Botero Museum
Quick answer
Botero Museum in Bogotá, Colombia — the Botero Museum in Bogotá's La Candelaria district opened in 2000 after the Colombian artist Fernando Botero (born 1932) donated 123 of his own paintings and sculptures to the Banco de la República, alongside 85 works from his personal collection of international masters. Open Monday, Wednesday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; closed Tuesdays. Admission: free admission. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 30 June 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Botero Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Monday, Wednesday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | Tuesdays |
| Admission | Free admission |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 1–1.5 hours |
| Best time to visit | Weekday mornings (9–11 AM) when La Candelaria is quietest. |
| Getting there | Walk: 10 minutes from Plaza de Bolívar through La Candelaria's cobblestone streets — the museum is on Calle 11 |
| Address | Cra. 4 #16-00, Bogotá, Colombia |
| Official website | banrepcultural.org |
Checked 2026-06-30 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Botero Museum known for?
The Botero Museum opened in 2000 in a restored colonial house dating to 1757 in Bogotá's La Candelaria district. Fernando Botero — Colombia's most celebrated artist — donated 123 of his own paintings and sculptures alongside 85 works from his personal collection of international masters to the Banco de la República, which operates the museum with entirely free admission.
Botero's signature style — voluptuous, rounded figures applied to portraiture, still life, and social commentary — fills the ground floor galleries. His works reimagine Colombian daily life, bullfighting, the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, and art-historical genres with warmth, humour, and moral seriousness.
The international collection on the upper floor is extraordinary for a free museum: Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Chagall, Léger, Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Francis Bacon, all acquired by Botero over decades of collecting. The juxtaposition of Botero's Colombian world with European modernism makes this one of the most surprising museums in South America.
La Candelaria — Bogotá's historic centre — surrounds the museum with cobblestone streets, the Gold Museum, and the Plaza de Bolívar. Most visitors combine all three into a half-day cultural walk.
Best for: Art Lovers · First-timers · Families
How long do you need at Botero Museum?
Allow 1–1.5 hours. A focused route through 4 must-see highlights at Botero Museum without museum fatigue. Follow the stops in order:
- 1
Mona Lisa, Age Twelve
📍 Ground floor, Botero Collection
Botero's reimagining of Leonardo's icon as a plump Colombian girl — part of his series reinterpreting art-historical masterpieces through his distinctive volumetric style.
- 2
The Musicians
📍 Ground floor, Botero Collection
A group of inflated musicians in a Colombian village setting — exemplifying Botero's ability to find monumentality and tenderness in everyday Latin American life.
- 3
Bullfight
📍 Ground floor, Botero Collection
One of Botero's many bullfighting scenes — a subject he returned to throughout his career, blending personal memory of Medellín with the formal traditions of Goya and Manet.
- 4
Head of a Woman
📍 Upper floor, International Collection
A late Picasso portrait from Botero's personal collection — demonstrating the dialogue between Botero's rounded forms and Picasso's Cubist deformation of the human figure.
What are the must-see works at Botero Museum?
4 highlights that define the collection: Mona Lisa, Age Twelve, The Musicians, Bullfight and more.
Mona Lisa, Age Twelve
Fernando Botero · 1978
📍 Ground floor, Botero Collection
Botero's reimagining of Leonardo's icon as a plump Colombian girl — part of his series reinterpreting art-historical masterpieces through his distinctive volumetric style.
The Musicians
Fernando Botero · 1979
📍 Ground floor, Botero Collection
A group of inflated musicians in a Colombian village setting — exemplifying Botero's ability to find monumentality and tenderness in everyday Latin American life.
Bullfight
Fernando Botero · 1984
📍 Ground floor, Botero Collection
One of Botero's many bullfighting scenes — a subject he returned to throughout his career, blending personal memory of Medellín with the formal traditions of Goya and Manet.
Head of a Woman
Pablo Picasso · 1962
📍 Upper floor, International Collection
A late Picasso portrait from Botero's personal collection — demonstrating the dialogue between Botero's rounded forms and Picasso's Cubist deformation of the human figure.
