets to visit the River Plate Museum

2. Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires

MALBA| ©Nicolás Waldman
MALBA| ©Nicolás Waldman

The Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, or MALBA, is one of the most important museums in Latin America dedicated to Latin American art.

MALBA's permanent collection includes more than 500 works by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Joaquín Torres-García, Tarsila do Amaral, Antonio Berni and Guillermo Kuitca. Specifically, it covers different periods and artistic currents of the 20th and 21st century, from modernism to contemporary art.

The building that houses the museum was designed in the 1990s and stands out for its glass and steel front. It also has three exhibition levels, an auditorium, a library and a restaurant. I recommend you book a tour of Buenos Aires with MALBA tickets to get an insight into Latin American culture.

Details of interest

  • Price: the entrance fee is approximately 10 €.
  • Location: It is located in the Palermo neighborhood and houses one of the largest private art collections in the country. Figueroa Alcorta Avenue 3415, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Wednesday to Monday from 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm.

Book a tour of Buenos Aires with tickets for MALBA

3. Boca Juniors Sports Museum

Inside the Boca Juniors Sports Museum| ©Wally Gobetz
Inside the Boca Juniors Sports Museum| ©Wally Gobetz

Boca Juniors is one of the most popular soccer teams in Argentina and the world and during your visit to Buenos Aires you can book a tour of the Boca Juniors and River Plate Museum, where you can find a large collection of objects such as jerseys, trophies, photographs and historical documents.

Among the main attractions you can find in this museum are the trophy gallery, the La Bombonera room, where you will learn about the evolution of the emblematic stadium of the club that bears that nickname because of its shape, and the room of the idols, where you will find memorabilia donated by players of the past and also statues of the maximum historical representatives of Boca Juniors.

Details of interest

  • Price: the tour starts at 92 €.
  • Location: the museum is located in the neighborhood of La Boca. Brandsen 805, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: daily from 10 am to 6 pm.

Book tickets for the Boca Juniors Museum

4. National Museum of Fine Arts

National Museum of Fine Arts| ©Takashi Matsumura
National Museum of Fine Arts| ©Takashi Matsumura

The National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires is one of the largest and most important museums in Argentina. It was founded in 1895 and has an extensive collection of Argentine and international art, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and engravings. Among the most outstanding works are The Death of Atahualpa by Luis de Madrazo, The Kiss by Gustav Klimt and The Education of the Virgin by Murillo.

The museum building was designed by architect Alejandro Christophersen and is considered a masterpiece of neoclassical architecture in Argentina, with a Greek-style façade, Corinthian columns and a triangular pediment. Located in an area near the Doric building of the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires, it is part of the landscape of Recoleta.

It is a very important cultural space and receives numerous visitors from all over the world. In addition to its permanent collection, it offers a wide variety of temporary exhibitions and educational activities for all ages. An ideal place for you to enjoy the beauty of art in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. The best alternative to get to the museum is to book the Buenos Aires tourist bus.

Details of interest

  • Price: the entrance fee is approximately 8 €.
  • Location: It is located on Libertador Avenue, in Recoleta, making it an ideal alternative to visit one of the most picturesque neighborhoods of the Argentine capital. Av. del Libertador 1473, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm.

Book the Buenos Aires tourist bus

5. Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires

Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires| ©Vanesa Siebens
Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires| ©Vanesa Siebens

The Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires, better known as MAMBA, is one of the most important museums in Argentina dedicated to modern and contemporary art. The museum's permanent collection has more than 7,000 works of modern and contemporary art by national and international artists such as:

  • Woman with a Hat by Pablo Picasso.
  • Diagonal line by Kazimir Malevich.
  • The dance by Henri Matisse.

Also, the building has a glass and steel façade and has five exhibition levels, plus an auditorium and a bookstore, so it is often included in the best tours of Buenos Aires. MAMBA also offers a variety of activities and educational programs, such as guided tours, workshops and courses, making it the ideal place to visit with the family or if you plan to visit Buenos Aires with children.

Interesting details

  • Price: the entrance fee is approximately 5 €.
  • Location: Located in San Telmo, which is one of the popular neighborhoods of the city, it was founded in 1956 and is presented as a space for the promotion and dissemination of art in Argentina and the region. San Juan 350, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Wednesday to Monday from 11 am to 7 pm.

Book a guided tour of Buenos Aires

6. National Historical Museum

National Historical Museum| ©David Stanley
National Historical Museum| ©David Stanley

If you want to visit an exhibition dedicated to the history of Argentina, from pre-Columbian times to the present day, and which has an important collection of historical objects and works of art, you cannot miss the National Historical Museum, which has exhibitions dedicated to the history of the country and is, in turn, one of the oldest museums in the country.

