With such a rich history, Latin America is bursting at the seams of cultural attractions. Here are our five favorite museums, just some of the region’s many cultural riches.
1. FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUM, MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
The Frida Kahlo Museum is an absolute must for anyone visiting Mexico City. It is also known as “The Blue House” (La Casa Azul) because of the cobalt blue walls of the building. This fascinating museum looks back at the work of Frida Kahlo, along with works by her husband Diego Rivera and other Mexican artists. Frida was born and raised in the house and in later life she lived here with her husband. Diego Rivera donated the house in honor of Frida to Mexico City.
2. BOTERO MUSEUM, BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
Although the Colombian Gold Museum often tops the list in bogata’s museum landscape, the Botero Museum captures the imagination of all its visitors. The figurative artist, whose style is often referred to as ‘Boterism’, depicts scenes of daily and historical events of men, women and animals with exaggerated and disproportionate volumetrie. The underlying themes are not to be missed; criticism, irony, humour and ingenuity.
3. THE EVITA MUSEUM, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
This beautiful mansion in the trendy Palermo district was originally bought by the Argentinian state in 1947 under the help of Evita and transformed into a shelter for single mothers. The shelter was closed when Juan Perón was deposed in 1955. Then until 2002 it was used by the Argentine government as an office. Exactly 50 years after Evita’s death, the office was converted into a museum to honor her life and legacy. The Evita Museum is filled with a wonderful collection of her exuberant wardrobe (a must-see for any Fashionista) as well as the pieces of the Eva Perón Historical Foundation, including some of her early films.
4. MAC (MUSEU DE ARTE CONTEMPORÂNEA), NITERÓI, BRAZIL
The Museum of Contemporary Art is considered one of the most important cultural institutions in Brazil. The building is well worth a visit; it was designed by one of the greats of modernist architecture in Brazil: Afonso Reidy. The museum offers visitors a wealth of Brazilian art with remarkable works by Di Cavalcanti, Maria Martins and Neoconcretists such as Helio Oiticica, Lygia Clark, Wyllis de Castro, Franz Weissmann.
5. THE LARCO MUSEUM, LIMA, PERU
With an abundance of fantastic museums in Lima, the Larco Museum stands head and shoulders above the rest. This museum has the most remarkable collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian history of more than 3000 years. It displays the finest gold and silver collection from ancient Peru and the famous erotic archaeological collection, one of the most visited Peruvian tourist attractions. The museum is housed in a unique 18th century regal mansion and built on a pre-Columbian pyramid from the seventh century. With its beautiful gardens a must-see for every visitor to Peru!