Collections and highlights
- • Botero's paintings and sculptures — 123 donated works
- • International collection — Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Chagall, Monet
- • Colonial architecture of the 1757 Casa de la Moneda
- • Bullfighting and Colombian street life themes
- • Abu Ghraib series — Botero's political works on torture
- • Still life and art-historical parodies
- • Sculpture courtyard with bronze Botero figures
- • Francis Bacon, Renoir, and Degas from Botero's collection
Tips for visiting Botero Museum
- 1.
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings (9–11 AM) when La Candelaria is quietest. Avoid Sunday afternoons when the historic centre fills with local families.
- 2.
Crowds & busy periods
Moderate — free admission attracts steady visitors but the galleries are spacious. The Gold Museum nearby is busier.
- 3.
Tickets & booking
Free admission, no booking required. Valid ID may be requested at entrance. Allow 45 minutes for Botero plus 45 minutes for the international collection.
- 4.
Food & cafés nearby
La Candelaria has traditional Colombian restaurants; Café San Alberto on Calle 11 is nearby. Plaza de Bolívar has street food vendors.
- 5.
Accessibility
Ground floor is accessible. Upper floor international collection requires stairs — no elevator in the colonial building.
How do you get to Botero Museum?
- walk 10 minutes from Plaza de Bolívar through La Candelaria's cobblestone streets — the museum is on Calle 11
- transmilenio TransMilenio to Museo del Oro station, then 5-minute walk through the historic centre
- taxi Taxi or rideshare from Zona Rosa or Chapinero (~20 minutes) — ask for Museo Botero, La Candelaria
Address: Cra. 4 #16-00, Bogotá, Colombia
Botero Museum: frequently asked questions
Who is Fernando Botero?
Fernando Botero (born 1932, Medellín) is Colombia's most internationally recognised artist, famous for his 'Boterismo' style — monumental, rounded, voluminous figures applied to portraiture, landscapes, and social and political subjects. He is the only Latin American artist to have had a permanent exhibition on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Is the Botero Museum really free?
Yes — admission is entirely free every day the museum is open. It is one of the few institutions in the world offering a collection of this quality with no charge whatsoever.
Can I visit the Gold Museum and Botero Museum in the same visit?
Absolutely — the two museums are a 5-minute walk apart in La Candelaria. Most visitors combine them into a half-day cultural tour of central Bogotá, also taking in the Plaza de Bolívar.
How long should I spend at Botero Museum?
Plan 1–1.5 hours for the highlights of Botero Museum. Our 4-stop route — Mona Lisa, Age Twelve, The Musicians, Bullfight and more — is designed to fit that time. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What is Botero Museum best known for?
The Botero Museum in Bogotá's La Candelaria district opened in 2000 after the Colombian artist Fernando Botero (born 1932) donated 123 of his own paintings and sculptures to the Banco de la República, alongside 85 works from his personal collection of international masters. The building — a restored colonial house dating to 1757 — is a landmark of colonial Bogotá architecture. Admission is entirely free. Key highlights include Botero's paintings and sculptures — 123 donated works, International collection — Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Chagall, Monet, Colonial architecture of the 1757 Casa de la Moneda.
How do I get tickets for Botero Museum?
Free admission. You can walk in without a ticket; paid exhibitions are booked separately. Official site: https://www.banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-botero
Why is the Botero Museum free?
Botero donated his collection on condition that admission remain free in perpetuity. The Banco de la República — Colombia's central bank — operates the museum as a public cultural service, similar to its free Gold Museum nearby.
Is La Candelaria safe for tourists?
La Candelaria is safe during daylight hours with normal urban precautions. Visit during the day, stay on main streets, and avoid displaying valuables. The museum area around Calle 11 and Plaza de Bolívar is well patrolled and heavily visited.
How does Botero's style develop across the collection?
The ground floor shows Botero's career from early 1950s experiments through mature social commentary. Early works show the evolution of his 'Boterismo' style; later works include the Abu Ghraib prison series (2005) — unexpectedly political works from an artist known for gentleness.
Is Botero Museum open on Tuesdays?
No — Botero Museum is closed every Tuesday. It is open Monday, Wednesday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Plan a different museum for that day, and check the official website for holiday changes.
What are Botero Museum's opening hours?
Botero Museum is open Monday, Wednesday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and closed Tuesdays. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
