The main mast of ARA Presidente Sarmiento pricks the skyline and the ship can be seen long before reaching portside. She’s impressive and her timeless form and canvas sails provide a neat contrast to the high-rise blocks of Puerto Madero. A bridge connects the museum to dry land, allowing the public to board for only $2.

The ship is named after Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, the seventh President of Argentina, and was originally built for the Argentine Naval Academy by the Laird brothers of Birkenhead, England. Launched in 1887, she was eventually retired as a seagoing vessel in 1938 after numerous training cruises and six circumnavigations of the globe. However, the Sarmiento continued to serve as a stationary training ship until 1961.

If you’re taller than five foot three you’ll most likely knock your head on a low-lying steel rafter or doorframe but this only adds to the experience. The interior of the ship has been preserved brilliantly, especially the officer’s cabins, which offer a genuine insight into life at sea. Even for the higher ranks space was a commodity not to be spared with each piece of furniture either built-in or designed to fold away. Glass panels prevent close inspection but original artifacts like maps, compasses, and shaving equipment are on display. In contrast, hooks can be seen on most beams, exposing the less glamorous sleeping arrangements of the deckhands who would nap in suspended hammocks, packed tight like canned sardines.

The room in the depths of the ship’s bow is perhaps the least inspiring on account of the mismatched military garb displayed in glass cabinets and Argentine flags in various states of decay. It’s spacious, in juxtaposition to the rest of the ship, and feels misused but there is, however, an ominously poised torpedo primed for the former scuttle entrance. Pictures of former captains adorn the walls, each character sporting a Bismarkian moustache of eccentric proportions.

A makeshift cinema in another of the lower rooms plays an outdated, grainy film every few minutes showing clips of various political figures visiting the ship laid over with almost inaudible commentary. A silent montage of photos depicting the Sarmiento throughout the ages also gets some screen time but it’s fairly dull so probably not worth sitting down to watch unless you have weary sea legs.

Up top the deck is what you might expect. Redundant lifeboats hang at various points and gun ports, modelling surprisingly modern-looking canons, point out towards Puerto Madero one side and Plaza de Mayo the other. You can stand at the helm overlooking the lower deck, hands on the ship’s wheel pretending to be skipper for a few minutes if you wish but the illusion might be spoilt by the throngs of trigger-happy tourists shooting endless photos. The ship’s steering was controlled by a three-wheel chain drive allowing up to six helmsmen to control the rudder. However, this was not always necessary as an electric servo-drive engine was installed later on.

The bowels of the boat showcase the steering mechanism; a mass of cogs, shafts and pipes. You might not expect to see such machinery before boarding given the Sarmiento’s antique façade but a theme of contrasts flows throughout vessel’s display, such as the varying living conditions and updated operating systems.

It doesn’t take long to make your way around the museum, but the low ceilings, different levels, and awkward stairs slow the pace. It is authentic though, and you get a real sense of how the ship functioned. The historical relevance of the boat is a little hazy due to tedious presentation but the real draw is simply being able to view life from a mariner’s point of view.

ARA President Sarmiento, Av Alicia Moreau de Justo 980. Visiting hours on the ship are 10am-7pm, Mon-Sun; closed during rain. On the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month a mass is held on the ship. For more information, visit the website.

In Puerto Madero, the soaring skyscrapers now in fashion dwarf the Museo del Humor (Muhu), a light pink mansion playfully adorned with goat and barmaid statues. Though not among the titans of the Buenos Aires museum scene, the unique Muhu manages holds its own among its larger and better known peers. And just like its façade, it manages to do so with more than a little whimsy.

In a city famous for its wealth of fine arts offerings, the young Muhu is carving out a unique niche for itself in a rich—but often overlooked—artistic field: humour. Opened only last June, the museum features classic graphic humour, cartoon, comic strip, and animation art. The displays range from charming children’s illustrations to searingly critical political cartoons in a collection, comprised of both permanent and rotating exhibits, that provides something for all tastes. The institution is directed by five legends of the Argentine graphic humour world: Quino, Carlos Garaycochea, Manuel García Ferré, Guillermo Mordillo, and Hernenegildo Sábat.

From the gallery walls, newspaper cartoon strips poke fun at anything from modern relationships to the influx of cultural influences from the US. A pensive Woody Allen and a giraffe-necked Luis Alberto “El Flaco” Spinetta look down on visitors from a caricature wall that brings to life international stars and Argentine treasures alike. A “mini” theatre offers seats aplenty for a looped screening of Guillermo Mordillo’s endearing wordless shorts that many visitors will recognise from years of broadcasting across the globe.

Political and societal drawings of the 19th century claim an entire room. Here, the works offer a retrospective more entertaining than many other historical texts, but often also just as insightful. A piece of parchment dating back to 1817 features South American revolutionary heroes José de San Martín and Bernardo O’Higgins as a drunk rabbit and a donkey, respectively. One frame displays Cesar Hipólito Bacle’s 1830s series of aristocratic ladies who, following the fashion of large hairpieces, were consequently blown away in the wind. One 1915 poster shows a dove struggling to take flight amidst a crowd of heavily-armed personified nations at war during World War I. The political and society commentary of the times will captivate history buffs, especially those familiar with revolutionary and early Argentine history.

The Muhu also runs educational and enrichment programming. For example, in “Humour Outside the Frame”, the museum invites one humour artist each month, be it a comic strip cartoonist or performance comedian, for an interview open to the public. Previous guests include Argentine artist Carlos Nine, Argentine comedian Délfor, and Paraguayan cartoon screenwriter Robin Wood. The museum has also hosted lectures and documentary screenings that offer audiences historical and biographical glimpses into the production of comedy.

