Buenos Aires has something for everyone, no matter how old you are. It isn’t always easy to find artistic spaces that keep the whole family entertained on vacation but read on to find out more about three cultural spaces in Buenos Aires that we guarantee kids will love just as much as adults.
As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Recoleta Cultural Center
Recently renovated and just a few feet away from the Recoleta Cemetery, the Recoleta Cultural Center is a cultural oasis for travelers and locals alike. Originally built as a monastery in 1732, this building is the inspiration for the neighborhood’s name. It’s a diverse space that has been recognizing and promoting artistic movements from within the country and around the world for more than 30 years. Admission is free, and the program changes every two months.
Its walls are a riot of murals, urban artwork, graffiti, and bright colors: the perfect place for selfie-loving teenagers. The littlest members of the family will have fun in the drawing room, where they’ll find everything needed to make their own creations, while the adults can relax, read a book, and charge their cell phones in one of the relaxation spaces. The courtyards have sunbeds, tables, and benches, and are the perfect place to take a load off before heading out to explore more of the city.
Within the center you’ll also find the Participative Science Museum. Admission costs 200 pesos, and its motto is “please do touch.” It’s the perfect place to learn about science through play, and great for a rainy afternoon!
The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires (MALBA)
The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires, known as MALBA, holds and exhibits a catalog of close to 600 pieces by well-known modern and contemporary artists from the region. Other artists whose work have been shown here include Yayoi Kusama, Yoko Ono, Marta Minujin, and Diana Arbus.
It’s a small museum that can be covered in a few hours, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for something indoor to do on a rainy day in Buenos Aires. The store is also the perfect place to buy original gifts made by local artists and designers.
Every month there are different activity programs for kids, so they can play and learn about Latin American art at the same time. For example, on Sundays in 2019, kids aged between five and nine can learn about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s life and work on a tour of the different rooms in the museum, before becoming artists themselves and making their own creations.
Admission costs 170 pesos every day except Wednesday, when it’s half price. Kids under the age of five get free admission.
Fundación Proa
In the heart of La Boca and very near the famous Caminito, Fundación Proa has become a must-see stop for art lovers visiting Buenos Aires. Its exhibitions focus on the spread of the most important artistic movements of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Keeping younger kids entertained isn’t always an easy task in museums and galleries, but Proa’s educational team have created a way of transforming your visit into an adventure for the whole family.
When paying for admission (children under 12 can enter for free), visitors can ask for a valija didáctica (“educational pack”) containing different materials and instructions so kids can play, learn, and engage while touring the museum’s exhibitions. On the weekends, the Fundación also offers free, multidisciplinary educational activities for the whole family, and you don’t even need to register in advance.
Located on the terrace of the Fundación’s modern building, PROA café deserves a special mention. It has a spectacular view, which the adults can enjoy over coffee and a Rogelito (a typical Argentine dessert containing a lot of dulce de leche) to share with the kids. Everybody wins!
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