Everything has a price, and we know it, but how nice it is to find things, places, events, and opportunities that cost nothing and are free. There aren’t a huge number of them, but there are a few so you can enjoy yourself without money being a necessity or a problem.Want to know what to do for free in Buenos Aires? We have a list of 23 free activities you can do in Buenos Aires.
Recoleta Cemetery
The Recoleta Cemetery is unique in Buenos Aires and, in fact, in the world. There aren’t many cemeteries with mausoleums that you can explore as if they were small cities. That’s what the Recoleta Cemetery is like. If you’re Argentine, you can visit it for free (foreigners pay an entrance fee) every day.
There are modern mausoleums mixed with classic ones, and even tombstones of the first people who settled in Buenos Aires. Recoleta Cemetery holds many fascinating stories, and there are guided tours that reveal all its stories and legends.
Recoleta Cemetery
📍Junin 1760.
👉Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ecological Reserve
The Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve is the city’s largest green space and a great place to visit. If you’re looking for free things to do in Buenos Aires, be sure to include a visit to the reserve in your plans: you can go birdwatching for native species, get out of the city for a bit, and spend the afternoon exploring its various trails and lagoons.
Ecological Reserve
📍Av. Dr. Tristán Achával Rodríguez 1550
👉Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you don’t know what to do for free in Buenos Aires, you should know that the Museum of Fine Arts is one of the few art museums in Buenos Aires that’s free. This beautiful museum has an extensive collection of colonial art that includes paintings and artifacts, as well as a fine collection of European art from different periods.
The Museum of Fine Arts also brings contemporary art to the city through its traveling exhibitions, which showcase the work of contemporary artists, and it’s one of the 10 things you can do for free in Buenos Aires.
National Museum of Fine Arts
📍Av. Del Libertador 1473. Recoleta.
📅Open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. Weekends from 10 a.m. Closed on Mondays.
Exploring the Ecopark is another of the 10 free things you can do in Buenos Aires.The former Zoo is now a green space where you can stroll, watch some species roaming freely alongside you, and take one of the special tours. The Ecopark is also now a hospital where native species are treated, healed, and rehabilitated.
If you don’t know what to do for free in Buenos Aires, stop by the Ecoparque without hesitation. It also has a beautiful outdoor café and a playground for children.
Ecoparque (Former Zoo)
📍Sarmiento 2601
📅 Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Botanical Garden
The Buenos Aires Botanical Garden houses an impressive collection of plants and trees from various parts of the world and is one of the most beautiful parks in Buenos Aires. If you go, you’ll discover its greenhouses, shaded paths, and ponds. It also has a children’s library and is an excellent place to stroll and cool off in the summer—totally free in Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires Botanical Garden
📍3951 Santa Fe Avenue
Did you know that on certain days of the month, admission to the Japanese Garden is free for Argentines? If you decide to go, you’ll be able to see the koi fish in its canals and ponds, have a cup of tea, and enjoy a real Japanese lunch that’s not just sushi. The Japanese Garden is a beautiful place to stroll in the city and is one of the 10 free things you can do in Buenos Aires. The days with free admission are announced on their website every month.
👉Japanese Garden
📍Av. Casares 2966
📅Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
This is one of the most beautiful bookstores in Buenos Aires, and while it looks large and imposing from the outside, the truth is that going inside, exploring it, browsing through books, and even sitting down to read is completely free.
The Ateneo Gran Esplendid Bookstore used to be a movie theater and theater a long time ago, but it retains that charm and the structure of its past, and that’s what makes it so special. Plus, it has a café where you can read and have a coffee. Don’t know what to do for free in Buenos Aires? This!
El Ateneo Gran Esplendid Bookstore
📍Avenida Santa Fé 1860.
📅 Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Cassará Building houses the Cassará Foundation, but that’s not its only secret. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings on Avenida de Mayo, and you might not know that you can visit its architecture, its art exhibitions, and its spectacular observation deck.
Inside this building is an art gallery that regularly updates its exhibitions, and since it’s a tall building, its terrace has been turned into an incredible viewpoint from which to observe Buenos Aires for free.
Cassará Building – Cassará Foundation
📍 Avenida de Mayo 1190
📅 Free visits Fridays and Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
👉 Reserve your spot on the event website
Borges Cultural Center
There are 10 free things you can do in Buenos Aires, and one of them is taking tango lessons. At the Borges Cultural Center, you can participate in the open milonga where, in addition to dancing at the milonga, you can go beforehand and join the free tango class. It’s for all levels and for those who have no idea how to move their feet. Now you know what to do for free in Buenos Aires.
