The fabulous MALBA is one of the cornerstones of the city's cultural life. Córdoba-based studio AFT Arquitectos beat other architects in the competition to design the building, and their distinctive triangular construction in creamy stone and steel is one of the museum's draws. The main galleries run along the left of a stunning four-story atrium, flooded in natural light from a wall of windows -- local artists often create installations.

Businessman and founder Eduardo Constantini's collection of more than 220 works of 19th- and 20th-century Latin-American art -- one of the world's largest and the museum's centerpiece -- is on the first floor. It includes paintings by Diego Rivera, Tarsila do Amaral, Xul Solar, Roberto Matta, and Joaquín Torres García, who brought their experiences in the European avant-garde to bear on Latin American realities. Geometric paintings and sculptures from the 1940s represent movements such as Arte Concreto, Constructivism, and Arte Madí, all born in Latin America. There's also a solid collection of optical and kinetic sculptures. The main gallery has works by the likes of Frida Kahlo and Fernando Botero, and concludes with abstract, psychedelic, and conceptual pieces from the late 20th century. All labels are in English, though not all the excellent gallery introductions are. Young, enthusiastic guides give great tours in Spanish; you can call ahead to arrange group English-language tours.

World-class temporary exhibitions are held on the second floor three or four times a year, and two small basement galleries show art by cutting-edge locals. You can give your feet -- and eyes -- a rest on the first floor sculpture deck, with views over Belgrano and Barrio Norte. MALBA also has by far the best art cinema in town, it shows restored copies of classics, never-released features, and silent films with live music, as well as local films of note. Be sure to leave yourself time to browse the art books and funky design objects of the museum's excellent gift shop.

Highlights of the Constantini Collection: The iconic shapes and tropical colors of Abaporu (1928) by Tarsila do Amaral, a Brazilian involved in the "cannibalistic" Movimento Antropofágico (rather than eating white Europeans, proponents of the movement proposed devouring European culture and digesting it into something new); autodidact Xul Solar's watercolors, which fuse Latin American symbols with kabbalistic ideas; Antonio Berni's poptastic collage The Great Temptation (1962) and the bizarre sculpture Voracity or Ramona's Nightmare (1964), both featuring the eccentric prostitute Ramona, a character Berni created in this series of works that criticize consumer society.

Kids Love: Hands on kinetic works like Julio Le Parc's Seven Unexpected Movements, a wall-mounted sculpture with gleaming parts that move at the press of a button.

Argentine Artists of the Moment: Liliana Porter, Marta Minujín, Guillermo Kuitca, and Alejandro Kuropatwa.

Don't Leave Without Buying: A one-of-a-kind book from offbeat publishing house Eloisa Cartonera -- the covers are handpainted on cardboard bought from cartoneros (people who sift through garbage looking for such recyclables as paper and cardboard), and the texts are provided by quirky local writers like Fabián Casas or Washington Cucurto (6 pesos); old-style wooden toys and spinning tops by Trompos (35 pesos and up); one of Roman Vitali's purses or lamps made entirely from individually wired jewel-colored beads (200 pesos and up).

On the Menu: The sleek split-level Malba Restaurant (11/4801-3386. Sun.-Wed. 9-9, Thurs.-Sat. 9-1 AM) is itself a reason to visit the museum. Wait for the collections to open over a submarino (steamed milk with dark chocolate melted into it) and rogel Mendocino (mille-feuille pastry with dulce de leche), or linger between closing time and a film in the cinema for a dinner of cordero con milhojas de papa (lamb shank with layered potatoes) and the not-to-be-missed chocolate mousse. Alternatively, catch up on your wine tasting with the excellent selection of local wines available by the glass.