"Octavio de la Colina" Museum of Fine Arts

Pelagio B. Luna and Calchaquí 90
Tel. 0822-23225
Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7a.m. to 1p.m.

Its seven halls exhibit local, national and foreign sculptures belonging to different schools and periods. Octavio de la Colina was the first painter acknowledged as such in La Rioja. He was born in 1887 and died in 1930. The museum was created in 1949 by the writer and journalist Ángel Mario Vargas. It operates in an old house dating back to last century, that was the home of don Manuel Vicente Bustos, a former governor of La Rioja. It has cellars and secret passages with tunnels leading in different directions. The museum´s original collection was built around the works that participated in the "Joaquín V. González" First Salon of Arts that achieved significance at a national level. In addition to artists from La Rioja, renowned artists participated such as Leopoldo Presas, Héctor Basaldúa and Miguel Victorica, amongst others.

La Rioja
The city of La Rioja, capital of the province with the same name, lies at the foot of the Sierra de Velasco. The characteristic features of a Spanish colonial city blend with an active and lively commercial center. It is located 1,167km. away from the city of Buenos Aires and lies 500m. above sea level. To reach this city one must travel down national route No. 9 up to the city of Córdoba and then take national route No. 38.