Temporary exhibits, which allow a deeper study of particular artists, rotate frequently. The first floor currently houses “De Villa Pueyrredón al Mundo”, an entire room dedicated to artist Guillermo Mordillo, beloved around the world for his magazine covers, artwork, children’s illustrations, and animated cartoons. Each piece taps profound themes with invented creatures or animals cast in either overwhelming chaos or surrealistic simplicity. One frame shows a patient lying in a hospital bed squeezed in the lower right-hand corner, nightstand jiggling under the vibrations of his monitors. Overflowing the rest of the canvas is an intricately detailed jungle of tubes, plugs, cords, generators, and devices that dwarf the life they sustain. In another, a lone figure stands upon a planet barely large enough for his feet. He stares forlornly up into the darkness of the canvas holding a single lit match. Mordillo is fond of jungles, outer space, and machinery, adding to the overall infantile tone of his work. Mordillo’s alternate use of noise and silence provoke reflection; his whimsical style renders it universal.

Whether for the jokes, the art, the history, or the stories, the Muhu offers an entertaining museum experience for just about everyone. A visit this summer (aim to go before the Mordillo exhibit’s departure in early March) is well worth it both for the chuckles and for the reflections they provoke.

Av. De los Italianos 851 (Puerto Madero) 4516-0944/49
Mon-Fri 11am-6pm; Sat, Sun, and holidays 10am-8pm.
Admission: Thurs-Sun and holidays: $10, Mon-Wed: free. Children under 14 enter without charge.
“De Villa Pueyrredón al Mundo” will be on display until 6th March 2013.
At least basic command of Spanish recommended. Fluency and familiarity with Argentine history and culture are helpful for many works.
For more information, please visit: http://www.museos.buenosaires.gob.ar/muhu/index.html.

Walking through the quiet streets of San Isidro after a long bus ride, I admit I was apprehensive about visiting La Casa de Japón. With no website and only a few of articles online, I was unsure what to expect from this mysterious and hidden museum.

Arriving at the address hardly clarified things. The house is surrounded by tall, black wooden walls, with only one thing confirming it was the right place: a tiny Japanese symbol on the doorbell.

Yet, upon entering through the black gates, any apprehension quickly faded. It doesn’t take long to realise how unique this museum is – first, the tranquil garden with its modern Japanese sculptures, and then the huge, beautiful Japanese country house, which is practically an art object in its own right.

Owned by Patricia and Guillermo Bierregaard, an Argentine couple who lived and worked in Japan for 32 years, La Casa de Japón houses modern and contemporary Japanese art. And while only 10% of it is on display at any time, the museum’s collection is the largest outside of Japan.

The pieces displayed here have also been on show in the Centre Pompidou in Paris, as well as London’s V&A museum, and the couple have such a good eye for collecting that it’s sometimes them informing the museums of a new piece rather than acquiring them after they’ve been exhibited elsewhere.

And while the art collection is exciting and different to any other museum in Buenos Aires, (artists such as Hayami Shiro, Nakamura Kimpe and Masuda Masanori are all represented), the story of the museum’s construction and the couple’s dedication to Japanese culture is just as impressive as the art on display.

La Casa de Japón is not simply a replica or architectural imitation of a Japanese country house; it is a real, 250-year old Japanese country house, imported to San Isidro by its owners in 1984.

Having fallen in love with Japanese culture and traditions during their time there, the couple wanted to find a way to preserve and share their experience. After fortuitously hearing about an abandoned country house that belonged to a rich couple in the Fukui prefecture, they saw the house as the perfect way to build a museum dedicated to Japanese culture. In 1984, they employed a team to dismantle the house and, along with the parts, had the same team come to San Isidro to put up the house exactly as it was in Japan.

After 20 years of construction, La Casa de Japón opened in 2005. The couple see themselves as museum curators, aiming to create a historical collection, as opposed to a personal selection of pieces. To train for the role, they attended three exhibitions every day over five years in Japan and are now experts in Japanese history, culture, traditions and artistic movements.

Guillermo guides visitors through the art pieces, and his passion and commitment to Japanese culture is clear to see. You can’t help but admire how much he has learnt and dedicated himself to a culture he is obviously inspired by. The depth of his knowledge is staggering, and his explanations of Japanese tradition and religion clarify the meanings and religious beliefs behind many of the pieces. As Guillermo says himself, “The idea is not just to see the art, but to understand the culture.”

There may not be a website yet, and although the couple are not particularly publicising the museum, once I left I understood why; this isn’t a project aimed at commercial gain, but rather one that thrives off a passion for Japanese culture, seeking only to share a journey, an experience. And that difference is exactly what makes the house so special; it’s a unique trip into another world so fondly represented, seldom exhibited in Argentina.

Take the journey to San Isidro, because this may be one of the most unique things you experience during your time in Argentina. As Guillermo notes, “If you want to see Japanese art, either come here or go to Japan. And it’s much cheaper than going to Japan.”

At only 2.5m wide, Casa Mínima has the unique distinction of being the narrowest house in the city of Buenos Aires.

Situated on a corner of Defensa, the main tourist thoroughfare in the historic neighbourhood of San Telmo, the charms of this tiny abode are endless though easily missed. Partially exposed brickwork contrasting with a white adobe façade, a green-painted front door, lace-curtained windows and a wrought-iron balcony adorned with colourful flowerpots are the only hints at the historical significance of what’s within.

