Top Rated Attractions in Buenos Aires

Opened in 1896, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes has 32 exhibit halls with state of the art technology for both traditional and multimedia shows. Its permanent collection—the oldest piece dating from the 12th Century—includes European masters such as Goya, Renoir, Van Gogh, Rodin and Bourdelle. Works by Argentine masters from the 19th and 20th Centuries, including Juan Carlos Castagnino and Benito Quinquela Martín are also featured. There is a library open to the public and workshops for art restoration and editing of audio-visuals.

Founded in 1937, the National Museum for Decorative Art is the former palatial mansion of the wealthy Argentine Errázuriz Alvear family. The interiors of this lavish building retain the French-inspired architectural floor plan and embellishments. The expansive underground coach house and storage area, antechambers, bedrooms and servant's quarters comprise the exhibit spaces for over 4000 pieces of European and Oriental objects of art. The reception and main halls on the ground floor are adorned with renaissance-style windowpanes, sculpted corbels and a fireplace which dominates the space for its sheer size. The decorative objects on exhibit include exquisite furnishings, tapestries, silverware, porcelain, ivory, paintings, sculptures and European miniatures from the XVI to XX centuries. There is a gift boutique and the elegant Croque Madame restaurant/bar is an ideal way to enjoy a drink, snack or high tea.

Founded in 2001 and started with just the permanent collection owned by its director, Eduardo Constantini, MALBA aims at promoting Latin American art in all its disciplines. Constantini donated to this post-modern gallery works of art that take us on a journey through the history of Spanish American art, from the beginning of its avant-garde movement at the turn of the century to the present. The Colección Costantini is arranged in such a way to expose the similarities as well as the differences between the artists, other than in chronological order. There are workshops, children activities, temporary exhibitions and work experience for students.

This museum is installed in the old subterranean area of the Real Hacienda. It presents the history of the presidents and their personal objects, such as canes, carriages, sets of dishes and official pictures. From the seat of the museum, the ruins of Patio de Maniobras can be observed. Also visible are the remainders of the old customs, buried by the landfill during the construction of the port. During the excavations, remainders of ceramics and porcelain were found, which in the present day are exhibited in the showcase of the museum.

It is difficult to imagine the happening neighborhood of Puerto Madero as a dilapidated port that was once left unattended. Puerto Madero was built in the 19th Century with the purpose of accommodating cargo ships that couldn't find a suitable place thanks to shallow river waters. As cargo ships grew larger, the brick docks soon became defunct and were lined with abandoned warehouses. The restoration of the port started in the 1990s to change the face of this old port and how! Considered to be one of the most chic areas of the city, Puerto Madero's old warehouses are now replaced with postmodernist corporate centers and luxury hotels. The traditional buildings have been maintained even in the face of this massive refurbishment. While the towering condominiums and Hilton skyscrapers dominate the skyline, the Renaissance Revival Libertador Building that houses the Argentine Ministry of Defence looks just as magnificent. The district is thriving with commercial establishments, residential lofts and quaint sidewalk cafes. Naval museums housed in historic ships of Argentine Armada, Corbeta Uruguay and the Fragata Sarmiento are moored along the walkway in the dock area. The ecological reserve nestled amidst the Rio de la Plata that falls in this neighborhood is ideal for pedestrians, locals, tourists who want to enjoy bird watching or gaze at the yachts in the glistening waters.

This old town hall contains old maps that date from 1709 and 1713 when the city was much smaller. A work of the French painter Leonie Mathis depicts the Revolution of May 25, 1810 where you can see certain architectural details of the Cabildo before they were lost in renovations or demolitions. In similar fashion, in a photograph from 1860, you can appreciate statues on the sides of the Monument Pirámide de Mayo that later were transferred to the current Plazoleta San Francisco. Finally, palm trees, iron banks, and various arches of the Cabildo were removed to make way for the new streets of the rapidly expanding Buenos Aires at the beginning of the 20th Century.