In 2000, artist Fernando Botero donated a collection of 208 works — 123 of his own and 85 by international artists — to the Banco de la República.

With this collection, he founded the Botero Museum, located in the La Candelaria neighborhood, in the historic center of Bogotá.

The museum is housed in a colonial mansion that served as the city's archbishopric until 1955 and was later restored and adapted as a museum under the direction and curatorship of Master Botero himself.

The collection has been open to the public since November 1, 2000.