Considering this country has an incredible history, with influences from Europe and beyond, you can only imagine how much this has impacted their art and architecture, as well as their museums. If this is your kind of thing to discover, you will be very impressed by what you will find in Argentina, but it will be challenging to know where to begin. By connecting with a local ‘Destination Expert,’ you can find all kinds of local areas, monuments, and more, which you might have just bypassed without even knowing, but here are some prominent art-related places and things to see to get you started.
As an art lover, you will be in your element in Argentina, and here are just some of the best art-inspired subjects, monuments to visit, and museums to inspire you.
Tango
Dance is, of course, an art form, and Tango is, of course, Argentina’s most famous creation, so much so that you will see tango shows being advertised everywhere, as well as seeing locals dance the Tango on the streets, during one of their infamous street parties. Tango is everywhere in Argentina, and dance is a fantastic way to discover the country’s culture.
Fileteado
This way of artistic lettering and drawing is one of Argentina’s most incredible secrets and is probably all around you, but you just haven’t noticed. In Buenos Aires, look out for this unique lettering with stylized lines, flowers, and climbing plants to display text, which can be seen everywhere, from taxis to street signs.
Art, Literature & Film
Argentina’s most famous artist is Lucio Fontana. He has some incredible work displayed in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and has even had his biography translated into twenty different languages. He is so famous for his style of slashing and painting on canvas that his work is on display in cities worldwide, including Chicago, New York, Rome, and Sofia.
Argentina’s most famous writer is Jorge Luis Borges, renowned for his short stories. Manuel Puig, who wrote the novel Kiss of a Spider-Woman, later made it into a musical in 1990 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Cinema is a considerable aspect of the art culture in Argentina. They produce around 80 full-length features per year and claim to have created the world’s first animated feature film, ‘El Apostol’ in 1917, thanks to Quirino Cristiani.
Architecture
When it comes to architecture and even sculpture, for that matter, you will find that a lot of the influence comes from the Spanish, French, and Italians, and you will notice this predominantly in the cities of Mendoza, Cordoba, and of course in the capital of Buenos Aires.
Museums
Museo de la Plata
This impressive history museum is an absolute must in La Plata. It was opened in 1992 and housed a whopping 3 million fossils and relics, which will keep you engorged for hours. Exploring a history museum when in another country is a great way to get some inside knowledge into the vast history and culture of the place, and this is a museum worth visiting for sure.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
When exploring the capital city of Buenos Aires, chances are you will pass by Recoleta, famed for the Recoleta cemetery, but it is also home to this fantastic art museum which houses works of art from some of the most well-known artists in the world including Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Manet, and Goya, to name but a few.
This is also where you can discover works of art by Argentina’s most famous artist Lucio Fontana.
Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana
Also known as MAAM (Museum of High-Altitude Archeology), this museum which is located in the northern province of Salta, is famed for its exhibition of three Inca children or The Mummies of Llullaillaco, who were said to be sacrificed to the Gods during a ritual.
Their bodies were so well preserved because of the Volcano’s explosion known as Llullaillaco- hence the name and the three can be seen, one by one in exceptional cases at the museum. The finding of their bodies was in 1999, which is relatively recent in archeological terms, and you will be astounded to see the detail of these exhibits, and although this is an unbelievable experience, it is not for the faint-hearted.
Museo Palentologico Egidio Feruglio
Did you know that Argentina was once home to gigantic dinosaurs, the Argentinosaurus to be specific- well, we kid you not, this beast measured at 35m/115ft long and was predominantly running around the area that we know now as Patagonia. This museum is a must if you are interested in discovering all things dinosaur and fossil related and learning all there is to know about Argentina’s ancient history.
Casa Fader
This museum, located in the wine capital of Argentina, Mendoza, is named after one of the most important impressionist artists of the country – Fernando Fader. This is a fantastic museum to discover Argentinian artists from different times and provinces and some special exhibitions featuring works of local artists from Mendoza. So if you are an art lover and want to discover the art of Argentina, this is the place to visit.
The museum features some fabulous gardens, but you can also see the four murals that Fernando Fader was commissioned to paint that took over nine years to complete.
El Museo del Vino y la Vendimia
Wine lovers will be in their element in Argentina without doing much because the most delicious wine will always be available at the drop of a hat. However, if you want more, you first need to visit this wine museum, and second, you need to attend the best wine festival in Argentina, known as Vendemia.
This wine and harvest museum is an ideal way to spend some time between wine tasting and exploring the beautiful landscapes of Mendoza, and you will find over 4500 pieces used in early wine production. Then, of course, after your little wine history lesson, you can opt to have a glass or two of the good stuff in one of the many local vineyards.
Museo de Arte de Tigre
In 1979, the Tigre Club was declared a National Historical Monument and now houses this impressive museum of fine arts. Not only can you visit this art museum, but the sheer architecture of the building alone will amaze you and the backstory.
It was officially opened in 1912 and became a meeting place for the rich and famous and was equipped with marble staircases, Venetian mirrors, and French chandeliers until it eventually became a casino and then merely a restaurant with live shows. In 2006 it was finally restored to its former glory and given its present historic title, which allowed it to continue for all to see. If you are in Buenos Aires, this is an awe-inspiring experience.
