×

Cuba🇨🇺 | attractionsMuseo Nacional de Bellas ArtesWifredo Lam, Cuban art chronology, revolution posters, two buildings | things to do and best time to go

Explore Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia AlonsoExplore Cabaret Tropicana

Backpacking in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
🌟 Highlightattraction ranked #6
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

The museum is split into two separate buildings, and most first-timers see only one: Arte Cubano and Arte Universal sit several blocks apart, with a separate ticket for each building. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is in Havana, the capital of Cuba, on the edge of Habana Vieja. Spend your time in the Cuban collection. It runs from colonial portraits to Wifredo Lam and the post-revolution generation, and nothing else in the country shows it so clearly. The universal building, with its Greek and Roman pieces and European canvases, is fine but skippable if your days are short. Crowds are thin, and you can stand alone in a room. I finished a visit with a tiny, bitter cortado at a window café nearby for about US$1, and it was the best way to cool my head after hours of Lam. Bring cash, since card machines are unreliable.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 Cuba Travel Guide.


example page 0 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 1 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 2 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 3 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 4 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 5 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 6 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 7 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
Loading the map 🌍
CLICK TO FILTER
cities
towns
villages
landmarks
national parks
hikes
beaches
attractions
festivals
SHOW COUNTRY’S BESTSHOW ALL

✨ Why go?
Ranked #6 attraction in CubaWhat sets this place apart

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is the quickest route to understanding Cuban identity through paint, and it works as a milestone in any Havana itinerary. The Arte Cubano building runs from colonial portraiture through the early twentieth century to the Revolution-era and contemporary rooms. You see how Cuban artists absorbed African, Spanish and Caribbean influences, and that context makes the street murals, dance halls and old cars outside make more sense.

The second reason is value. For a modest ticket you get works by Wifredo Lam and a deep collection of Cuban painters you will rarely see outside the island. Few museums here are this well kept. It is also a cool, quiet break from Havana’s heat and traffic, handy when your feet need a pause between walks around the old town and the Malecón. … read more 👉
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is the quickest route to understanding Cuban identity through paint, and it works as a milestone in any Havana itinerary. The Arte Cubano building runs from colonial portraiture through the early twentieth century to the Revolution-era and contemporary rooms. You see how Cuban artists absorbed African, Spanish and Caribbean influences, and that context makes the street murals, dance halls and old cars outside make more sense.

The second reason is value. For a modest ticket you get works by Wifredo Lam and a deep collection of Cuban painters you will rarely see outside the island. Few museums here are this well kept. It is also a cool, quiet break from Havana’s heat and traffic, handy when your feet need a pause between walks around the old town and the Malecón. If you only visit one museum on the island, make it this one.

💡 HighlightsDon't-miss highlights and experiences

  1. Arte Cubano building: the main draw, with Cuban art in rough chronological order from colonial times to contemporary work, so you can read the country’s story room by room.
  2. Wifredo Lam paintings: the Cuban modernist blended Afro-Cuban imagery with cubist and surrealist forms, and his canvases here feel strange and powerful.
  3. Amelia Peláez works: colorful still lifes and ceramics echoing the stained-glass fanlights of colonial Havana homes.
  4. Colonial portraits and landscapes: early island painters show sugar society, clothing and local faces in careful detail.
  5. Revolution-era posters and graphics: bold, graphic and political work that shows how art carried messages after 1959.
  6. Contemporary Cuban galleries: newer pieces that comment on island life with irony and quiet nerve.
  7. Arte Universal building:
… read more 👉
  1. Arte Cubano building: the main draw, with Cuban art in rough chronological order from colonial times to contemporary work, so you can read the country’s story room by room.
  2. Wifredo Lam paintings: the Cuban modernist blended Afro-Cuban imagery with cubist and surrealist forms, and his canvases here feel strange and powerful.
  3. Amelia Peláez works: colorful still lifes and ceramics echoing the stained-glass fanlights of colonial Havana homes.
  4. Colonial portraits and landscapes: early island painters show sugar society, clothing and local faces in careful detail.
  5. Revolution-era posters and graphics: bold, graphic and political work that shows how art carried messages after 1959.
  6. Contemporary Cuban galleries: newer pieces that comment on island life with irony and quiet nerve.
  7. Arte Universal building: the international collection, including Greek and Roman pieces and European paintings, an easy add-on if you have time left.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is best started in the Arte Cubano building, because its chronological layout gives you the context that makes everything else easier to follow.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

