Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Spanish are given at 5pm Monday to Friday, and 4pm and 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Be sure to stroll the lovely gardens out back.
Once & Around
BA's most ethnically colorful neighborhood is Once, with sizable groups of Jews, Peruvi-
ans and Koreans. The cheap market around Once train station always bustles, with
vendors selling their goods on sidewalks and crowds everywhere.
Museo Argentino de
(Natural Science Museum; 4982-6595;
www.macn.secyt.gov.ar
;
Av Ángel Gallardo 490; admis-
sion AR$10; 2-7pm)
Way over to the west, the oval Parque del Centenario is a large
open space containing this excellent natural-science museum. On display are large col-
lections of meteorites, rocks and minerals, seashells, insects and dinosaur skeleton rep-
licas. Life-size models of a basking shark and ocean sunfish are impressive, and the taxi-
dermy and skeleton rooms are especially good. Bring the kids; they can mingle with the
hundreds of children who visit on school excursions.
Museo Casa Carlos Gardel
MUSEUM
( 4964-2071; Jean Jaurés 735; admission AR$5, free Wed; 11am-6pm Mon & Wed-Fri,
10am-7pm Sat & Sun)
Small but noteworthy is this tribute to tango's most famous voice.
Located in Gardel's old house, this museum traces his partnership with José Razzano and
displays old memorabilia like photos, records and news clippings. There isn't a whole lot
to see, so it's best for real fans or just the curious; look for the cluster of colorfully
painted buildings. Free tango classes offered Wednesday and Friday at 6pm, and
Saturday at 3pm.
Mercado de Abasto
NOTABLE BUILDING
( 4959-3400;
www.abasto-shopping.com.ar
;
Av Corrientes 3247; 10am-10pm)
The historic
Mercado de Abasto (1895) has been recycled by US-Hungarian financier George Soros
into one of the most beautiful shopping centers in the city. The building, once a large ve-
getable market, received an architectural prize in 1937 for its Av Corrientes facade. It
holds more than 200 stores, a large cinema, a large food court and a kosher McDonald's
(the one upstairs).
