Botero Museum

Bogotá, Colombia

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The Botero Museum in Bogotá’s historic La Candelaria neighborhood is a free public art gallery founded in 2000 when renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero donated 208 works to the Banco de la República—123 of his own iconic pieces featuring plump, oversized figures and 85 masterpieces from his private collection by international masters like Picasso, Monet, Matisse, Dalí, and Klimt. Housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century colonial mansion that formerly served as the Archbishop’s office until 1955, the museum is personally curated by Botero and displays his signature voluptuous style through paintings and sculptures of chubby dancers, nudes, still lifes, and satirical works like his parody of the Mona Lisa. Open Wednesday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closing at 5 p.m. on Sundays and closed Tuesdays), the museum welcomes visitors of all ages with audio guides available in Spanish, English, and French, and offers a glimpse into Colombian culture through Botero’s unique artistic vision while showcasing world-renowned art in an elegant colonial setting near Plaza de Bolívar.