In San Telmo, Galería del Asombro

Reaching the end of the Handicrafts Market in San Telmo, right before getting to Dorrego Square, there is an unusual gallery at 1295, Defensa Street, Buenos Aires. At the entrance of Galería del Asombro (Amazement Gallery), we were welcomed by an alien version of Carlos Gardel: a green creature with antennas on top of its head. The life-size sculpture catches the eye of tourists wandering the street. After having a picture taken by this figure, they cannot resist the temptation to go inside and see what it is all about.

Before entering the gallery, two stores are passed by. One is a "Cloning Room", hosted by the owner of the gallery. The most original and amusing objects may be found at this peculiar venue and the main attraction is the cloning of the visitors’ hand with wax. A must see.

The other store, the one on the left, is "Past Lives", where visitors may travel back in time by putting on some period costumes and hanging around a specially decorated place. Both grown-ups and children take part in this experience that is captured in a photograph.

Once inside the gallery, we came to the so-called "magic mirrors", which distort the image of anyone who stands in front of them. The most outrageous stalls lie on the right: a laboratory containing killer plants, with human hands and eyes in their pots; and a terrifying dentist’s office, where sets of horrifying teeth are displayed on shelves and the walls are smeared with blood.

A small store with a crystal ball invites visitors in. A hundred-year-old woman awaits inside to take us down to the mystic world of Tarot.

At the end of the gallery, across a corridor dwelled by typical horror film characters there is a turning hypnosis wheel and the typical giant photograph where visitors place their faces and become a friendly martian.

One of the attractions at the Amazement Gallery is the Zombie Tango show, where the transformation of a beautiful woman into a horrible creature hungry for brains is witnessed. Countless special effects remain in the memory of all viewers for a long time.

Another attraction in the gallery is Fenomen Alien Museum, the first artistic and interactive museum devoted to extraterrestrial life. It invites everyone to become submerged in matters of scientific, mythological and fictional value related to presumed UFO sightings in our planet.

The whole visit takes place in a very dim light and the creatures emerge suddenly and amaze everyone with their realistic features. As we walked on, we came across characters all of us have heard about, such as the popular chupacabras.

There are also famous characters such as lovable Alf, and all the masks of the Star Wars saga. At the end of the tour, a trivia form about the characters in the museum may be completed to take part in a raffle for the most original gifts.

There is no doubt that the Amazement Gallery is an extraordinary site, both for sci-fi fans and for those who wish to have a good time in the company of family or friends.

For further information Galería del Asombro.