Museo de la Pasión Boquense

For residents, La Boca [1]’s key landmark is the home of the Boca Juniors, Estadio Doctor Camilo Cichero, better known by its nickname La Bombonera (Brandsen and Del Valle Iberlucea); murals of barrio life cover the walls along the Brandsen side of the stadium. In La Bombonera’s catacombs, its museum is a thunderous homage to the passion for soccer and its role in the community.

Professionally organized, its 1,800 square meters include photographs of almost every player who ever took the pitch; it also includes roster cards, trophies, and even a photograph of Eva Perón in a blue-and-gold Boca jersey. Boca’s ultimate icon and idol, though, remains retired striker Diego Maradona, who, despite drug problems and other erratic behavior, evokes a near-messianic loyalty. He now coaches the national team.

Interactive video timelines integrate local, national, and international events—even the Dirty War that the military dictatorship waged as Argentina hosted the 1978 World Cup—with those in the sporting world. Except for its depiction of the barrio, though, it tests the patience of non–soccer fans.

The Museo de la Pasión Boquense (Brandsen 805, tel. 011/4362-1100, www.museoboquense.com [2], 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily) charges US$5 pp, or US$8 pp with a guided stadium tour.