Cordova, In north-central Argentina, it is one of the richest cities in cultural institutions, universities and museums in the entire state, which is why its inhabitants often affectionately call it La Docta.
This great cultural legacy dates back to the first years of the city's founding in the 16th century, when the Spanish Jesuits turned it into one of the most important university centers in the entire world. The new World, establishing a large university and numerous schools and seminaries. The vocation for culture has thus marked the entire history of Córdoba, which has seen its streets populated with museums, theaters, art galleries, libraries and many other cultural institutions, increasingly increasing the prestige of the city.
This cultural wealth leaves the traveler visiting Córdoba with many options, depending on the time available, to decide which museum to visit during their stay in the city. In this guide we will indicate some of the museum institutions The most interesting and important thing about Córdoba.
Hundreds of Jesuits, known as Jesuit Block, is the ancient heart of Córdoba and a legacy of the strength and prestige of the Society of Jesus in Argentina during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is an authentic neighborhood created by the Spanish religious as an operational and cultural base, including the former headquarters of the University of Córdoba, the Monserrat seminary, the Gesù church and the residential buildings, in perfect harmony between physical organization and mission. spiritual. Today La Mazana is part of the UNESCO world heritage and inside it is possible to visit the evocative museum of the old University of Córdoba.
Ferreyra Palace Museum, also known as the Evita Superior Museum of Fine Arts, is located in the Nueva Córdoba neighborhood and represents an interesting mix between a contemporary art gallery and a house museum. Inside the palace you can admire the collections of contemporary works of art and photography exhibitions organized throughout the year in a splendid architectural context of French neoclassical style. To create the wonderful palace, built at the beginning of the 20th century, all materials were ordered from France, which then crossed the Atlantic Ocean and was reassembled in Córdoba.
Kite Museum, the children's museum of Córdoba, has been in operation for more than 20 years, entirely dedicated to the little ones, a large and colorful space, with multiple activities related to art, science and technology, which seek to stimulate creativity through a interactive and engaging approach. The museum is very active with Córdoba schools but is open to visitors from all over the world who can have fun with their children in this state-of-the-art center.
Emiliano Caraffa Museum. It is the main art museum in Córdoba, dedicated to the painter Emiliano Caraffa and contemporary Argentine artists and houses a vast collection of works ranging from paintings to installations that allow you to discover the best of Argentine and Spanish artistic production of the last 200 years. . Among the most interesting rooms we can mention the lithograph room that houses some extraordinary works by Pablo Picasso and Francisco Goya. In addition to the permanent collections, the museum frequently organizes highly prestigious temporary exhibitions and guided tours of the restoration laboratory that operates in connection with the main museums in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.
Museum of Natural History. Fans of science and prehistoric animals will find this small but very well organized museum a true gem that they should not miss. In fact, here it is possible to visit an incredible exhibition of skeletons and reconstructions of prehistoric "megafauna" found in paleontological excavations around Córdoba, among which giant sloths, saber-toothed tigers and deer the size of campers stand out. Also noteworthy are the routes dedicated to children with workshop areas and animated visits to the prehistoric collection. Visit it before embarking on excursions among the seven natural wonders of the province.
Provincial Memory Archive, located in the heart of the historic center, inside the building used as a prison during the dark years of the dictatorship in Argentina. This cultural institution combines the characteristics of an archive with those of a museum with the aim of making known and disseminating the history of those difficult years. The provincial memory archive offers the possibility of consulting documentation related to the dictatorship and visiting exhibitions created by historians and artists dedicated to the days of the "Dirty War" and the missing Argentineans. Among the most impressive areas of the museum are the cells where the prisoners of the political police of the dictatorship were held, preserved in the same conditions in which they were found and covered with graffiti and writings made by the imprisoned people.
Cabildo Museum, located in the former headquarters of the Spanish governor of Córdoba, a wonderful palace from the late 16th century in the central Plaza San Martín, this museum is a collection of testimonies and findings that allow us to know and discover the history of the city from its foundation to our days. The museum collects a wide range of objects, furniture and works of art that previously belonged to Spanish institutions but also the result of donations from ordinary citizens that allow us to discover the lesser-known stories of the inhabitants of Córdoba.