Legend has it that the house was given to a slave after his former owner had freed him, but according to historians at the neighbouring archaeological museum El Zanjón, the house was always part of a larger, grander residence on the corner of Defensa and San Lorenzo.

Nowadays a site of public interest, the original house was built in 1807 and was a typical Spanish-style residence with a centre courtyard and side entrance for horse carriages. The section of the house that is now called the Casa Mínima most likely served as a kind of watchtower, suggested by the fact its roof is significantly higher than that of the rest of the building.

In 1871 when a yellow fever epidemic broke out in San Telmo, the oldest suburb of Buenos Aires, wealthy residents fled to their country houses and to more northern neighbourhoods such as Recoleta. Their homes were then either sold for use as tenement quarters, or taken over by squatters and immigrants arriving from Europe.

Casa Mínima was one of three tenement houses created from the subdivision of the original house, and is the only one of the three that has remained a residence. Its neighbours were, in later years, converted to a tango club and a general store.

The last person to live in the house was a craftsman in the 1970s. Since then, it was vacant for a ten year period before being bought, along with the rest of the original house, by El Zanjón in 1994. The museum has completely renovated the part of the property that lies adjacent to Casa Mínima, displaying an innovative use of old materials that allows visitors to easily visualize the buildings heritage.

In 2007, the entire structure was opened to the general public and the restored section is now an elegant space, available to rent for special events.

Remaining essentially as it was when it was a tenement house, the front door of Casa Mínima leads to an arched hallway that features the original tile floor. Beyond that, a small open-air courtyard has steps leading upstairs to a single room on the second floor.

Despite the fact that the only other room in the property is a kitchen in the back of the house, whose ceiling height is probably three times greater than its length, the house is actually more spacious than it appears from the outside.

But perhaps the most interesting aspect of stepping inside this thin slice of history, is imagining the house during its days as “lookout” for an affluent Argentine family and wondering “What did the watchmen see from their posts on the long dark nights of the early 19th century?”

Of course in a metropolitan city such as Buenos Aires, Fine Art museum, MALBA and the Evita museum can not be missed. However, behind  these big names of Argentina’s museum world, there are a lot more treasures hidden…Museums that many people don’t even know they exist. Which is a real shame, because they are not only original but also interesting and a pleasure to visit. Often these museums are small and very specialised so you will either love or hate them, but all tastes are catered for. Generally, to see each of the museums properly, will take you maximum an hour and a half and besides, almost all of them are free! We did some research on the most alternative and quirky ones and came up with the following five.

1. Museo de la Deuda Externa (External Debt Museum)

In first instance, the subject itself is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea, nevertheless it is of huge importance for Argentine’s current society. The museum was founded in 2005 with as goal to tell people the ‘true story’ about Argentina’s economic history and the way it built up its external debt. How society, politics and international institutions dealt with this, is explained in a extensive, but understandable way.

Arriving in the museum you will immediately jump back in Argentine’s ‘debt history’, which starts in the year 1824, when Argentina for the first time borrowed money from the British’ Baring Brothers. From here on, the story and the debt continued, which is explained very well by means of information, images, graphics, charts and photos. The most important moments in Argentines financial as well as general history are highlighted; from the Triple Alliance to the first official default to the Perón years, ‘Plan Brady’ and the intimate relations of Argentina with the IMF. If these terms don’t ring any bells, you should definitely visit this small but hugely informative and interesting museum.

In light of the significance attached to Argentina’ foreign debt, the museum seeks to contribute towards the development of a historical memory and in the same breath strengthen the investigation and promotion of such phenomenons as well as their impact upon Argentine society. It aims at developing a critical reflection scenario and, in turn, disseminating the Argentine foreign debt issue. The museum organises several activities, such as debates, movie cycles and guided tours in which everything is perfectly and carefully explained; highly recommended! The team of the museum is also responsible for making of their own theme comics under the name ‘Foreign debt, an Argentine cartoon’, if you need a more animating version of the entire ‘true story’ the museum wants you to know.

Located on Av.Córdoba 2122, corner Uriburu 781 (recently located in new part of Economy Faculty of UBA). Open Mon-Fri, 9am-9pm. Guided tours available daily on request (in Spanish and English).For more information you can visit their website: www.museodeladeuda.com.ar, mail to museo@econ.uba.ar or call: 4371 4448. Free entrance.

2. Museo Penitenciario (Prison Museum)

The Argentine Prison museum ‘Antonio Ballivé’ has the mission of collecting, preserving, studying and promoting the historical, social and cultural heritage of the federal prison activity. It is named after the person who made important changes in the National Prison system between 1904-9, who eliminated the silent regime and regulated the qualifications of behaviour, rewards and sanctions for prisoners.

The museum is based in a building which dates back to 1732. During the first half of the 19th century the building was used as a house of prostitutes and abandoned women. In 1822 the Argentine State went in charge of it and it became a ‘Penitentiary of the Residence’; and in 1877 men were transferred and only older women and young people remained in the building. In 1977 the women were transferred to the current Correctional Institute for Women in Ezeiza and so in 1980 the current museum ‘Antonio Ballivé’ opened its doors.

The museum houses a lot of interesting and specific objects of prisons of entire Argentina, provided with sufficient information. There are different rooms such as the ‘criminology room’, the ‘from penalty to treatment’ room, the ‘pharmaceutical room’ and the ‘women’s prison room’, among others. In all of them you can find a variety of interesting objects; archives dating from 1829, emblematic prisons, models of previous prisons, antique prisoners’ clothing, tattoo machines, home-made playing cards, among others. The museum tries to give you an as much as realistic view of the prison life in the past. You can even imagine yourself to be a prisoner by means of having a look into the three different rebuilt cells you will find.

