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Museum · Caracas, Distrito Capital
Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas
The oldest art museum in Venezuela, founded in 1917, housed in two buildings by Carlos Raúl Villanueva in the Plaza de los Museos, in Los Caobos park: ancient Egyptian art, ceramics, European and Latin American painting, and a sculpture garden.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas
Museo de Bellas Artes was founded in 1917 and is the oldest art museum in Venezuela. It is located in the Plaza de los Museos, on the edge of Los Caobos park, in two buildings designed by Carlos Raúl Villanueva: the neoclassical one from the 1930s, with columns and an internal courtyard, and the modern one from the 1970s, of exposed concrete, in blocks that fit around ramps and terraces.
The collection brings together works from various periods and places. There is a collection of ancient Egyptian art, ceramics from different cultures, European prints and drawings, modern painting and sculpture, and a selection of Latin American and Cubist art. Temporary exhibitions occupy the rooms in the modern building.
In the newer building, the terrace and the sculpture garden open onto the trees of Los Caobos, one of the oldest parks in Caracas, with century-old mahoganies and the Fuente Venezuela, the fountain with figures representing the country's rivers. On the other side of the plaza is the Galería de Arte Nacional, with Venezuelan art.
The Plaza de los Museos is a good spot for an afternoon walk, between the park, the museums and the Teatro Teresa Carreño, the city's large cultural complex a few minutes away.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
1 to 2 hours, depending on the exhibitions on display.
Best time
In the afternoon, to combine with a walk in Los Caobos park. The museum is usually closed on Mondays, and the open rooms change with the exhibitions; check before you go.
How to get there
Bellas Artes station on metro line 1 is about a 5-minute walk away. It's three metro stations from Plaza Bolívar; from eastern neighborhoods, about 15 minutes.
Tip
Go up to the terrace of the modern building to see the sculpture garden and the tree canopy of Los Caobos. Combine with the Galería de Arte Nacional across the plaza and finish with a walk to the Fuente Venezuela.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas
Who designed the Museo de Bellas Artes?
Carlos Raúl Villanueva, the same architect as Ciudad Universitaria. The neoclassical building dates from the 1930s and the modern one from the 1970s.
What is in the collection?
Ancient Egyptian art, ceramics, European prints and drawings, modern painting and sculpture and Latin American art, as well as temporary exhibitions.
What is near the museum?
Los Caobos park, with the Fuente Venezuela, the Galería de Arte Nacional across the square, and the Teatro Teresa Carreño, a few minutes' walk away.