🌤️ When to go?Weather, crowds, and seasonal trade-offs

  • Dry Season (November to April): Havana runs 22 to 28°C (72 to 82°F) with low humidity, and the galleries stay comfortable on foot between visits. Daylight lasts roughly 11 to 12 hours. December to February is peak, so expect tour groups and higher bed prices.
  • Hot Wet Season (May to October): Highs reach 31 to 33°C (88 to 91°F) with heavy humidity and afternoon downpours. Rooms cost less and the museum is quieter, which suits a slow look at the Cuban collection. Hurricane risk peaks from August to October.
  • Weekday Mornings: Opening hours are limited and the galleries are calmest on weekdays right after the doors open, whatever the month.
  • Holidays: Around Christmas and New Year, rooms in Old Havana book out and prices climb.
Aim for March or April, when the heat has not built yet and the rooms are still reasonably priced.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: good for travelingFEBFebruary: good for travelingMARMarch: good for travelingAPRApril: highly recommended for travelingMAYMay: fair for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: fair for travelingSEPSeptember: below average for travelingOCTOctober: below average for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: good for traveling
cuba-attraction-museo-nacional-de-bellas-artes
© Google |

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutCuba Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
example page 0 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 1 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 2 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 3 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 4 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 5 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 6 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
example page 7 from our offline Travel Guide for Cuba
The digital guide (327 pages) contains:
✅ 113 highlights, ranked by travel appeal
✅ Optimized 5, 10 & 15-day travel routes
✅ Cities, national parks, landmarks, beaches
✅ How to get around
✅ Offline-friendly for travel without Wi-Fi
👉 Click to see all 30+ guide features

📅 Plan smarter in minutes, not weeks
✅ Month by month travel advice
✅ Festivals & national holidays
✅ Budget expectations

🗺️ Go to the right places, skip the overrated ones
✅ Honest pros & cons of destinations
✅ Top hikes, parks & viewpoints
✅ Lesser-known places most travelers miss
✅ Clear “worth it vs skip it” guidance

🛏️ Travel smoothly without rookie mistakes
✅ Best areas to stay
✅ Transport systems explained simply
✅ Common scams & safety advice
✅ SIM cards, money & practical tips

🌍 Understand the country, not just visit it
✅ Culture & traditions
✅ 52 Essential phrases & customs
✅ Festivals worth planning around
✅ Traveler-friendly historical context
✅ Insights that make places more meaningful

📱 Built for real travel conditions
✅ Fully downloadable PDF
✅ Works completely offline
✅ Optimized for phone use
✅ Useful in remote areas & buses
✅ Everything in one place
Stop searching, start planning
Get instant access to your full guide. 30‑day money-back guarantee.
+ Add another guide for just

By proceeding you agree to our terms.
Sent to your inbox immediately after payment • 100% Secure Checkout
Best Backpacking Travel Advisor 2025 tourism awardBest Backpacking
Travel Advisor
2025
What others say about Take Your Backpack Guides:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fantastic, amazing amount of information!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My goodness this is amazing, it's what I've been looking for hats off too you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I think this is absolutely BRILLIANT
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very complete and informative. It's still missing places, but I gotta to commend you
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is truly amazing, thank you, can't wait to explore it with my kids!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Awesome resource, thank you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is amazing! Can't wait to explore the ones I haven't seen
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love this! Well done, great idea.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks for taking the time to make this gem!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This might be the best website I've ever seen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Congratulations, and thank you so much for your work; it's incredibly valuable.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
In all seriousness I think you did a great job pointing out the important spots
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
10/10 very good
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As someone who's only just starting to visit regularly this is awesome, thank you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you very much! I'm going to visit my dad, it's going to be very useful!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is really cool! We'll be travelling for the first time and this definitely come in handy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You are now our minister of culture, congratulations 👨‍💼
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Just wanted to tell you that this is a pearl! Going to follow your recommendations.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is so cool. I'll definitely be using the resource for my travels soon.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is very impressive! Good work.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an amazing and informative site. Very well done!

🛏️ Where to stay?Choosing the right base

Old Havana (Habana Vieja) is the best base, because the Cuban collection of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes sits on its edge, a short walk from Parque Central, and the lanes around Obispo and Plaza Vieja hold the densest cluster of budget beds, casas particulares and traveler bars in the city. Solo travelers meet others easily here over rooftop terraces and shared breakfasts. Expect lively streets late into the night, so ask for an interior room if you sleep lightly.