Located at Humberto Primo 378, San Telmo. Open Thu-Sun, 2pm-6pm with Guided tours (in Spanish and English) at 5pm. For more information you can mail tomuseopenitenciario@spf.gov.ar or museopenitenciario@gmail.com or call: 4361-0917.Free entrance.

3. Museo del Títere (Puppet Museum)

The Argentine puppet museum was created in 1983 and for years it existed without an address. Founded by the two puppet ‘mothers’, Sara Bianchi and Mane Bernardo, who devoted their life to this art of puppets. It was not until 1996 that it started to operate at its present venue; the same house witnessed to the birth of the puppet pioneer of Argentina, Mane Bernardo, a few years after her death. Today Mane’s dream is still alive and her former house turned into a space to display puppets from all over the world, next to a specialised library for researchers and all those who are interested in puppets.

Puppets from all over the world are exhibited, which are mainly donations or collected during the travels of the founders themselves. Puppets in all forms and all sizes; animals made of foam rubber, articulated figures made of papier-mâché and cardboard, animals, dolls, monsters, knights, puppet show puppets, tango singers, a puppet orchestra, marionettes, wizards and skeletons puppets among others. Behind each puppet there is a story to tell. Apart from the puppets themselves the entire space is decorated with everything that has something to do with puppets; stamps, photos, posters and stories among others; all in the theme of puppets!

This sweet and cosy place brings you back to your childhood and to a world of fantasy. It is small, but has a lot to offer, for young and old. The museum hosts several activities and shows with as its main attraction an old-fashioned puppet theatre which has shows every Saturday and Sunday.

Located on Piedras 905, San Telmo. Open Tue, Wed and Fri, 10am-12.30pm and 3pm-6pm. For more information you can visit  their website: www.muesoargdeltitere.com.ar or call:4304 4376. For guided tours and information about the puppet theatre you can mail to:silviamusselli@yahoo.com.ar. Free entrance.

4. Museo Nacional del Teatro (National Theatre Museum)

Established in 1936 – in the same year as the National Comedy and the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art – the theatre museum is now located in the basement of the Cervantes national theatre.The door of the Spanish Baroque-style building, is the entrance to a world of photographs, posters and handbills that will tell you the history of the Argentine theatre.

Different rooms show memories of theatrical activity since colonial days, through the May Revolution, the Independence, the Federation up till the recent years. The museum houses a huge collection of historical documents, clothing and personal belongings of actors, actresses and authors of the theatre scene in Argentina. Big Argentine theatre heroes as Lolita Torres, Milagros de la Vega and Pepino 88 (Pepe) among other, can all be found in the theatre. Also some of Argentina’s main and first museums are rebuild in miniature models to give you an idea how the theatre worls looked like three ages ago, with Teatro de la Ranchería (1783-1792) as Argentina’s first official theatre. All the sights in the museum are illustrated with extensive and useful information.

In the main room (Trinidad Guevara) outreach activities take place, such as theatre readings, book presentations, thematic exhibitions, series of filmed Argentine theatre and workshops among others. The three functional units of the space; the museum, the documentary archive and the library are part of the National Institute of Theatre Studies also provides free services to theatre groups around the country. The museum takes you back in time and provides a specific and detailed view into Argentine’s world of theatre!

Located at Av. Córdoba 1199. Open Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm. Guided tours (in Spanish) on Wed, 2.30pm. For more information you can mail to estudiodeteatro@inet.gov.ar or call: 4815 8883.Free entrance.

5. Museo Nacional del Traje (National Suit Museum)

This cute little museum is located in a beautiful old house which dates from the 19th century and was declared a historical monument in 1990. It has several rooms connected by three patios and a gallery. The building has eight rooms for exhibitions, an auditorium, a library, recreational areas, a cafe, and a gift shop. If you want to improve your creative skills, there is even the chance to follow various kind of courses and workshops. In 1972 the Luzuriaga de Mercau family sold the property to the Secretary of Culture and in the same year the museum opened its doors.

The museum wants to recreate the allure of the fashion world; reveal the language of clothing and its accessories and show the connection between costume and art within its social context, with a particular emphasis on Argentina. Clothing and its accessories is considered the Argentine’s second skin. It is a part of their culture, a testimony to the Argentine way of being and thinking and a reflection of the times in which we are living. The museum takes you on a journey through the history of Argentine fashion. It possesses important and varied collections of pieces from the late 18th century until the present day. There are over eight thousand valuable pieces from numerous creators and designers, showing both craftsmanship and applied manufacture industries. Most came from public donations.

The main collection consists of civil clothing from different social levels, adults, young and children fashion from the 18th century until our days, organised in several collections: Etiquette, daily wear, evening dresses, costumes, sportswear, beachwear, underwear and regional costumes – from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. All these pretty pieces are showed in decorated rooms among classical furniture and antiques. You can also find collections of accessories; from parasols to antique teddy bears and from hats to classic old watches. The museum is always changing its wardrobe and has various temporarily exhibitions a year. On 23rd June the exhibition of extravagance and glamour clothing will be inaugurated.

