Casa Nacional del Bicentenario
Encyclopedia
The Casa Nacional del Bicentenario ("National Bicentennial House") is a cultural center and museum located in the Recoleta
section of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
, led at the time by José Nun. Nun obtained a grant from the Spanish Embassy
of € 300,000 toward the project, and work began in 2006 to remodel the electicist French baroque
building designated for the purpose. The apartment building, completed in 1913, was purchased by the former state water and sanitation concern, OSN, in 1937 for use as housing for its administrative employees in Buenos Aires.
Following OSN's privatization, the building was transferred the National Culture Secretariat in 1996, and until 2001, was slated to house the National Museum of Asian Art
(which, since 1965, has occupied the bottom floor of the National Museum of Decorative Arts
). The building was made part of a series of projects to honor the Bicentennial
of the May Revolution
of 1810, and following refurbishment works and installations costing around US$1.7 million, was formally inaugurated as the National Bicentennial House by President Cristina Kirchner on March 16, 2010.
Located on 985 Riobamba Street, one block west of upscale Callao Avenue
, the 3,500 m² (38,000 ft²) center includes a historical library, a continuous video display, Muchas voces, una historia. Argentina 1810-2010 (Many Voices, One Story), an open-air theatre, temporary exhibit halls, digitalized archives, and a production studies for Encuentro
, an educational television
channel operated by Argentine Public Television
.
The center's maiden exhibit, Mujeres. 1810-2010, was dedicated to the historical role of women in Argentina
.
Recoleta
Recoleta is a downtown residential neighborhood in the city of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina; it is an area of great historical and architectural interest, due, particularly to the Recoleta Cemetery located there...
section of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Overview
The proposal for the center as such was developed by the office of the Secretary of Culture during the administration of President Néstor KirchnerNéstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
, led at the time by José Nun. Nun obtained a grant from the Spanish Embassy
Argentina–Spain relations
Argentina–Spain relations refers to the bilateral relationship of Argentina and Spain. Argentina was a colony of Spain until 1810. Both countries established diplomatic relations on May 16, 1811....
of € 300,000 toward the project, and work began in 2006 to remodel the electicist French baroque
French Baroque architecture
French Baroque is a form of Baroque architecture that evolved in France during the reigns of Louis XIII , Louis XIV and Louis XV...
building designated for the purpose. The apartment building, completed in 1913, was purchased by the former state water and sanitation concern, OSN, in 1937 for use as housing for its administrative employees in Buenos Aires.
Following OSN's privatization, the building was transferred the National Culture Secretariat in 1996, and until 2001, was slated to house the National Museum of Asian Art
Asian art
Asian art can refer to art amongst many cultures in Asia.-Various types of Asian art:*Afghan art*Azerbaijanian art*Balinese art*Bhutanese art*Buddhist art*Burmese contemporary art*Chinese art*Eastern art*Indian art*Iranian art*Islamic art...
(which, since 1965, has occupied the bottom floor of the National Museum of Decorative Arts
National Museum of Decorative Arts
The National Museum of Decorative Arts is an art museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Overview:The museum has its origins in a marriage in 1897 between two prominent members of turn-of-the-century Argentine high society: Matías Errazúriz, the son of Chilean emigrés, and Josefina de Alvear, the...
). The building was made part of a series of projects to honor the Bicentennial
Argentina Bicentennial
The Argentina Bicentennial is a series of celebrations and observances celebrated on May 25, 2010, and throughout the year. They commemorated the 200th anniversary of the May Revolution, a sequence of historical events that led to the Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros' being ousted from office...
of the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
of 1810, and following refurbishment works and installations costing around US$1.7 million, was formally inaugurated as the National Bicentennial House by President Cristina Kirchner on March 16, 2010.
Located on 985 Riobamba Street, one block west of upscale Callao Avenue
Callao Avenue
Avenida Callao is one of the principal thoroughfares in Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Overview:Mayor Torcuato de Alvear, inspired by the urban redevelopment works in Paris at the direction of Baron Haussmann, drew up master plans for major boulevards, running east to west and north to south...
, the 3,500 m² (38,000 ft²) center includes a historical library, a continuous video display, Muchas voces, una historia. Argentina 1810-2010 (Many Voices, One Story), an open-air theatre, temporary exhibit halls, digitalized archives, and a production studies for Encuentro
Encuentro
Encuentro is an Argentine television channel belonging to the Argentine Ministry of Education. It began broadcasting in 2007 through cable television operators in the country. It airs as an independent channel and also as a programing block on Canal 7 from Argentina....
, an educational television
Educational television
Educational television is the use of television programs in the field of distance education. It may be in the form of individual television programs or dedicated specialty channels that is often associated with cable television in the United States as Public, educational, and government access ...
channel operated by Argentine Public Television
Canal 7 Argentina
Canal Siete, TV Pública or TV Pública Digital is an Argentine television network founded on October 17, 1951. Between 1979 and 1999, the network was known as Argentina Televisora Color . During the 1978 World Cup, it was known as A78TV.Owned, financed and operated by the Argentine State, Canal 7 is...
.
The center's maiden exhibit, Mujeres. 1810-2010, was dedicated to the historical role of women in Argentina
Women in Argentina
Women in Argentina have attained a relatively high level of equality by Latin American standards, and in the Global Gender Gap Report prepared by the World Economic Forum in 2009, Argentine women ranked 24th among 134 countries studied in terms of their access to resources and opportunities...
.