Centro Habana is the cheaper alternative, just west of the museum. Streets are rougher and more local, with fewer tourists and better … read more 👉
Old Havana (Habana Vieja) is the best base, because the Cuban collection of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes sits on its edge, a short walk from Parque Central, and the lanes around Obispo and Plaza Vieja hold the densest cluster of budget beds, casas particulares and traveler bars in the city. Solo travelers meet others easily here over rooftop terraces and shared breakfasts. Expect lively streets late into the night, so ask for an interior room if you sleep lightly.

Centro Habana is the cheaper alternative, just west of the museum. Streets are rougher and more local, with fewer tourists and better value on rooms, and it is fine to walk in the day. After dark, stick to main avenues such as Neptuno and Prado and take a taxi for longer hops.

Vedado, a 15 to 20 minute taxi ride away, suits those who prefer leafy, calmer streets, with many casas particulares and the university crowd nearby. It works well if you want a quieter base and plan to visit the international collection on a separate trip. Casas particulares are usually safer and more social than large hotels.
Best hostels in Cuba


Best quality hotels in Cuba

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Travel costs and budget guide for Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes can be covered on about US$45 to 70 a day for a backpacker in Havana, including a bed, meals and local transport. Visitors pay in cash, and the museum entry is modest.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance ticketUS$5 to 8One building per ticket (Cuban or international collection), foreigners pay more than locals.
Second buildingUS$5 to 8The two collections are in separate buildings, and each needs its own ticket.
Photo permitUS$2 to 5A small extra fee can apply for cameras inside the galleries.
Accommodation (high season)US$20 to 35A private room in a casa particular in Old Havana or Centro Habana.
FoodUS$10 to 20Paladares and casa breakfasts cost more than state cafeterias.
Local transportUS$2 to 8The center is walkable, and shared taxis or a taxi to Vedado add
… read more 👉
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes can be covered on about US$45 to 70 a day for a backpacker in Havana, including a bed, meals and local transport. Visitors pay in cash, and the museum entry is modest.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance ticketUS$5 to 8One building per ticket (Cuban or international collection), foreigners pay more than locals.
Second buildingUS$5 to 8The two collections are in separate buildings, and each needs its own ticket.
Photo permitUS$2 to 5A small extra fee can apply for cameras inside the galleries.
Accommodation (high season)US$20 to 35A private room in a casa particular in Old Havana or Centro Habana.
FoodUS$10 to 20Paladares and casa breakfasts cost more than state cafeterias.
Local transportUS$2 to 8The center is walkable, and shared taxis or a taxi to Vedado add a few dollars.
Total Daily BudgetUS$45 to 70One ticket, a casa room, meals and local rides for one day.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQTraveler FAQ

Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours for one building of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and about half a day if you see both. The Cuban collection holds works from colonial painting to contemporary art, while the international collection is a separate building on Calle San Rafael. Visiting both on one day is easy since they sit about 10 minutes apart on foot.
For art lovers, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is worth the roughly US$5 to 8 ticket per building, since the Cuban collection gives the clearest overview of the island’s painting, from Wifredo Lam to modern work. Casual visitors can limit themselves to one building to save money. Each collection needs its own ticket, so a full visit costs about US$10 to 16.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Parque Central in Old Havana, with the Cuban collection on Calle Trocadero near the Prado. From Vedado, a taxi takes 15 to 20 minutes and costs roughly US$5 to 10. From José Martí airport, a taxi takes about 40 minutes and costs around US$25 to 35.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Cuban attractions near Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Explore more nearby:


💡 Not sure where to go next?
Create a personalized itinerary for Cuba including Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the places that fit your trip.

Generate my itinerary

👉 Discover all attractions

Or checkout all Cuba has to offer (think cities, towns, villages, national parks, hikes, beaches, festivals)
Explore Cuba
Country photo of Cuba
© Google Images

We 💚 feedbackKey takeaways before you go

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes trips up travelers who rush the international building first and run out of energy before the Cuban art, which is the real reason to come. Do it the other way around. I would start early in the Cuban building, then take the second only if you still feel fresh.

✈️ When did I visit Cuba?
As part of my 1.5 year travel around the world trip, I visited Cuba for 6 weeks in February, March 2016, being extremely lucky that that coincided with the free concert of The Rolling Stones.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Cuba, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



🙋‍♂️ Give feedback

👋 Meet the founderWho’s Behind Take Your Backpack?

Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

The goal is to provide realistic, experience-driven guidance — not generic itineraries — so you can explore destinations with better context, clearer expectations, and more confidence.

Read the full story