The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is Paraguay's main art museum, housed in a neo-classical building in the Asuncion city centre. The permanent collection covers Paraguayan painting and sculpture from the colonial period through the 20th century, with particular strength in post-independence portraiture and landscapes. There are also sections dedicated to foreign art donated or acquired over the years.
The collection is modest by regional capital standards, but the quality is generally good, and the building itself — with its high ceilings and marble floors — is pleasant to walk through. Admission is low, and the museum is often quiet enough that you can take your time with individual works. It is a useful counterpoint to the history-heavy focus of the other museums in the centre.