National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba

The National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana) is the country's premier art museum, located in Havana. Founded in 1913, it holds the most important collection of Cuban art in the world and ranks among the most significant collections of Western art in Latin America. The museum operates across two buildings near the Paseo del Prado: the Palacio de Bellas Artes, dedicated to Cuban art, and the Palacio del Centro Asturiano, housing international collections. Its holdings span from colonial times to contemporary generations, encompassing over 45,000 works.

The institution opened on February 23, 1913, as the Museo Nacional de la Republica,ava, through the efforts of its first director, architect Emilio Heredia. After frequent relocations, it moved to its current premises in 1953. The Palacio de Bellas Artes, championed by First Lady Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista and designed by architect Rodriguez Pichardo, opened on June 18, 1954. The museum initially collected historical, artistic, and ethnographic materials before specializing in art and art history following the 1959 Revolution. In February 2014, the National Council of Cultural Heritage reported that 70 works had been stolen from the collection; there was no break-in, making the timing of the thefts impossible to determine, and UNESCO compiled a list of the missing works. In May 2021, approximately twenty Cuban artists including Tania Bruguera, Sandra Ramos, and Carlos Garaicoa requested that their works be removed from public view in support of detained artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara; the museum rejected this demand, stating it was not in the public interest.

The museum's Cuban art collection comprises more than 4,300 paintings, 12,800 drawings and prints, and 285 sculptures. Its Western art collection contains over 1,600 paintings, 126 sculptures, and 8,000 drawings and prints spanning from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The European holdings cover English, Flemish, French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish schools, with particular strength in European painting from the 15th through early 20th centuries. The total holdings exceed 45,000 pieces, making it the largest collection of paintings and sculptures in the Caribbean region. The museum also maintains a library of more than 120,000 volumes and the Centro de Informacion de Antonio Rodriguez Morey, a national reference center for visual arts. Additionally, it operates a theater with exhibitions, concerts, and cultural programming.

The Cuban art galleries feature prominent works by Wifredo Lam and Rene Portocarrero, along with pieces by Leopoldo Romanach, Victor Manuel, Federico Beltran Masses, Rafael Lillo, Jose A. Bencomo Mena, Manuel Vega, Domingo Ramos, Guillermo Collazo, Mariano Rodriguez, Carlos Enriquez Gomez, and Jorge Arche. Colonial-era artists include Jean-Baptiste Vermay, Jose Nicolas de la Escalera, Vicente Escobar, and Victor Patricio. Early 20th-century figures represented include Fidelio Ponce de Leon, Amelia Pelaez, Mario Carreno Morales, Roberto Diago, and Hugo Consuegra. Contemporary artists include Guido Llinas, Servando Cabrera Moreno, Antonia Eiriz, Raul Martinez, Manuel Mendive, Tomas Sanchez, and Jose Bedia Valdes. The European collection includes a Hans Memling triptych of the Virgin and Child with donors; portraits by Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds, and George Romney; works by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck; paintings by Canaletto, Annibale Carracci, and Jacopo Tintoretto; and pieces by Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Jusepe de Ribera, and Diego Velazquez's workshop. A modernist sculpture by Rita Lonja stands outside the main entrance of the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

The museum occupies two distinct structures. The Palacio de Bellas Artes, the modern building dedicated to Cuban art, covers 18,083 square meters with 7,538 square meters of exhibition space. The Palacio del Centro Asturiano, built in 1927 by architect Manuel Bustos, covers 15,054 square meters with 4,873 square meters of exhibition space. Originally constructed as a club for natives of the Spanish province of Asturias, the Centro Asturiano later housed the Supreme Court of Justice after the 1959 Revolution before becoming part of the museum. The Palacio de Bellas Artes sits on the block once occupied by the old Colon Market.

The National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba is located in Havana, near the Paseo del Prado. It is managed by the Ministry of Culture and serves as a public institution with free admission. The museum maintains an active cultural program through its theater, hosting exhibitions, concerts, and events. Its website is https://www.bellasartes.co.cu/.