Galerias Pacifico

A must for architecture buffs as well as shopaholics, Galerias Pacifico is the place to go for quality retail therapy. As you stroll, check out the huge murals on the interior dome, commissioned in 1947 and painted by some of Argentina’s top artists of the time—Antonio Berni, Lino Enea Spilimbergo, Demetrio Urruchúa, and Juan Carlos Castagnino.

The shopping center is a stop on the double-decker hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. Or, treat yourself and visit as part of a city shopping tour.

• Most stores at Galerias Pacifico accept major credit cards.

• On-site amenities include ATMs, restrooms, a currency exchange office, and a taxi service.

• Audio guides of the building can be picked up from the information desk on the ground floor.

• Save your receipts for a tax refund when you leave Argentina.

• The building is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, and wheelchairs are available from the information desk on the ground floor.

Galerias Pacifico is located at the intersection of Florida Street and Córdoba Avenue, about halfway between metro stops General San Martín and Lavalle.

The shopping center is open daily. For fewer crowds, go on a weekday morning.

While Galerias Pacifico started out as a high-end Parisian department store, it hasn’t always been a shopping destination. For many years, the 1889 building housed the National Museum of Fine Arts. It later became the British Pacific Railway administration office (hence the name), before returning to its roots as a shopping center in 1991.