Espacio Memoria y Derechos Humanos
This “center for remembrance and human rights” occupies the former Naval Mechanical School (ESMA) where, starting in 1976, agents of Argentina’s military dictatorships imprisoned, tortured, and murdered leftist dissenters during what came to be known as the Dirty War. Of the 30,000 citizens the Argentine government “disappeared,” some 5000 are thought to have been imprisoned here; a mere 150 are known to have come out alive. The complex is now open to the public as a monument to human rights and visits offer sobering perspectives on what detainees faced. Visit the main torture center, featuring tours and curation in English, or make reservations for English-language guided tours that offer an even more comprehensive understanding of this dark chapter in Argentine history. Children under 12 not admitted.
