Clara Inés Suárez, together with her husband, an ambassador in several countries, convinced several artists to visit the city.

On March 9, 1956, La Tertulia was founded in a house rented by the renowned journalist Alfonso Bonilla Aragón in Cra.

During the twelve years that the institution had as headquarters the house in the traditional neighborhood, in the mornings a private school operated, supported by the partners of the museum, and in the afternoons diverse works of local and foreign artists were presented, with which gradually increased the collection of the institution.

The expansion and need for an exhibition hall led to the construction in 1968 of the Foundational Building on the banks of the Cali River, in the place known as El Charco del Burro.

The museum collection includes a representative sample of different arts in the continent, from the mid-20th century to contemporary times, with more than 1,500 works acquired or donated.