Borges Cultural Center
📍Viamonte 525
📅 Saturdays and Sundays at 5 p.m.
The Teatro Colón is the home of the Buenos Aires Opera and hosts many events, ranging from opera and ballet to concerts. The Teatro Colón is also a center for training and experimentation, so many of the activities offered by the ISATC (the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón) are free.
For their concerts, you can get two free tickets per person, always online, up to 48 hours before the start of each performance.
Teatro Colón
📍Tucumán 1171
Concerts at the Centenario Park Amphitheater
Every month, the City of Buenos Aires government offers an extensive program of concerts and cultural events, including dance performances, recitals, and plays for children. And they’re all free. The Centenario Park Amphitheater is huge; it’s located in Centenario Park, which provides a wonderful setting, and every single one of its activities is free. Generally, you just need to reserve your spot through their Instagram account.
Centenario Park 📍Av. Patricias Argentinas 822
Concerts at the Naval Center
The Naval Center is a beautiful building on Córdoba and Florida avenues that hosts a series of free concerts every month. They’re usually classical music concerts, though there are also art exhibitions you can visit in Buenos Aires without paying a cent.
Naval Center 📍Florida 801
El Molino
El Molino is that beautiful building on the corner of Callao and Rivadavia with, as its name suggests, windmill blades at the top. It used to be an incredible Italian-style pastry shop and is currently undergoing restoration. The good news is that you can visit it for free every month, and it’s really worth it. If you’re not sure what to do for free in Buenos Aires and you’re tempted to see this beautiful building, reserve your spot on El Molino’s Instagram.
El Molino 📍Av. Callao and Av. Rivadavia
Usina del Arte
La Usina del Arte is a cultural center in Buenos Aires with spaces dedicated to the youngest members of the family. There are always concerts, workshops, and games for all ages. Many of its spaces are specially designed for children, and best of all, everything that happens at La Usina del Arte in Buenos Aires is free.
Usina del Arte 📍Agustín Caffarena 1.
CC Borges
The Borges Cultural Center is known for its jazz concert series. But it also updates its schedule of plays and dance performances every month or week. Activities at the Borges Cultural Center are completely free, but you must pick up your ticket at the reception desk at least one hour before the show starts.
CC Borges 📍Viamonte 151
If you’re looking for things to do and events that won’t cost you a thing, bookmark these activities for when you want to do something for free in Buenos Aires.
City Park
City Park is one of the largest parks in Buenos Aires, and besides being an ideal green space to spend the afternoon, drink mate, take a walk, or soak up the sun, it also usually hosts many activities on weekends. There’s no shortage of family activities and games, plus live music and games. Obviously free.
Watch an outdoor movie
Whether it’s the steps of the Palacio Libertad or the Casa del Bicentenario, you can enjoy outdoor film series all summer long and through March. There are movies for every taste: Argentine films, European films, classics, and films from every era. And it’s all free with no admission fee.
Immerse yourself in immersive experiences
Once again, the Palacio Libertad is the only cultural center in Buenos Aires with its own dedicated immersive exhibition space. Every month, for several weeks, there’s a new free immersive exhibition in the city that you can visit. And often, there’s more than one, so your free experience in Buenos Aires can even be twice as good.
Every summer, Buenos Aires becomes a city with beaches because selected parks are transformed with sand, water games, and even lounge chairs. Every year you get a new selection. These are this year’s summer parks.
Go skateboarding at a skatepark
In the Chacarita neighborhood, there’s a skatepark (right next to the cemetery). It’s perfect for skateboarding, but since it also has basketball courts and a soccer tennis court, it can be a great place to play sports all day outdoors. Admission is free.
National Historical Museum
Located across from Lezama Park, the National Historical Museum is one of the most iconic places to learn about our history. With free admission, you can explore halls displaying everything from San Martín’s sword to portraits and personal items belonging to the key figures of Argentine history. An ideal way to stroll through San Telmo and immerse yourself in the past without spending a single peso.
📍Defensa 1600
The Korean Cultural Center is a well-kept secret. In addition to exhibitions of contemporary and traditional Korean art, it offers film series, photography exhibitions, talks, and free workshops for all ages. All of this takes place within the Palacio Bencich, an architectural gem that’s worth the visit in and of itself.
📍Maipú 972
Parque de la Memoria
On the banks of the Río de la Plata, the Parque de la Memoria combines contemporary art, nature, and historical memory in a single place. This public space invites you to explore sculptures by local and international artists that pay tribute to the victims of state terrorism. Admission is free, and the view of the river—especially at sunset—makes it a great way to enjoy Buenos Aires for free.
📍Av. Costanera Norte Rafael Obligado 6745