This museum at Plaza Belgrano contains memorabilia relating to Domingo F Sarmiento, one of Argentina's most celebrated presidents, diplomats and educators. Despite his provincial origins, Sarmiento was an eloquent writer who analyzed 19th-century Argentina from a cosmopolitan, clearly Eurocentric point of view, most notably in his masterful polemic Facundo (subtitled 'Civilization and Barbarism'). Text accompanying the exhibits is in Spanish.
The building itself was briefly the site of the Congreso Nacional during the presidency of Nicolás Avellaneda (1874–80), when both chambers voted to federalize the city of Buenos Aires. The museum (which will appeal to history fanatics only) holds Sarmiento's desk, bed and other furnishings, along with old photos, antique knickknacks and even the ex-president's own ear horn.
