Centro Cultural Villa Victoria Ocampo is the former summer house of Victoria Ocampo, the Argentine writer who founded the literary journal Sur. It stands in the Los Tronces neighborhood of Mar del Plata. The early 20th-century house has yellow walls, white beams and a red roof, and part of its original furniture is still inside. The exhibitions cover Ocampo's life and work, and the program includes photography shows, book presentations and concerts. The garden is a quiet place to pause, and a cafe is close by.
From summer house to cultural center
The Ocampo family used the house as their summer home in Mar del Plata. It was built in England in 1912, brought to Argentina and put back together on the coast.
In the 1920s and 1930s the house was a meeting place for writers and artists from abroad. Among them were Jorge Luis Borges, the poet Gabriela Mistral, the novelist Rabindranath Tagore, the novelist Adolfo Bioy Casares and the composer Igor Stravinsky.
Victoria Ocampo founded the literary journal Sur and was the first woman member of the Argentine Academy of Letters. The house has operated as a cultural center since 1981.
The house and its rooms
The house has yellow walls, white beams and a bright red roof, in the style of the early 20th century. The rooms are arranged so visitors move from one exhibit to the next.
Some of the original furniture is still in place. The elegant rooms are also used for cultural events, so the setting changes depending on the program.
What you can see and attend
The center traces the life and work of Victoria Ocampo through a photographic and literary route. Exhibitions of photography and other arts run alongside book presentations, readings, workshops and concerts.
Cafe concerts are part of the schedule, so an evening visit can be a different experience from a daytime walk through the exhibits.
The garden and grounds
The garden surrounds the house and is one of the calmest spots in the city. You can walk the grounds and look at the outside of the villa without paying admission.
The quiet suits reading a book or working on a laptop. The cafe nearby makes a natural stop once you have finished.
Planning the visit
Tickets are best bought in advance. The entrance and the restroom are wheelchair accessible.
Weekdays are quieter than weekends, when events bring more people. Check the schedule before you go, because some events charge a fee and the house has an admission charge.
FAQ
Is there an entry fee?
You can walk the garden and grounds without paying. Entry to the house is charged, so check the current price with the center before you go.
Do I need to book tickets in advance?
Advance tickets are recommended, so it is best to arrange them before your visit.
Is the center wheelchair accessible?
The entrance and the restroom are wheelchair accessible.
What can you see inside?
Some of the original furniture, exhibitions on Victoria Ocampo's life and work, photography and other arts, and a literary route through her memory.
