The Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) is a visual arts museum dedicated to Latin American art, located in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires, Argentina. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This comprehensive visitor guide was updated in May 2026 to reflect the latest adjusted ARS 12,000 general admission pricing and the updated Wednesday concession rates.
Quick facts
| Feature | Details |
| Opening hours | Monday and Thursday to Sunday: 12:00 to 20:00. Wednesday: 11:00 to 20:00. Tuesday: Closed. |
| Ticket prices | Adults: ARS 12,000. Students, teachers, and seniors: ARS 6,000. Under 5s: Free. |
| Address | Av. Pres. Figueroa Alcorta 3415, C1425CLA Buenos Aires, Argentina. |
| Nearest public transport or parking | Colectivo (bus) routes 67, 102, 130. Paid parking at nearby Alcorta Shopping. |
| Typical time needed to visit | Two to three hours for the permanent and temporary collections. |
MALBA opening hours
The museum operates six days a week year-round, opening from 12:00 until 20:00 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. On Wednesdays, the facility extends its operating hours slightly by opening one hour earlier at 11:00, while still closing at 20:00.
The attraction is completely closed to the public every Tuesday throughout the year. The museum also implements closures on major public holidays, including Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Labour Day (May 1).
MALBA ticket prices
Standard adult admission costs ARS 12,000. Students, teachers, and seniors who can present valid identification pay a reduced concession rate of ARS 6,000. Children under the age of five are permitted to enter the galleries entirely free of charge.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in May 2026.
On Wednesdays, the museum offers a significant discount, reducing the general adult admission to ARS 6,000, while students, teachers, and seniors enter for free. The attraction is not included in any global multi-attraction city pass scheme (such as Go City or CityPass), meaning visitors cannot bundle their admission with other paid sites in Buenos Aires.
How to get to MALBA
The museum is situated on Avenida Figueroa Alcorta in the Palermo neighbourhood. The most direct method of public transport is using the local bus network, known as colectivos. Bus routes 67, 102, and 130 all have scheduled stops located directly outside or very close to the main entrance.
To use the buses or the underground metro system, you must purchase and load a local SUBE card, as public transport does not accept cash. The closest Subte (metro) stations are Scalabrini Ortiz and Plaza Italia on Line D, but both require a 15-minute walk to reach the museum.
Parking at MALBA
The museum does not own or operate a dedicated private car park for visitors. Finding municipal street parking along Avenida Figueroa Alcorta or the surrounding residential streets is generally very difficult and not recommended during peak hours.
Visitors travelling by private vehicle usually park at the Alcorta Shopping mall, located a short 10-minute walk down the avenue, which provides a large, paid, underground parking garage. The city also provides an Ecobici public bicycle sharing dock situated immediately outside the main museum doors for cyclists.
How long to spend at MALBA
Most visitors allocate between two and three hours to walk through the entire facility. This timeframe provides sufficient opportunity to view the permanent Costantini Collection on the upper floors and the rotating temporary exhibitions on the lower levels.
If you plan to attend a scheduled film screening at the independent Cine MALBA located on the ground floor, you will need to add an extra two hours to your itinerary.
Accessibility at MALBA
The facility is fully accessible for wheelchair users, individuals using mobility scooters, and visitors pushing prams. The main entrance features a smooth, step-free access ramp, and all internal gallery floors are connected by modern, wide passenger elevators.
The museum provides several manual wheelchairs that visitors can borrow entirely free of charge from the main reception desk. Fully accessible public restrooms are located on multiple levels of the building, and registered service dogs are permitted in all exhibition spaces.
Inside / what to see at MALBA
The permanent collection houses over 400 significant works of 20th and 21st-century Latin American art, originally donated by the founder Eduardo Costantini. The layout provides a chronological walkthrough of major regional art movements, including modernism, surrealism, and kinetic art.
The most famous painting in the permanent collection is Frida Kahlo’s Autorretrato con chango y loro (Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot). Another globally recognised highlight is Abaporu by the Brazilian modernist painter Tarsila do Amaral, which sits prominently in the main gallery.
The galleries also feature substantial works by major regional historical figures, including the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and the Argentine avant-garde painter Xul Solar. A significant focal point for Argentine social realism is Antonio Berni’s large-scale burlap painting, Manifestación.
The modern museum building itself is an architectural highlight, constructed from imported limestone, glass, and steel. Designed by the Atelman-Fourcade-Tapia studio, the structure features large glass atriums that flood the central circulation areas with natural light.
Aside from the permanent works, the museum allocates substantial floor space to large-scale, rotating temporary exhibitions. These temporary galleries frequently highlight contemporary Latin American artists through modern multimedia installations, photography, and large-scale sculpture.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip category | Advice |
| Timing | Visit right at opening time on a Thursday or Monday to view the main highlights before the afternoon tour groups arrive. |
| Crowds | Avoid visiting on Wednesday afternoons unless you require the discounted entry, as the galleries become heavily congested. |
| Layout | Start your visit on the upper floors with the permanent collection before working your way down to the temporary exhibitions. |
| Entry process | Purchase your standard admission tickets online using a credit card to bypass the ticket desk queue on busy weekends. |
| On-site logistics | You must check large backpacks, umbrellas, and heavy coats into the mandatory free cloakroom located in the main lobby. |
Frequently asked questions about MALBA
| Question | Answer |
| Is MALBA suitable for children? | Yes, children under five enter for free, and the museum regularly hosts interactive family workshops on weekends. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for MALBA? | No, advance booking is not mandatory, and visitors can purchase standard admission tickets directly at the front desk. |
| Is MALBA open on Sundays? | Yes, the museum is open every Sunday from 12:00 until 20:00, operating its standard weekend schedule. |
| Are bags allowed at MALBA? | Small day bags and standard purses are permitted, but large backpacks must be deposited securely in the lobby cloakroom. |
| Are dogs allowed at MALBA? | No, pets are strictly prohibited from entering the museum building, with exceptions made exclusively for registered assistance dogs. |
Things to do near MALBA
- Japanese Garden (Jardín Japonés): A peaceful, traditional landscaped garden located nearby featuring large koi ponds, red bridges, and a cultural centre.
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes: A massive, free public art museum situated in Recoleta displaying European masters and Argentine historical paintings.
- Floralis Genérica: A giant metallic flower sculpture situated in a reflective pool at the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas.
- Palermo Woods (Bosques de Palermo): The city’s largest urban park system, offering expansive rose gardens, boating lakes, and shaded walking trails.
- Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo: A decorative arts museum housed inside a lavish early 20th-century neoclassical mansion in the Palermo Chico neighbourhood.
What to visit tomorrow
- MACBA (Museum of Contemporary Art in Buenos Aires): A modern museum in San Telmo focused entirely on geometric abstraction, optical art, and kinetic art.
- Museo Moderno (MAMBA): A public art institution located next to MACBA dedicated to modern Argentine and international contemporary visual arts.
- Museo Xul Solar: A unique museum preserving the eccentric watercolour paintings, sculptures, and living space of the Argentine artist Xul Solar.
- Fundación PROA: A prominent contemporary art centre situated in La Boca, known for its international exhibitions and scenic rooftop terrace.
- Museo Evita: A biographical museum located in a historic mansion that details the life, political work, and cultural legacy of Eva Perón.