The Museo de Antioquia is the second-oldest museum in Colombia (founded 1881) and, since Fernando Botero began giving it his work in 1974, the place to see him in depth: 189 works including the 23 bronzes on the square outside. It is also a serious Colombian art museum below the Botero floor — pre-Columbian, colonial, the Antioquian modernists — inside a 1930s former city hall. Here are the hours, the prices for Colombians and foreigners, the free days, and how to plan two hours well.
Hours, prices and free days
| Address | Carrera 52 #52-43, on Plaza Botero; Parque Berrío metro (Line A), 3 minutes on foot |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Saturday 9:40 am–5:30 pm; Sundays and holidays 9:40 am–4:30 pm; closed 1 January, 1 May, 25 December |
| Admission (last check) | Colombians and residents about 16,000 COP; students and over-62s 12,000; foreign visitors 40,000; groups of 8+ discounted |
| Free | Children under 7; strata 1–3 residents (with utility bill); local students weekdays 3–6 pm; Sundays reopened in May 2024 with free entry for strata 1–3 |
| Time needed | 2–3 hours for the three floors |
Prices are set annually; buy online at museodeantioquia.co to skip the queue on weekends and bring ID for any discount.
What’s inside
- Third floor — Botero. Paintings, drawings and sculpture spanning his career, from the 1974 gift Exvoto to the large late canvases: the plump Familia groups, the bullfight series, the violence pictures of the 1990s–2000s, and the Colombian still lifes. The plaza bronzes make more sense after this floor.
- Second floor — modern and contemporary. Antioquian and Colombian modernism, including Francisco Antonio Cano’s Horizontes, the region’s best-known painting, and rotating contemporary shows. The museum announced a refresh of its history and colonial galleries for 2026, with new programming from late May — check the site if a specific gallery matters.
- Ground floor — colonial and religious art, pre-Columbian ceramics, temporary exhibitions, ticketing, a free bag check, the shop and two cafés: El Social Maestro for a Colombian lunch and El Laboratorio del Café.
The building itself — the Palacio Municipal of 1937, art-deco with a grand stair — is worth a look; a lift at the back serves visitors who cannot use the stairs.
Visiting tips
- Go at opening on a weekday: the galleries are empty and the square outside is at its safest and best-lit.
- Photography without flash is allowed in most rooms; guides report the Botero floor is stricter — ask at the desk.
- A free Spanish-language guided tour runs daily at 2 pm; English group tours can be booked in advance by email for five or more people.
- Combine with the square, the free Palacio de la Cultura opposite, lunch on Junín, and the walk to Parque San Antonio’s bombed Pájaro de Paz. Do it all before 6 pm.
Nearby
Everything else downtown — Parque Berrío, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Plaza Cisneros, Casa de la Memoria, the tram — is in our Centro guide; where to eat is in Centro dining. Sleeping downtown? Hotels in La Candelaria.
FAQ
How much is the Museo de Antioquia? About 16,000 COP for Colombians and 40,000 COP for foreign visitors at our last check; free for under-7s and on discount days.
Is the museum open on Sundays? Yes, 9:40 am–4:30 pm, since Sundays were reinstated in May 2024.
How many Botero works does it have? 189, including the 23 sculptures on the plaza.
Sources: museodeantioquia.co (hours, Sundays), Terra Colombia (2025 tariffs), El Espectador and El Colombiano (collection history), Telemedellín (2026 gallery refresh); checked August 2026.