Located on Chile 832. Open Tue-Fri, 3pm-7pm, Sat-Sun 5pm-7pm. Guided tours (in Spanish) on Sat-Sun 5pm. For more information (also about courses the museum is offering) you can visit their website www.funmuseodeltraje.com.ar or mail to museodeltraje@gmail.com or call: 4343 8427. Free Entrance.

This year is a special one for Argentina with the upcoming October elections in mind. What many people don’t know is that 2011 is also special for another reason; the bicentenary of a the birth of a big name in Argentina; Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (1811-88).

To better know him – and an important part of Argentine history – you should definitely visit the Sarmiento Historical Museum, where you can find all the information, objects, books and photos about this Argentine legend. There are more than enough reasons to devote a museum to this jack of all trades: he was both the seventh president of Argentina, an activist, intellectual, world traveller and writer.

His writings had an important influence on the region’s literature and spanned a wide range of genres and topics; from journalism to autobiography, to political philosophy and history. His most famous work is the polemic ‘Facundo’ about civilisation and barbarism. Sarmiento was also a member of a group of intellectuals, known as the ‘Generation of 1837′, which had a great influence on 19th century Argentina.

He was president of the Republic of Argentina from 1868 till 1874; when the age of the gaucho was ending, and the age of the merchant and cattleman beginning. Sarmiento sought to create basic freedoms, and wanted to ensure civil safety and progress for everyone. He was well known for his modernisation of the country and he firmly believed in democracy and European liberalism, but was most often seen as a romantic.

Coming from a family of writers, orators and clerics, Sarmiento placed a great value on education and learning. He opened a number of schools including the first school in Latin America for teachers in Santiago in 1842 and proceeded to open 18 more schools. Sarmiento’s belief was that education was the key to happiness and success, and that a nation could not be democratic if it was not educated and therefore: “We must educate our rulers ”

Despite Sarmiento being well known historically, he was not a popular president. During his presidency, Argentina conducted the unpopular War of the Triple Alliance against Paraguay and by the arrival of a large influx of European immigrants, which resulted in the outbreak of Yellow Fever in Buenos Aires and the risk of civil war, his popularity became only worse. Sarmiento’s presidency was marked by ongoing rivalry between Buenos Aires and the provinces. In the war against Paraguay, Sarmiento’s adopted son was killed, and Sarmiento suffered from immense grief and was thought to never have been the same again.

In August 1873, Sarmiento was the target of an unsuccessful assassination attempt and a year later he completed his term as president and stepped down, handing his presidency over to Nicolás Avellaneda, his former Minister of Education. In May 1888, Sarmiento left Argentina for Paraguay, accompanied by his daughter, Ana, and his companion Aurelia Vélez. He died in Asunción on 11th September 1888 from a heart attack and was buried in Buneos Aires at Recoleta Cemetery.

Not only the man, but also the building of the historical museum of Sarmiento is a history on its own. In 1880, during the presidency of Nicolas Avellaneda, it was the headquarters of the national government, during the struggles between the national and provincial authorities. The Belgrano Congress held it sessions in this building, during which it passed the Law of Federalisation of Buenos Aires in its main hall. The building is a prime example of the style of an era, which began in 1850 when the Italian ‘Neo-Renaissance’ has its influences on Argentine architecture. It has been declared a national historical monument and since 11th September 1938 the building was officially inaugurated as the Sarmiento historical museum. Almost all the material you can find in the museum has been donated to the nation by Sarmiento’s family.

The museum’s collection includes objects that belonged to Sarmiento and his family. By making your way through the 11 rooms of the museum, you will encounter the entire life story of Sarmiento, which is explained very clearly and illustrated with photos and images. Next to many objects and documents of the founding father, you can find a big part of the heritage of the man; rooms where his former kitchen, dining room, salon and sleeping room are rebuild in wonderful state; decorated and showed with many details. Everything is provided with extensive information (in Spanish), next to a little brochure with information (English and Spanish).

The present exhibition ‘Dialogues about May – Sarmiento and the romantic thinkers of 1810-1850’ pays special attention to four famous young intellectuals of this time. Its about their ideals, in which way they are the same and in which way they differ, about their travels, banishments and their literary works.

This entire year the museum organises activities as conferences, reading session and music activities among others, with this month an Italian Film Festival.

Though time machines have yet to be invented, a trip back to the swinging 60s isn’t as far away as you think. Argentina’s enormous Beatles following finally materialized in museum form when Rodolfo Vázquez, owner of The Cavern Club in Buenos Aires and huge Beatles fanatic, decided to create a Mecca of his own for other lovers of Beatles way of life.

Buenos Aires’ very own Beatles Museum opened on 3rd January 2011 by Vázquez and is one of the only Beatles museums outside of Liverpool. The petite Beatles gallery is located Paseo La Plaza — a short and picturesque walkway off the street, full of cafés, trees and small shops. As the doors of the museum open, your trip back in time begins — Beatles music wafts around the cordial room filled with glass cases protecting Vázquez’s prized collectables. Merchandize and albums from the sunrise and sunset of the Beatles can be found wall-to-wall in the cozy museum space.

Vázquez’s love for the ideology and musical stylings of the Beatles was planted early on in his life. “When I was ten I was given a Beatles record by a friend of mine from school,” he recalled. “ I listened to the song “In My Life”…I have been a fanatic ever since.” And for the last 43 years, he has been a collector and treasurer of various Beatles memorabilia from around the world.

Assembling his collection since the age of ten, Vázquez has acquired numerous rare and distinct treasures that many Beatles fans have never seen. Collecting so many pieces has landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records since 2001, though he proudly displays only a fraction of his collection at a time.

