HOURS
Open
Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.
Closed
January 1st / March 24 / May 1st / June 27th / December 25th
ADMISSIONS
Admission to the museum is free of charge. Due to the nature of the museum’s content, children under the age of 12 are not permitted into the museum. If the minor’s guardians wish to enter and visit the Museum, one of them must stay with the minor in the lobby during their visit. Leaving children unattended in the reception hall is not allowed. Minors between the ages of 12 and 15 can enter the museum as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
PREPARING MY VISIT TO THE ESMA MUSEUM AND SITE OF MEMORY
Self-guided Visits
The museographic exhibition features screenings, informational panels and audiovisual testimonies to help visitors tour the Museum.
Suggested Path: Upon entering the building, museum staff at the reception will hand you a map and suggest a tour path.
Audio Guided Visits in Spanish, English and Portuguese: Visitors can also use the free audioguide, available via smartphone. The Museum does not provide headphones.
Guided Tours with reservation: Tour reservations must be requested via email to institucionalsitioesma@jus.gov.ar or institucionalesmuseoesma@gmail.com, or calling +54(11) 5300-4000 ext. 79178/80. Booked visits can take place both on weekdays and weekends.
Without reservations: Tuesday to Friday at 4:30 pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 and 4:30 pm.
Capacity: Tours have a minimum of 5 people. If the amount of visitors exceeds capacity, museum guides will inform the waiting times for the next tour.
Guided tour duration: approximately 1:30 h (one hour and thirty minutes)
Guided tours in English
Without reservation: The ESMA Museum and Site of Memory offers an English-speaking option for museum visits. Regular English-speaking tours are scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays at 3 pm, with a required minimum of 5 visitors.
With reservation: In order to book an English-speaking tour, please email us with a reservation request to institucionalsitioesma@jus.gov.ar or call +54(11) 5300-4000 ext. 79178/80. English-speaking tours booked in advance can take place on both weekdays and weekends.
External tour guides are not allowed in the Museum, except in cases where an interpreter (translator) is required or it was authorized by the Museum.
GROUPS
Visits by Institutions (high school and higher education, clubs, civic organizations, unions, etc): If you wish to book a tour please contact institucionalsitioesma@jus.gov.ar, or call +54(11) 5300-4000 ext. 79178/80
Special Groups: If the group is larger than 20 people, please let us know of your visit in advance via email to institucionalsitioesma@jus.gov.ar, or call +54(11) 5300-4000 ext. 79178/80. Otherwise, tours for large groups will be available depending on the museum’s capacity that day. For groups smaller than 20 people, regular visit hours are available.
Tour reservations must be booked with a minimum of 30 days in advance, and a maximum of 60 days in advance.
Canceling your tour: Groups that booked a tour but won’t be able to attend must notify the Museum at least 24 hours before the scheduled visit.
Tolerance for late arrivals: The maximum waiting time for late arrivals to a previously booked tour is 20’ (twenty minutes).
Priority: All group tours must be booked in advance. In case of walk-in groups or requests for spontaneous tours, priority will be given to those institutions that have a pre-booked scheduled tour. Walk-in groups will be offered an alternative depending on availability.
SERVICES
COAT CHECK
We kindly ask visitors to not enter the museum with large purses, bags or backpacks that could damage the walls. For this reason, the Museum provides a free coat check service. We advise visitors to take special care of their personal belongings, such as wallets, cell phones and cameras, as the Museum will not be responsible for missing personal items.
AUDIO GUIDES
The audio guide system is a facilitation mechanism for the tours. It allows you to have a personalized visit in the 17 rooms, organized according to the current distribution of the permanent exhibition. There is a QR code in each room to download audios. Audio Guides are available in Spanish, English, Portuguese and French.
ACCESSIBILITY
The elevator is for the exclusive use of people with reduced mobility, pregnant women, elderly people, and Museum staff. Ramps. Service dogs.
COMMUNICATION
Guestbook.
Museum phone.
Museum Map.
GENERAL SERVICES
Restrooms.
The Museum has fire extinguishers for exclusive use of authorized personnel in case of an emergency, according to the security and hygiene protocol put forth by the Secretary of Human Rights and Cultural Pluralism.
The Museum has evacuation plans at each station with exits marked by signs.
Security cameras and guards.
Ambulance and emergency medical services.
Lost & found: items found in the premises will be stored for one week. After that period, they will be discarded.
VISITOR RULES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This building is a historical and national monument, a proof of State Terrorism, and legal evidence of the crimes against humanity committed in Argentina.
RULES
Preservation of the Building
We kindly ask visitors to refrain from leaning against the walls and walk only through areas that are open to the public and indicated as such. Visitors must cooperate with the preservation and care of the building and the museographic exhibition.
Visitor Guidelines:
– Please respect and take care of the facilities. Visitors who defile the facilities will be liable for any damage before the corresponding authorities.
– Cell phones should be set on silent during tours out of respect for other visitors and the building.
– Please use a moderate tone of voice and don’t make excessive noise out of respect for other visitors and the building.
– Every school and institution shall be responsible for the behavior of everyone in their group, as well as any damages they may inflict on the museum.
– In case of any visitor verbally, psychologically or physically harassing any member of the staff or visitor, the Museum is entitled to terminate the visit immediately and take legal action depending on the case. The museum’s protocol in case of gender violence is available.
– Visitors who display any aggressive, aggravating or discriminatory behavior towards museum staff or other visitors will be asked to leave the premises.
– Any activity organized by any person outside the institution requires prior authorization and approval by museum authorities.
Recommendations
Please do NOT enter with:
Food and/or beverages.
Large bags, backpacks and umbrellas.
Animals, except for service dogs.
Guns, weapons or sharp objects.
Dangerous substances.
Musical instruments or tolos.
Wet objects (like umbrellas or large objects).
Bikes, roller skates, or skateboards.
Not allowed in the Museum:
− Lighting fire (lighters) inside the building.
− Smoking.
− Running/shoving inside the building.
− Clothes that feature insulting, racist or discriminatory inscriptions.
− Entry with a bear torso.
− Flash photography
− Being intoxicated with drugs or alcohol.
− The use of megaphones or radio equipment during tours.
− Taking or stealing items from the museographic exhibitions.
In case of a visitor disregarding the Visitor Rules, the Museum reserves the right to refuse admission or stay. The building is under the legal custody of the 12th National Court of the Criminal and Correctional, led by Federal Judge Sergio Torres.
Requirements for Media Presence in the Museum
Media outlets that wish to capture, film, photograph or record the Museum’s facilities must announce themselves at the reception desk to receive a form they must fill with their information and the means they will use to record the space.
Registry of Images
Any visitor wanting to register images for profit must request authorization, which is not implied in the request. Approval will be up to the decision of the Museum’s Executive Director. Likewise, authorization is required for the use of drones to register any activity in the Museum’s surroundings.