Museo Evita

Museo Evita tells the story of Eva Perón, the actress who became Argentina's most famous first lady and remains one of the country's most powerful political symbols. It was formally inaugurated on 26 July 2002, the 50th anniversary of her death, and is run by the national institute dedicated to historical research on her life.

The setting is part of the story. The museum occupies the Carabassa building, a house in Spanish Colonial style built in 1923 by the architect Estanislao Pirovano for a banking family. In 1948 the Eva Perón Foundation acquired it and turned it into a temporary home for families in need, a role it kept until 1955, after which the state used the building for other purposes. The museum project itself began in 1998, when the house was also declared a historical landmark. Walking through its rooms gives a sense of both the elegant private house it once was and the social work for which Evita is remembered.

The exhibition follows her life in order. It begins with her childhood in Los Toldos and her early career as an actress, moves on to her meeting with Juan Domingo Perón, with letters between them, and then covers her years as first lady. Highlights include garments she wore, with designs by Christian Dior and the Argentine designer Paco Jamandreu, Peronist propaganda, and displays on her campaign for women's suffrage. One of the most moving objects is her national identity card, the first issued to a woman in Argentina, which she used to vote from her hospital bed.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00. Guided tours for the general public run from Tuesday to Sunday at 16:00, and there is a tour in English on Fridays at 15:00. The museum also offers a tour designed for blind and low-vision visitors. Allow around 90 minutes. There is a restaurant-bar, which makes a pleasant stop for lunch, and a shop.

The museum suits anyone interested in Argentine history and politics, and it gives useful context before visiting Eva Perón's tomb at Recoleta Cemetery. It stands at Lafinur 2988 in Palermo, so it fits well into a day that also includes the Jardín Japonés or MALBA.