MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires)
8.1Friend Score / 10#2 of 10 Museums in Buenos Aires
Known formuseumlatin american artmodern artcontemporary art
Buenos Aires' sleek modern museum of Latin American art — Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Xul Solar, Berni, and the region's 20th-century canon in a luminous building you can cover in two hours. The best-curated museum in the city. Closed Tuesdays; Wednesdays are half price. If you see one paid museum here, make it this one.
Key facts
| Hours | Wed–Wed 11:00–20:00 Thu–Mon 12:00–20:00 |
|---|---|
| Price | $ |
| Phone | — |
| Website | — |
| Nearest transit | No Subte nearby — buses 130, 62, 67, 102 along Av. Libertador/Figueroa Alcorta, or a short taxi from Palermo |
| Time needed | 1.5-2.5 hours |
| Best time to go | Weekday afternoons; Wednesday for half-price entry (but slightly busier for it) |
| Last verified | July 12, 2026 |
Friend Score
8.1/10- Value8.0
- iconic7.5
- Freshness9.2
- Crowd level7.0
- Authenticity8.5
- Accessibility7.0
Frequently asked questions
- What are MALBA's must-see works?
- Frida Kahlo's 'Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot' is the celebrity, alongside Diego Rivera, Tarsila do Amaral's Brazilian modernism, Antonio Berni's political collage-paintings, and Xul Solar's mystical watercolors. The permanent collection floor is compact — you can see it all without museum fatigue.
- Is MALBA good for kids?
- Reasonably — it's compact, bright, and the bold modernist canvases hold kids' attention better than old-master galleries. Weekend family activities happen regularly. Two hours is the ceiling for most children, which conveniently is the size of the museum.
- What days is MALBA open and when is it cheapest?
- Open every day except Tuesday: noon to 8pm, opening earlier at 11am on Wednesdays — which are also half price. Regular admission is modest by world-museum standards (order of US$10, less midweek); buy at the door or on malba.org.ar.
- MALBA or the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes — which one?
- Different jobs: MALBA is 20th-century Latin American modernism in a contemporary building; Bellas Artes is a classic encyclopedic museum (with Argentine masters) and it's free. Art lovers should do both — they're a 25-minute walk apart. Forced to choose, MALBA's the more distinctive experience.
- How do I get to MALBA without a car?
- It's the one awkward-transit museum: no Subte within easy walking distance. Take buses 130, 62, or 67 up Av. Libertador, or a 10-minute taxi from Palermo Soho. Many people walk from the Recoleta museums — about 25 pleasant minutes through the parks.
- Does MALBA have a restaurant?
- Yes — the ground-floor cafe-restaurant is a destination in its own right for Palermo ladies-who-lunch, with terrace tables facing Figueroa Alcorta. No ticket needed to eat there. It's a solid lunch stop before or after the galleries.
- How long does MALBA take?
- Two hours is comfortable: one for the permanent collection, one for whatever temporary show is on (they're usually excellent and sometimes outshine the permanent floor). Add a coffee at the ground-floor cafe, a genuinely nice one.
- Can I buy MALBA tickets in advance?
- You can via malba.org.ar, but outside of blockbuster temporary exhibitions you rarely need to — walk-up lines are short on weekdays. For a hyped visiting show, or a half-price Wednesday, booking online saves a wait.
Nearby in Ask Buenos Aires
- Jardín JaponésPark0.57 km · 7 min walk
- Museo de Arte DecorativoMuseum0.71 km · 9 min walk
- Floralis GenéricaAttraction1.03 km · 13 min walk
- Museo EvitaMuseum1.13 km · 14 min walk
- Museo Nacional de Bellas ArtesMuseum1.28 km · 16 min walk
Where to stay near MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires)
Compare hotels & stays on Booking.com · doesn’t affect the Friend Score