Colombia's largest Botero collection, housed in the building that presides over the square of his sculptures.
What to see & do
1. The Botero collection
The museum holds the largest collection of Fernando Botero's work in Colombia, donated by the artist himself to his home city: paintings, drawings and sculptures spanning his whole career. Seeing his work here and then stepping out into the square where the open-air sculptures stand is a sequence you cannot repeat anywhere else in the world.
2. The international donation
Botero also gave the museum works by other artists from his personal collection, including names from international modern painting. It is one of the museum's surprises: you do not expect to find them here.
3. Pre-Columbian and colonial art
The permanent collection traces the history of art in Antioquia from pre-Hispanic pieces through the colonial and republican periods, with a reading firmly focused on how the paisa identity was formed.
4. The Pedro Nel Gómez murals
The most important Antioquian muralist of the twentieth century is represented here. His murals on labour, mining and rural life are the perfect counterpoint to Botero: where one is volume and humour, the other is social protest.
5. The building
The museum occupies the former Palacio Municipal, an art deco building from the 1930s. The restoration preserves the original structure and deserves attention in its own right.
Our tours to this place
Our Urban, Panoramic and Full tours ride right up to Plaza Botero, at the museum door, with the master stories included:
Related tours
Practical info
- Getting there. Metro line A, Parque Berrío station. The museum stands on the edge of Plaza Botero and is impossible to miss.
- Tickets and hours. The museum charges admission and has specific opening days and hours worth checking on its official website before you go, as they change with the season. There is usually a reduced rate for students and older visitors.
- How long. Two to three hours to go through it at an easy pace. An hour is enough for the essentials of the Botero collection.
- How to combine it. The natural pairing is Plaza Botero, the Palacio de la Cultura opposite, which is free, and if you still have energy, El Hueco two blocks away.
- Safety. You are in the heart of downtown. By day, with the usual precautions, no problem. On the way out, if it is getting late, better not to linger in the area.
- Photography. Rules vary by room and by temporary exhibition. Ask on your way in.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to get in?
Yes. Check the current rate and opening hours on the museum's website before going.
Can you see only the Botero section?
Yes, though admission is general. The Botero collection is grouped together and can be seen in an hour.
Is it worth it if I have already seen the sculptures in the square?
They are different things. The square holds the monumental sculpture; inside are the paintings, the drawings and the full arc of his work.
Can you take photographs?
Photography rules vary by room and by temporary exhibition. Ask as you go in.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, and Botero's work tends to land well with them thanks to the shapes and the humour. Two hours is a lot; one is plenty.
Gallery
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