There are 2,000 of the items currently in the museum, though he admits his collection in its entirety totals to about 8,500 Beatles objects, and over 3,500 of these collectables are vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, EPs, singles and magazines. For this reason, and space permitting, he plans on having his musical novelties on a rotation so each visit to the museum can be a fresh experience.

Current items on display in the museum range from original letters written by close relatives of the John Lennon and George Harrison, to oddities like limited edition Beatles Monopoly games and colorfully decorated Beatles dolls and glass figurines. An entire cabinet alone is dedicated to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, including a wedding book of memorabilia — magazine covers, a replica of their marriage certificate in Gibraltar, replicas of Lennon’s legendary glasses and more.

With such an extensive collection, Vázquez admits that it is hard to pick a singularly prized piece above the rest. “There are really too many things, but this is something I really love,” he said, motioning to a small box containing dozens of colorful envelopes behind the display glass. “This is a box of gum packets from around 1964. Each of the gum packets is decorated by a different Beatles album cover.”

Visitors meandering through the music filled room witness small fragments of Beatles history and glimpses into the craze that is alive and well today in Buenos Aires — replicas of concert costumes, concert tickets, programs and even Beatles commemorative plates.

A world record setting collection, assembled over decades by Vázquez is not just a trip back in time for his guests, but for himself as well. “I have been putting this collection together since I was a little. Some were gifts, some where bought — at the time there weren’t many things in Buenos Aires, originally, but people would go on vacation and come back with what they could,” he explained. “And after they came back from visiting London, Liverpool, or the United States, they would begin to bring things and people began to trade their items.” Vázquez himself has visited the United Kingdom six times and represents Argentina’s love for the Beatles.

Though the Beatles have a widespread and dedicated fan base, the River Plate versus Boca Juniors futbol rivalry is not the only rivalry that Argentina hosts.

“Many say Argentina is very “Rolling Stones”, but that is not true,” emphasized Vázquez. “Argentina is very Beatles.” As testament to that, the Beatles museum has seen over 3,000 visitors since opening in January. “That many visitors in just one month is incredible,” he said. “Especially since these months many of the people of Buenos Aires are on vacation elsewhere.”

What had started as a small project and exhibition for Vázquez quickly turned into a permanent destination for locals and tourists, which Vázquez hopes brings as much joy to others as it does to him. The exhibit, though ever changing, is open all weeklong, after all, true Beatles passion never rests.

Want to escape the heat? What better place than a cool, air-conditioned art space? But the number of galleries – and the vast amount of exhibitions on display in them – can sometimes be overwhelming. Ines Huergo breaks it down for you, with the Top 5 art shows to catch in December.

1. Television. Di Tella and an episode in the history of TV at Fundación Telefónica

During the 1960s, DiTella Institut was the venue were avant-garde artists were producing and showing their work.

At DiTella the artists would discuss how news was impacting society and how the viewer was part of the construction of the news. They would also assess the possibilities of transmitting artistic experimentation on TV. Artists would identify themselves with TV personalities. TV was impressing social imagery.

The show at Telefonica Foundation depicts the different projects in which TV and art came together at DiTella between 1965 and 1969. It also includes the work of three contemporary Argentine artists, especially done for the occasion: Jorge Macchi, Andrés DiTella and Miguel Mitlag.

Fundación Telefónica, Arenales 1540. Until 18th December. Monday-Saturday 2-8.30pm. Free admission.

2. Nueva Figuración at MNBA

Between 1961 and 1965, four Argentine artists – Romulo Macció, Ernesto Deira, Jorge de la Vega and Luis Felipe Noé – were as a group questioning traditional painting and the meaning of it as an art piece. During those five years, the four artists took the name New Figuration, like the avant-garde movement in Europe and the US. New Figuration was a way of expressing chaos.

A show of New Figuration today at Museum of Fine Arts celebrates the 50 years since the group’s first show and the 200th anniversary of the May Revolution.

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), Av. del Libertador 1473. Until 16th January. Tuesday-Friday 12.30-8.30pm, Saturdays and Sundays 9.30am-8.30pm. Free admission

3. Jorge Sarsale at Centro Cultural Borges

For several years Luis Felipe Noé and Eduardo Stupía, two of Argentina’s greatest living artists, have been thinking about lines in drawing. At Centro Cultural Borges a monthly cycle has started, which they named La Línea Piensa (The Line Thinks). Each month they select an artist whose work exposes the subject.

For their December show they thought on line as paper and chose Jorge Sarsale as an exponent of a unique cut and paste artwork.

Centro Cultural Borges – Sala 10, corner of Viamonte and San Martín. Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm. Free admission.

4. Group show at Fondo Nacional de las Artes

Several Argentine contemporary artists are showing at Fondo Nacional de las Artes. The curatorial decision of bringing these artists together in this show is not clear, but it is clear that their work, each one in particular, is worth the visit to El Fondo.

Fondo Nacional de las Artes, which is the national fund towards the support of the arts, is at the core of the Illuminated Buenos Aires, only two blocks away from Manzana de las Luces and the Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires.

The artists are Marcelo Pombo, Diego Bianchi, Federico Lanzi, Joaquín Boz, Rosalba Mirabella, Juan Reos, Adrián Villar Rojas, Martín Legón, Susana Saravia and San Poggio. Take your time looking at Villar Rojas, a very young artist who creates small worlds, which are too full. Pay special attention too to Pombo (and look for more of his pieces, a sharp master in painting).

Fondo Nacional de las Artes, Alsina 673, Monday-Friday 10am-4pm. Free admission.

5. Marta Minujín at MALBA

More than a hundred pieces by one of Argentina’s most celebrated artists, who has been producing art since 1960, are on exhibition at MALBA.

Marta Minujín’s work is provocative. Since the early times Minujín has been an avant-garde artist. Her work comprises new realism, Pop art, conceptual art, performance, happenings, mass media art, video art, psychedelic and action art.

This show at MALBA brings together a first retrospective on an artist that incarnated liberty.

Malba, Figueroa Alcorta 3415. Until 7th February. Thursday-Monday 12-8pm, Wednesday until 9pm, Tuesday closed. Admission is $20, Wednesdays $8.

Dreamt up by a team of climbers as they traversed ice-fields and jumped crevasses in Patagonia, El Glaciarium, the first glacier museum in Latin America, opened last week.

Noting a gap in the market, Luciano Bernacchi and his mountaineering partners, came up with the idea to build a museum devoted to the icy wastelands and frozen waterfalls of Los Glacieres National Park, El Calafate. Strategically placed at gates of the recreational public land in the far throes of the southern Andes, Bernacchi and his team hope that the museum will become a symbol of Patagonia.

Though the journey is an arduous 40 hours by bus from Buenos Aires, El Calafate is home to some of the most dramatic natural beauty in all of Latin America. With glaciers covering 22,000 square km that tower into the piercing blue sky, Los Glacieres, has already made its name on the tourist trail – albeit the more adventurous trekkers. As Bernacchi informs me, 300,000 visitors pass through the park each year; and El Glaciarium stands to “enrich and make their experiences more interesting at the beginning or end of their trips”.

The building itself echoes the eerie caverns and bottomless ducts of the gleaming peaks in the distance; each of the three main ‘icebergs’ or pods devoted to a different aspect of glaciology. The exhibition halls are designed to “raise ecological awareness and climate change consciousness,” offering visitors a deeper understanding of the environmental and historical importance of glacier ecosystems. But scientific knowledge is not the sole focus. Gradually decreasing temperatures and ambient blue lights provide a full, physical experience. The final room boasts an ice bar, where, limited to 20 minutes, patrons can sit on a frozen stool, and sip on slushy melon vodkas without risking the frost bite and wind burn of the untamed wilderness outside the window.

El Glaciarium could not have arrived in Argentina at a more opportune moment; The Ley de Glacieres, aimed at protecting glaciers from industrial developments such as mining was passed on 30th September in Congress, having previously been vetoed by the president. Although this was only after an extended spate of demonstrations and political debate. Three months ago, Greenpeace Argentina protested in the centre of Buenos Aires, hauling a 4×4 metre block of ice to Plaza Congreso, as they attempted to “ice” the senate towards ratification. Despite the recent passage of the law, the question of environmental preservation remains an uphill battle, allowing El Glaciarium to affirmatively place the protection of the Patagonian glaciers on the national agenda.

However, it is difficult to gauge just how environmentally concerned El Glaciarium really is. Bernacchi, a wilderness guide, turned museum director, seems just as at home in the glitzy museum opening, flooded with pink champagne, and never-ending trays of wild salmon canapés, as he may have once felt in the desolate, undulating eternity of the Patagonian ice-fields. He greets the other guests – VIP hotel owners, and multi-millionaire investors with the chummy repartee of golf partners, rather than eco-warriors. Perhaps he preserves his more corporeal side for the snowy rock faces. In the sterile, light wood room overlooking the newly built Puerto Madero dock, the event quite brazenly lacks an environmental undertone. The Greenpeace “icers” are nowhere to be seen, and crampons are a world away from the patent heels, and polished dress-shoes of the guests.

Bernacchi explains to me that the “museum is nothing new, we’re just following the trend of Al Gore and his movie…” his voice trailing off as he skims the room for his next black-suited associate; somewhat defeatist in the pursuit of raising climate change consciousness. However, he is very concerned that the building is not “as eco-friendly as they would have liked”, “We’re still way behind European or American standards in terms of eco-friendly building and we still have decades to go.”

We end the interview with a discussion about the funding behind the venture. “100% private: 75% Argentine investors, the rest a bank loan,” he explains, launching into a detailed account of the financing. “When the museum opens, people will walk through and see images and information about all the mess that is going on with the world,” he tacks on, breezily. When it comes to his museum, Bernacchi clearly speaks more business than biosphere. But let’s face it, right now, we need all the education we can get.

In Buenos Aires, a city famous for both its style and its Italian heritage, you don’t have to look very far to find a beautiful suit. But if you want to take your interest in tailoring further than just admiring shop windows as you walk down Santa Fe, there are now two exhibitions than will cater to your needs. These are ‘Nodi Italiani: Corbatas con Historia’, a visiting show from Italy about the history of the tie, and the permanent collection at the Museo Nacional de la Historia del Traje, which looks at the development of fashion in Buenos Aires since the 19th century.

Why go to a museum about suits and ties when you see them every day walking down the street? Well, both of exhibitions will tell you things about sharp dressing that you never knew before, such as how many different ways there are to tie a tie (85, according to a Cambridge University research group) or who the first person was to wear a white wedding dress (Mary Queen of Scots, apparently). More importantly, the shows are put together in a way that is thoughtful and interesting, and the clothes on display range from beautiful to hilarious. So suit up! And get down there.

