Interior of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts).

Museo Benito Quinquela Martín

Top choice


Once the home and studio of painter Benito Quinquela Martín (1890–1977), this fine-arts museum exhibits his works and those of other Argentine artists. Quinquela Martín used silhouettes of laboring men, smokestacks and water reflections as recurring themes, and painted with broad, rough brushstrokes and dark colors. Don't miss the colorful tiles of his former kitchen and bathroom, his hand-painted piano and the sculptures on the rooftop terraces; the top tier has awesome views of the port.

In keeping with the museum’s maritime theme, there’s also an excellent permanent collection of painted wooden bowsprits (proas), which are the carved statues projecting forward at the front of ships.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Fundación Proa

0.08 MILES

Only the most cutting-edge national and international artists are invited to show at this contemporary art center, with its high ceilings, white walls and…

2. Museo Histórico de Cera

0.08 MILES

Wax reconstructions of historical figureheads (literally) and dioramas of scenes in Argentine history are the specialty of this small and tacky private…

3. El Caminito

0.1 MILES

La Boca's most famous street and 'open-air' museum is a magnet for visitors, who come to see its brightly painted houses and snap photographs of the…

4. Museo de la Pasión Boquense

0.27 MILES

This high-tech fútbol museum at Boca Juniors' stadium chronicles the history of the boisterous neighborhood of La Boca and its famous soccer team with…

5. Torre Fantasma

0.49 MILES

This private apartment building, which resembles a medieval castle, is said to be haunted. The story goes that after the house was built in 1915, evil…

6. Casa Amarilla

0.65 MILES

This house is a replica of the residence of William (Guillermo) Brown, the Irish-born admiral who fought in the wars of Independence and created Argentina…

7. Museo del Cine

0.73 MILES

This small museum is housed in the former accommodations block of the electricity plant that is now the Usina del Arte. It contains the original posters …

8. Museo Histórico Nacional

0.98 MILES

Located in Parque Lezama is the city’s national historical museum. It’s mostly dedicated to Argentina’s revolution of May 25, 1810, though there is some…