The exhibition is housed in an 18th century building that was originally the residence of the family of the Argentine politician and military man Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo. The building has been restored and remodeled several times to adapt it to the museum's needs and is currently home to one of Argentina's most valuable collections. Among the objects you can find:

  • The sword of General José de San Martín, hero of Argentina's Independence.
  • The flag of the Army of the Andes, used by San Martin himself during his campaign to liberate Chile and Peru.
  • A replica of the letter of Juan de Garay, founder of the city of Buenos Aires.
  • A collection of objects from colonial times such as furniture, utensils, weapons and tools.

In addition, you can also contemplate works of art that portray important events and personalities of Argentine history and take a guided tour to learn about this centenary museum.

Details of interest

  • Price: admission to the museum is free.
  • Location: Defensa 1600, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm.

7. City Museum

Museum of the City| ©Marcelo Coronel
Museum of the City| ©Marcelo Coronel

If you are interested in learning about the history and culture of Buenos Aires, from its origins to the present, you can choose to visit the Museo de la Ciudad, located in one of the oldest areas of the Argentine capital and characterized by the large number of exhibitions on the daily life of the porteños.

In this exhibition, you will learn about the architectural ornamentation, you will see the old plans of the city and emblematic buildings, you will see the furniture and utensils of the Farmacia de la Estrella, which operated in the museum building in the 19th century, and you will be able to dive into the photographic and negative archive, which includes part of the historical archives of the Argentine capital.

The aim of the museum is to preserve and disseminate the history of Buenos Aires, from its foundation in the 16th century to the present.

Details of interest

  • Price: admission to the museum is free.
  • Location: Alsina 412, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: daily from 11 am to 8 pm.

8. Museum of Contemporary Art of Buenos Aires

MACBA| ©Rota Viagem
MACBA| ©Rota Viagem

If you want to see one of the most interesting exhibitions in the city, you can't miss the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is located in the San Telmo neighborhood in a building annexed to the Museum of Modern Art, making it an ideal plan to do both museums together.

The museum's permanent collection features more than 8,000 works of contemporary art, including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, videos and digital art. Artists represented in the collection include Marina Abramović, Marta Minujín, Fernando Botero and Ai Weiwei.

At MACBA you can also attend lectures, participate in workshops, do family activities and enjoy the modern art installations, which refer to the international avant-garde.

Details of interest

  • Price: the entrance fee is approximately 5 €.
  • Location: San Telmo neighborhood. San Juan 328, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Wednesday to Monday from 12 to 7 pm.

9. Museum of Decorative Art

Museum of Decorative Art| ©Flávia Amaral
Museum of Decorative Art| ©Flávia Amaral

The Museum of Decorative Art is located in Palermo and has a collection of objects ranging from the Renaissance to the present. Among the objects that can be found are period furniture of different styles; pieces of glassware, porcelain and silver, of European and American manufacture; tapestries and carpets from different countries and periods; and art objects, such as sculptures and paintings, by European and American artists.

The museum also has a library specialized in decorative art and a sculpture garden, where works by Argentine and foreign artists are exhibited. In addition, the French neoclassical building that houses it is considered an architectural work of great value.

The Museum of Decorative Art is an ideal place for those interested in exploring the history and culture of decorative art from different countries and periods, and is a place of reference for those who wish to learn more about the styles and techniques used in the creation of art objects.

Details of interest

  • Price: the entrance has an initial cost of approximately 8 €.
  • Location: It is located in Palermo. Av. del Libertador 1902, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm.

10. Enrique Larreta Museum of Spanish Art

Enrique Larreta Museum of Spanish Art| ©dsal1829
Enrique Larreta Museum of Spanish Art| ©dsal1829

The Enrique Larreta Museum of Spanish Art is one of the best things to see and do in Buenos Aires. It was founded in 1962 in the house-museum of Argentine writer and diplomat Enrique Larreta and houses a collection of Spanish art, mainly from the 16th to 18th centuries, including paintings, sculptures, furniture and decorative objects.

In addition, the museum has a library specializing in Spanish art and culture, which was donated by Larreta himself. The house-museum itself is a tourist attraction, as it is a large house built in the early 20th century and has a layout around a central courtyard, with a fountain and gardens, and is decorated with furniture and art objects of the period.

Among the most outstanding pieces in the museum's collection are works by Spanish masters Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Diego Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, El Greco and Francisco Goya. You can also find pieces of decorative arts such as ceramics, silverware, glass and textiles.

Details of interest

  • Price: admission to the museum is free.
  • Location: It is located in Belgrano, which is one of the most interesting stately neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Juramento 2291, Buenos Aires.
  • Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm.