Botero Museum

The Botero Museum, or Museo Botero, is an art museum in the La Candelaria neighborhood of Bogotá, Colombia. Founded in 2000, it houses a collection of 208 works donated by Colombian artist Fernando Botero: 123 pieces of his own creation and 85 works from his private collection of international art. The museum is managed by the cultural branch of the Bank of the Republic (Banrepcultural) and forms part of the La Candelaria cultural complex, which includes the Gold Museum, the Luis Ángel Arango Library, the Miguel Urrutia Art Museum, and the Museo Casa de Moneda. With over 500,000 visitors annually, including approximately 2,000 students per month, the museum has established itself as one of the most significant public international art collections in Latin America and represents one of the most generous cultural gifts in the region's history.

Fernando Botero had been an active art collector since the late 1960s, initially acquiring pre-Columbian pieces, later colonial art, and more recently drawings, paintings, and modern sculpture from around the world. Until 1999, his collections were dispersed among properties in New York, Paris, Monte Carlo, and Pietrasanta, as well as in a Swiss bank deposit in Bogotá. From the mid-1990s, Botero had considered donating his entire collection to the Museum of Antioquia in Medellín, but the slow decision-making by Antioquia authorities led him to accept a proposal from then-mayor of Bogotá, Enrique Peñalosa, to donate the collection to the nation through the Bank of the Republic. In 2000, Botero donated 208 art pieces to the Bank of the Republic. The collection arrived in Colombia after an exhibition at the Fundación Santander Central Hispano in Madrid. The museum opened to the public free of charge on November 1, 2000. Following the Bogotá donation, Botero also gave a significant set of his own works to the Museum of Antioquia and sculptures for the Botero Plaza in Medellín, plus approximately 21 additional pieces by artists including Matta, Lam, Stella, and Rodin. In 2012, the Ministry of Culture Resolution 565 declared the entire donated collection an asset of cultural interest for the nation through the National Council of Cultural Heritage of Colombia. During Fernando Botero's funeral ceremonies in 2023, his coffin lay in repose in the museum courtyard.

The museum's collection totals 208 works, divided between Botero's own art and his private collection of international artists. The 123 works by Botero consist primarily of oil paintings, drawings, pastels, sanguines, and sculptures from the most recent decades of his career. Notably, his earliest production from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s is not represented here; those works are held in the permanent exhibition of the Colombian National Museum, also in Bogotá. The 85 works by other artists span from French Impressionism of the 19th century to 20th-century contemporary art, with the oldest piece being Gitane au tambourin (pre-1862) by Camille Corot and the most recent a 1998 oil painting by Barceló. The east wing presents this international collection chronologically. The museum's holdings have positioned it among the five most important public international art collections in Latin America, alongside institutions such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires, the Museo de Arte de São Paulo, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas, and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de la Universidad de São Paulo.

The museum occupies a colonial mansion in La Candelaria, the historic center of Bogotá, located only a short walk from the Plaza de Bolívar. The building served as the office of the archbishop until 1955. The Bank of the Republic acquired the property and restored and adapted it to house the art collection, with Fernando Botero himself providing guidance and curatorship for the transformation. The museum is organized across two main wings: the west wing displays Botero's own works across two floors, while the east wing houses the international collection. The restored colonial architecture contributes to the visitor experience, with halls and a courtyard that evoke the historical atmosphere of old Bogotá. The building's integration into the La Candelaria cultural complex places it in proximity to other major cultural institutions, facilitating combined visits.

The Botero Museum is located in the La Candelaria district of Bogotá and is open to the public free of charge. Hours are 9 AM to 7 PM Monday, Wednesday through Saturday; 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday; closed Tuesdays. The museum offers daily educational programs including guided tours, lectures, conferences, and workshops for children and teachers. Visitors can also arrange specialized guided tours at varying cost levels. The museum's proximity to the Gold Museum, approximately a five-minute walk, allows for combined visits. Photography is permitted without flash, with the courtyard offering particularly good natural light conditions. The compact size of the museum allows for a complete visit in 45 to 90 minutes. The gift shop offers Botero prints and books.