Museo del Bicentenario

Next to Casa Rosada on Avenida Paseo Colón, the Museo del Bicentenario traces Argentina’s history through objects, images and videos, with displays focused on the country’s presidents and political past. It occupies a former customs building, where archaeological remains sit alongside exhibits spanning colonial times to the present. Look for presidential vehicles and the 360-degree Ejercicio Plástico mural by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Entry is free, and allow about 45 minutes to see the exhibits; a guide can help with context where descriptions are in Spanish.

Argentina’s history beside Casa Rosada

The Museo del Bicentenario, also known as Museo Casa Rosada, is part of the historic complex beside the government house. Its location in a former customs building connects the exhibits to the history of Buenos Aires itself. Archaeological remains from the site are part of the visit, alongside displays tracing Argentina’s past.

The collection spans the country’s history from colonial times to the present. More than 12,000 artifacts, photographs and videos help tell that story, with particular attention to the presidency and political life. Objects associated with past presidents give the displays a personal, material dimension: among them are presidential vehicles and an official portrait of Perón.

The Ejercicio Plástico mural

One of the museum’s central works is Ejercicio Plástico, a large mural by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Painted in 1933, it was restored between 1990 and 2008 before being installed at the museum. The work is presented as a 360-degree mural inside a glass structure, designed to evoke the feeling of being surrounded by the sea.

Allow time to look around the mural as well as through the historical displays. Together, the artwork, artifacts and preserved remains make the museum a compact way to encounter both Argentina’s political history and a significant work of Latin American art.