Buenos Aires Monserrat

Museo Etnográfico Juan Bautista Ambrosetti. Just off Plaza de Mayo, this small but excellent museum displays a variety of ethnographic exhibits from around the world. The most fascinating and impressive displays are those that focus on the pre-Columbian indigenous peoples of South America and, in particular, of Argentina. Though the captions are in Spanish only, the artifacts themselves—including ceramics, jewelry, tools, and clothing—are stunning and engrossing even without the explanations. Make sure to head upstairs to check out the native costumes, including one made to resemble a jaguar. (Moreno 350. S Plaza de Mayo. ☎4331 7788. Open Tu-F 1-7pm, Sa-Su 3-7pm. AR$2 suggested contribution. Guided tours Sa-Su 4pm. Free.)

Museo Mundial Del Tango. Housed in the Academia Nacional del Tango, this small, new museum painstakingly traces the historical development of tango through chronologically ordered displays packed with memorabilia, including old photos, records, playbills, and even shoes. There are also a few tango costumes and, not surprisingly, tango music in the background. (Avenida de Mayo 833. S Avenida de Mayo or Lima. Captions in Spanish. Open M-F 2:30-7:30pm. AR$5.)

Museo De La Ciudad (Museum Of The City). Devoted to an exploration of porteño life and culture, the city’s museum displays a somewhat boring collection of toys, furniture, and old photos. It also hosts often amusing rotating exhibits on a variety of topics, including, for example, an exploration of the city’s garden gnomes, of which there are many, apparently, in various scenes. We’re sure you’ve been dying to see them. (Adolfo Alsina 412. S Plaza de Mayo. ☎4331 9855. Captions in Spanish. Open M-F 11am-7pm, Sa-Su 3-7pm. AR$3.)

Museo De La Casa Rosada. On the south side of the Casa Gobierno is a small museum devoted to the palace’s former inhabitants, starting in the early 19th century. The exhibits, which include an array of presidential memorabilia—such as medals, sashes, and canes—provide a good refresher course on the past two centuries of Argentine politics, if little else. (Hipólito Yrigoyen 219. S Plaza de Mayo. ☎4344 3802. ID required. Captions in English and Spanish. Open M-F 10am-6pm, Su 2-6pm. Guided tours M-F 11am and 3pm, Su 4pm. Free.)

Museo Del Cabildo. Though the museum itself is not particularly exciting, visiting it is the only way to get behind the stark white facade of the Cabildo —the seat of the city’s government until 1822—and see its bright patios and refurbished colonial rooms. The museum contains a collection of 18th- and 19th-century period pieces, including portraits and ornate furniture that might have been in the building at the time, as well as the requisite historical documents and standards. (Bolívar 65. S Plaza de Mayo. ☎4343 4387. Open Tu-Su noon-6pm. AR$3. Spanish-language guided tours F 3:30pm, Sa-Su 12:30, 2, 3:30pm. Free.)