The National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana is not only one of the largest Cuba museums, but it’s among the biggest in the Caribbean. It consists of two buildings housing Cuban arts and an international collection separately. Given that one of them it’s situated near Parque Central and the other next to Paseo del Prado in Old Havana, the museum should definitely be on your “Cuba Things to do” list.
Plan your visit to Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Cuba
The museum is normally open Monday to Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and between 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sundays. Tourists can visit both museum buildings for approximately £7 or just one of the buildings for £4. There are also guided tours available.
The History behind Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts
Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1913 and is housed in two buildings — the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) and the Palace of the Asturian Centre (Palacio del Centro Asturiano).
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palace of Fine Arts houses collections of Cuban art. The range of artworks is impressive, and visitors can learn a lot about Cuban history by viewing the paintings and sculptures on display. The galleries span the periods from the 17th century to the present, with special sections dedicated to landscapes, religion, and scenes of everyday Cuban life.
Palace of the Asturian Centre
The international art collections are exhibited in the Universal Art building in the former Asturian Centre. The building spreads over 5 floors and hosts collections from Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia, with the oldest artwork dating back to 500 BC. It houses famous works from different European countries. For example, there are more than 700 pieces in the Spanish section, making it one of the richest collections in the world.
A visit to the Universal Arts building lets you see views of the famous Inglaterra Hotel across the street. The oldest hotel in Cuba, dating back to 1875, is also a fine example of the neoclassical architectural style in Havana.
Exhibitions in Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts
Guillermo Collazo, La Siesta
Colonial Cuban art
Different art periods are displayed at Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts. There are rooms dedicated to Cuban culture from the Colonial Period spanning the 17th to 19th centuries. A great example is the work of Guillermo Collazo, whose paintings show a synthesis of all that is Cuban. Take his Picture of Carmen Bacallao de Malpica (oil on canvas, 1883) or Cutting Sugar Cane by Victor Patricio (oil on canvas, 1874).
Turn-of-the-Century Art
Another interesting period for Cuban fine art is the ‘Turn of the Century Art’, with Rafael Blanco as a notable example. You should pay attention to the references to Cuban culture in Augusto Oliva Blay’s painting ‘Malecon’ or Jose A. Bencomo Mena’s ‘The White Flower’.
The section that shows a phase of maturity in Cuban art infusing different influences bears the name of Vanguardia. One can find the legendary Wilfredo Lam’s work (Seated Woman, 1949), but also paintings by Eduardo Abela (Guajiros, 1938) and Carlos Enriquez (The Kidnapping of the Mulatas, 1938).
Contemporary art
Contemporary Art is another stunning section dedicated to a new generation of Cuban artists who focused on searching for Cuban identity during the 1960s. The painters in this period were trying to explore the rural Afro-Cuban traditions. The most popular representatives are Raul Martinez and Santiago Armada.
The gallery of 1970s work showcases the latest generation of Cuban artists with strong symbolic imagery and a preponderance of Hyperrealism. This is where paintings and sculptures resemble high-resolution photographs.
Universal Art collections
Jan Cossiers, The five senses
When it comes to the displays of international fine art, the museum houses collections from a wide range of countries — Spain, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, Vietnam, and many others. The galleries showcase not only paintings and sculptures but also exquisite pottery, Japanes fans and silk paintings, and engravings.
Some of the galleries in this building can be tricky to find, given the vast space spanning several floors. The museum staff is very helpful, and you can always ask for directions. The second floor is dedicated to 19th and early 20th-century Spanish works.
What to see at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de la Habana is the ‘it’ place to see Cuban artwork and learn about the local history and tradition through paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery, and more. Plan ahead and leave plenty of time for the whole tour around the museum.
Tourists are often surprised by the masterpieces they encounter here and the artwork by Caravaggio, Goya, Rubens, and Valasquez. There are no English translations, and it may be helpful to join a guided tour of the museum.
Both sections of the museum also house bookstores with Spanish editions and souvenirs. At Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts, you can also have a lunch break at the classy yet affordable on-site cafes.
What to visit on a Havana Tour
Paseo de Marti
Nearby you will find the Revolution Museum, which served as the presidential palace before the Cuban Revolution and was inaugurated in 1920. It has neoclassical elements and was decorated by Tiffany Studios in New York City. The interior of the building is stunning, with a beautiful marble colonnade and rich decorative elements. The collections inside mostly consist of artworks dedicated to the Cuban Revolution.
The nearby Paseo de Marti is abundant in typical buildings everyone is coming to see and take a picture of. The Marti Promenade is a European-style boulevard designed to look like the streets of Barcelona. Stroll along the promenade, which is in close proximity to many of Havana’s attractions.
Don’t miss out on visiting Old Havana (Habana Vieja), which was made a Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. The neighbourhood is famous for its architecture, buildings, and squares that date back to the 16th century, and popular cafés such as La Bodeguita del Medio, where Ernest Hemingway and Nat King Cole used to enjoy traditional mojitos.
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