Tie me up, tie me down

Nodi Italiani: Corbatas con Historia, is a temporary exhibition on at the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo in Recoleta, created by the Rome-based cultural association ‘Colosseum’. As you would expect of anything to do with Italians and fashion, it is beautifully put together. What’s more, it’s informative and will teach you everything there is to know about the historical, social and artistic dimensions of a tie.

The first part of the exhibition focuses on the history of the ties, showing images of the first ancestors of the cravat, worn by Chinese soldiers in the 3rd Century BC and later by imperial soldiers in Rome. The labels then describe how ties were first made popular in Europe in the modern period by Croatian mercenaries who fought in France during the 30 Years War (the word “cravat” and the Spanish “corbata” comes from the French for ‘Croatian’) After this you can see how the shape, colour, pattern and social significance of ties varied hugely over time, from cravats worn by Louis XIV of France as part of elaborate costumes showing his great wealth and power, to red ties worn by revolutionaries in the 18th Century as a sign of rebellion.

Some of the ties on display really are beautiful. In the first room you can see a range of cravats worn in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries and one in particular (black, silky and tied asymmetrically) is a work of art. Later you are shown modern ties from all the major labels, including Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld and Hermés. You also see how, over time, ties get wider and slimmer, longer and shorter, plainer and more colourful. As the exhibition goes on you also find ties that are not only attractive, but also plain bizarre. Among the collection is both a plastic biodegradable tie, for the eco-friendly fashion victim, and a hypoallergenic one, for those with sensitive skin.

One of the most interesting parts of the exhibition is the display of pictures of famous figures from history wearing neckties. From Ghandi, who stopped wearing suits and ties as part of the break with British imperialism, to Fred Flintstone, who wears a sort of tie as a parody of the typical US dad coming home from the office, ties have all sorts of cultural and social implications. Seeing the different neckwear of Ludwig van Beethoven, Charlie Chaplain and Malcolm X does makes you think about the different things you can imply by something as trivial as knotting a piece of cloth around your neck.

Altogether, although you might not end the exhibition agreeing with Oscar Wilde that “a well-tied tie is the first serious step in life”, the display will certainly give you a new respect for neckwear.

One important note before you go though: all of the information is in Italian with Spanish translations, so if your Spanish is not that strong it’s worth going with someone who can help you translate.

Suit up!

The Museo Nacional de la Historia del Traje is located in a beautiful late 19th century mansion in San Telmo. Its name is actually somewhat misleading for English speakers, because the exhibition is not just about suits, but about all sorts of clothes (Something I didn’t realise before: ‘Traje’ actually doesn’t just mean ‘suit’ but also ‘costume’ or ‘outfit’) The items on display are both for men and women, starting in the late 18th Century and going up to the present day. The exhibition takes a historical perspective, and examines how fashion developed over time, and how these changes related to contemporary social movements. The majority of the clothes on display date from between 1850 and 1950, and from ridiculous Gone-With-The-Wind style hoop skirts, right through to flapper dresses, many of the items are quite beautiful.

The exhibition starts at the beginning of Argentine colonial history, with one or two pictures of early settlers from the 16th century and a little information about society at the time. The earliest actual item of clothing on display dates from 1780, and is followed by a few other examples of late 18th and early 19th century fashion. There are pictures on the wall of men and women wearing formal dress, and one of the best things about the images is how grim the women look. In the next room, where all the elaborate dresses are presented elegantly, you have the impression that the people who wore them must have looked like fairytale princesses, but when you see the portraits of contemporary women, many of them are terrifyingly stern.

In the next two rooms you see the development of fashion over time, and the information explains how it was related to changes in society. Thus you are shown decadent pieces with huge bustles, complicated corseting and lace from the affluent 19th century. Then, in the period after the First World War, when women began to work outside the home and strict rules about feminine behaviour began to be relaxed, the dresses became shorter and looser to express new female freedom. After this you see examples of Christian Dior’s ‘New Look’ from after World War II, when European designers went back to using masses of fabric and creating decadent outfits as a reaction against the austerity of the war.

One of the best rooms is about male sportswear from the early 20th century, and it features some outfits that verge on the ridiculous. Among other things, you can see a boxer wearing a ludicrously tiny pair of shorts, and a full leather aviator’s outfit complete with goggles.

All of the clothes are displayed with other objects that are meant to give you an idea of the cultural and historical context in which they would have originally been worn. So, in the first room, which shows fashions from the 19th century, you can also see furniture and artwork from the same period. What’s more, the museum plays music in many of the galleries to complement the display, and to give you a more complete of the society that produced the fashions you are looking at. The building itself, which was started in the second half of the 19th century, and had the its finishing touches completed in 1907, complements the clothes and the overall effect is like looking into a life-sized Victorian doll’s house.

Like the corbata exhibition, all the labels and historical information here are in Spanish. However, if you ask at the front desk they have English translations of the text printed out in a book, which you can carry round as you go through the exhibition. The museum is actually rather small, but it’s also free, so it’s a good place to pop into for half an hour if you’re exploring San Telmo.

All in all, if you like fashion and you need somewhere to go on a rainy autumn afternoon, then these are two museums worth visiting. There are clothes here that would make Barney Stinson weep with joy.

Nodi Italiani: Corabtas con Historia is on until the 18th April at the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo, Av.del Libertador 1902. The museum is open from 2-7pm, Tuesday – Sunday. Tickets cost $5 and entrance is free on Tuesday. See the website for details: www.mnad.org.ar

El Mueso Nacional del Traje is on Chile 832. Entrance is free and the museum is open from 3–7pm. See the website for more information: www.funmuseodeltraje.com.ar