A mansion turned art museum, the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo is testament to the lifestyle of Argentina’s wealthy and powerful. The grandeur of this building is overwhelming, and only with a visit to the interior will you truly believe that this was once a residence. Josefina de Alvear and her husband, Matías Errázuriz Ortúzar commissioned French architect René Sergent to design the building, eventually constructed in French neoclassic architecture of the 18th century.

The couple decorated the residence with a large number of antiques and other impressive objects. After Mrs Errazúriz’s passing, her widower turned the mansion over to the Argentine government, and the building now hosts a permanent collection of European and Oriental furniture, sculptures, porcelain and tapestries ranging from the 14th to 20th centuries. This includes pieces by Manet and El Greco. The rooms have been kept intact for visitors to admire the lavish lifestyles, as well as to marvel at the impressive collection of paintings. Glinting chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the entire space will leave you marveling at the wonders you’ll encounter in every room.