Buenos Aires La Boca

Fundación Proa. This large, remodeled mansion is widely regarded as one of Buenos Aires’ best art museums for the caliber of its temporary exhibits. Though the museum, which expanded in 2008, usually displays Latin American works, ranging from pre-Columbian to contemporary, it also hosts exhibits on major international artists such as Marcel Duchamp. Many locals will claim that it’s the one of the few reasons to visit Boca. They might just be right. (Don Pedro de Mendoza 1929. ☎4104 1000; www.proa.org. Open Tu-Su 11am-7pm. AR$3.)

Museo De Bellas Artes De La Boca. This long-running museum has a solid collection of late 19th- and early 20th-century Argentine artists, but its real star is Benito Quinquela Martín. He’s kind of a big deal in Boca, and in Argentina as a whole—so much so that they decided to recreate his bathroom and turn it into an exhibit. Now that’s fame. Born and raised in Boca, Martín devoted his career to portraying the sights and people of the neighborhood, from its brightly colored houses to the ships that docked in the harbor. Martín founded the museum himself on the site of his studio in 1938, and the third floor is devoted to some of his best works, as well as his personal effects. After perusing his paintings, be sure to head out to the series of rooftop terraces, which function as sculpture gardens and provide excellent views of the neighborhood and the harbor. (Don Pedro de Mendoza 1935. ☎4301 1080; www.mbqm.com.ar. Open Tu-F 10am-6pm, Sa-Su 11am-6pm. Guided tours Tu-F 10am and 2:30pm. Voluntary contribution AR$3-5.)

Museo Histórico De Cera. This tiny museum has a short series of exhibits portraying historical scenes and figures as well as a creepy, grisly collection of snake bites and wounds—all in wax. Unless you really love wax museums and snake bites, this one is probably not worth the rather steep entrance fee. (Dr. Enrique del Valle Iberlucea 1261. ☎4303 0563; www.museodecera.com.ar. Captions in English and Spanish. Open M-F 10am-6pm, Sa-Su 11am-8pm. AR$15.)