If you only have time to visit one museum in Bogotá, consider making it the less-known National Museum, which has a little of everything. Art? It's got abstract art, classical paintings, sculpture, modern art and even some Boteros. History? You'll find all you want, from pre-Columbian times, through the revolution, to Colombia's growth and contemporary exhibits. How about gold? They've got rooms of it, and silver, too. Anthropology? Yep. African face masks? Yep. Mummies? Yep. You get the idea.

The National Museum's building is also worth a visit by itself. It was built to be a prison, and you can still see the old gates, the guards' observation holes, and even visit a preserved cdell, where you can feel the inmates' claustrophobia and see some of the shackles and other devices used to restrain them.

The museum's front entrance was recently renovated, providing handicapped access and giving it a little bit of the feel of a public plaza.