Recoleta Cultural Centre, Buenos Aires

The Recoleta Cultural Centre (Centro Cultural Recoleta) is an arts and cultural venue in Buenos Aires managed by an organization called the Friends of the Centro Cultural Recoleta under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture. It is housed in a historical building that was once a Franciscan Convent.

The building where the cultural center is located was originally donated to the Franciscans in 1716. The blueprints of the construction were drawn by Jesuit architects Juan Krauss and Juan Wolf, while the design of the façade and interiors are attributed to Andrés Blanqui.

The building, finished in 1732, is one of the oldest in the city. With the arrival of the May Revolution and the declaration of independence during the first part of the 19th century, the building changed purposes. Manuel Belgrano founded a drawing school there, and since the 1870s it served as a shelter for the destitute. Torcuato de Alvear, first mayor of Buenos Aires, beautified Recoleta as well as the cultural centre; Juan Antonio Buschiazzo gave it an Italian style and created the chapel currently used as an auditorium.

Today, the Centro Cultural Recoleta holds sculptures and exhibitions, as well as concerts and artistic presentations and workshops of diverse types.

Why You Should Visit:
Dozens of exhibitions running at the same time, from modern to avant-garde (including a variety of areas for paintings, sculpture, drawings, photography, etc.), and mostly by Argentines – a nice change from other museums where the European-ish flavor dominates. Most of the time, two or three of the exhibitions are just amazing. For a free entrance place, it's all in all quite marvelous.

Tip:
Great place to go on the weekends, as there's always something interesting to do/try/see/experience. Events mostly happen during the evening-night time.