Argentina's national library dates back to 1810 and was founded in the wake of the May revolution by the country's first government, for whom access to books and the ideas they contained was one of the ideals on which the new republic was founded. These days the library is housed in a striking, brutalist concrete building. Bring photo ID to enter.
Biblioteca Nacional
Palermo
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.87 MILES
One of Buenos Aires' most beautiful monuments, this 22-story building has a unique design inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. Its structure is divided into…
1.43 MILES
Occupying an entire city block, this impressive seven-story theater is one of BA’s most prominent landmarks. It’s the city’s main performing arts venue,…
2.12 MILES
It was former president Néstor Kirchner who, in 2005, first proposed turning the abandoned former central post office into a cultural center. He died in…
2.28 MILES
The Casa Rosada was named for its distinctive color. It was from the balcony here, at the presidential palace, that Eva Perón famously addressed the…
1.38 MILES
This sweeping park abounds with small lakes and pretty gazebos. Stands rent bikes and in-line skates, and joggers and power walkers circle the ponds – if…
2.21 MILES
Surrounded by the Casa Rosada, the Cabildo and the city’s main cathedral, Plaza de Mayo is the place where Argentines gather in vehement protest or…
0.4 MILES
This cemetery is perhaps BA's top attraction. You can wander for hours in this incredible city of the dead, where the ‘streets’ are lined with impressive…
4.3 MILES
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…
Nearby Palermo attractions
1. Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo
0.21 MILES
This museum is housed in the stunning beaux-arts Residencia Errázuriz Alvear mansion (1917), once the residence of Chilean aristocrat couple Matías…
0.29 MILES
This neo-Gothic building (1912), designed by Uruguayan architect Arturo Prins, is an architectural landmark.
0.3 MILES
This gargantuan flower sculpture, located in the center of Plaza Naciones Unidas, is the inspired creation of architect Eduardo Catalano, who designed and…
4. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
0.3 MILES
This is Argentina’s most important fine arts museum, containing many key works by Benito Quinquela Martín, Xul Solar, Eduardo Sívori and other Argentine…
5. Museo Participativo de Ciencias
0.36 MILES
This hands-on science museum designed with children in mind has interactive displays with plenty of levers to pull and buttons to press. A great place for…
6. Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
0.39 MILES
The centerpiece of this gleaming white colonial church, built by Franciscans in 1732, is a Peruvian altar adorned with silver from Argentina’s northwest…
0.39 MILES
Part of the original Franciscan convent and alongside its namesake church and cemetery, this excellent cultural center houses a variety of facilities,…
0.4 MILES
This cemetery is perhaps BA's top attraction. You can wander for hours in this incredible city of the dead, where the ‘streets’ are lined with impressive…