National Museum of Art (Museo Nacional de Arte):
It offers a global vision of Mexican's artistic history through
its most diverse manifestations. Its 33 halls are chronologically
arranged from the XVI century to the second half of the XX Century,
holding house paintings, engravings and photographs, along with
manuscripts and pieces of furniture of that period.
Amongst its jewels, the colonial canvases of Jose Juarez and the works of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, to mention but a few, stand out. Besides, it stages important itinerant contemporaneous art exhibitions coming from abroad.
The museum is located in the old Palace of Communications, built in 1904 by the architect Silvio Contri. It is located in the surroundings of the Tolsa Plaza.
Address: Tacuba 8, Historic Centre, Cuauhtemoc Delegation, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5130-3400
Website: www.munal.com.mx
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Entrance fee: General Public: 30 pesos (less than 3 dollars). Free entrance on Sundays
Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Artes Plasticas): It
holds the most significant works of the artistic schools of the
XIX and XX centuries. The imposing murals of Diego Rivera, Jose
Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo and Roberto
Montenegro dazzle in its rooms.
One of the most renowned pieces is a replica of a mural by Diego Rivera, made by himself, titled The man at the crossroad, which the artist made commissioned by the Rockefeller Center in New York. But his work was censored and destroyed for "its leftist ideas".
Inaugurated in 1948, the museum had the initial purpose of exhibiting the different stages of Mexican art, from pre-Hispanic artistic expressions to modern painting, passing through the colonial period and popular art; however, the focus changed in 1995, centring on the XIX and XX centuries.
The museum is located in the magnificent Palace of Fine Arts, a monumental edifice built in the early XX century.
Address: Hidalgo 1, Colonia Centro, Mexico DF
Telephones: 5512-2593 / 5521-9251 (extensions: 132-217)
Website: www.cnca.gob.mx/museos.htm
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 25 pesos (less than 3 dollars). Free entrance on Sundays
National Museum of History (Museo Nacional de Historia):
Paintings, sculptures, documents, technological gadgets, weapons,
clothing and household goods and chattel, besides philately and
numismatic collections which reflect the historic evolution of Mexico,
from the Conquest to the Revolution are exhibited in its 20 rooms.
Some shows of interest are the reproduction of the Aztec codices and those of previous civilizations, as well as the superb murals of artists of the stature of Jose Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros.
When visiting the museum, inaugurated in 1944 in the majestic rooms of the Chapultepec Castle, you can tour the dwellings occupied by Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg and his wife Carlota, who brought fine p0ieces of furniture from Europe.
Address: Chapultepec Castle, in the first section of the Wood of Chapultepec, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5286-0700
Website: www.museosdemexico.org/
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:00 AM to 4:15 PM
Entrance fee: Adults 38 pesos (less than 4 dollars). Free entrance for minors under 13 and people over 60 years
National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropologia):
It is one of the most important and fascinating museums in the world.
It has approximately 10 thousand original pieces distributed on
two levels. On the first level is the Mexica room which exhibits
pre-Hispanic works of great value, amongst them the Stone of the
Sun or Aztec Calendar, and the majestic statue of Coatlicue, goddess
of the earth and death.
The second level presents ethnographic exhibitions of the Mexican indigenous peoples, which show archaeological pieces, venerated objects, representations of the pre-Hispanic gods, and every day goods and chattels, which when associated with the illustrating maps, synoptic charts and audiovisual presentations, permit the visitor to get to know and comprehend the history and culture of the country.
It was inaugurated the 17th of September 1964 and its installations - designed by Mexican architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez - look like the Mayan ruins of the Quadrangle of the Nuns of Uxmal. All the rooms converge on a large central patio whose roof resembles a fountain resting on top of a huge column. Suggestive snakes made of aluminium can be observed at its walls. It has 70 thousand square metres of extension.
At the entrance of the museum, you can watch a monolith of pink stone almost 7.5 metres high and weighing 167 tons, which was found near San Miguel Coatlinchan. According to recent research it would represent Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of the water.
Address: Paseo de la Reforma corner with Gandhi, in the first section of the Wood of Chapultepec, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5553-6381 / 5553-6386
Website: www.mna.inah.gob.mx/
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 38 pesos (less than 3 dollars)
Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno): It
holds the works of the main exponents of Mexican painting, where
the surreal canvases of Frida Kahlo and the inspired representations
of Rufino Tamayo, Jose Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera stand out.
The photographs of Manuel Alvarez Bravo are exhibited as well.
Its four rooms show, besides sculptures, lithography and other manifestations of cotemporary art from Mexico, temporary displays of avant-garde tendencies, which are current in other latitudes.
The museum was inaugurated in 1964 at the outskirts of the Wood of Chapultepec. Its design was commissioned to Rafael Mijares and Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, who imprinted a modern touch of curved lines on it.
Address: Paseo de la Reforma and Gandhi, Wood of Chapultepec, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5553-6233/ 5211-8729
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 15 pesos (less than two dollars). Free entrance on Sundays
Museo Rufino Tamayo: It is the indicated place
to delight yourself with the best of the work of this famous painter
born in Oaxaca (1899-1991), who donated part of his work to the
Mexican people; but that is not all, there are precious collections
of renowned artists such as Joan Miro, Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso,
to cite a few, in its 10 exhibition halls.
The site of the museum is a splendid sample of contemporary aesthetics and, in spite of its avant-garde feature; it harmonizes with the peaceful scenery of Chapultepec. It was inaugurated in 1981 and has more than 30 thousand works of art that belonged to Rufino Tamayo.
Address: Paseo de la Reforma and Gandhi, Wood of Chapultepec, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5286-6519
Website: www.museotamayo.org
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 15 pesos (less than two dollars)
Museum of the Kite or of the Child (Museo del Papalote o
del Niño): It was specially designed for the child public.
It has 300 permanent exhibitions divided into five areas: The Human,
The Con-science (con = with), Expressions, Our World and Communications.
Kids can touch and play, investigate and learn at the same time
from them. One of the most visited shows is Imax, an impressive
mega-screen that calls the attention of old and young equally.
It was inaugurated in 1993 and its name Papalote means butterfly in the Nahuatl language, though it also defines a kite in the Caribbean area.
Address: Constituyente 268, in the second section of the Wood of Chapultepec, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5237-1700 / 5237-1781
Website: www.papalote.org.mx
Attending hours: Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM; and from 2:00 to 6:00 PM in the afternoons (It closes at 11:00 PM on Thursdays). Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM; and from 3:00 to 7:00 PM in the afternoons.
Entrance fee: Children from 2 to 11 years 50 pesos (approx 4 dollars), children over 12 years 60 pesos (approx 5 dollars), adults over 60 years 50 pesos (approx 4 dollars). The ticket is valid for one shift only (morning or afternoon)
Museum of the Main Temple (Museo del Templo Mayor): It
exhibits thousands of archaeological pieces found during the excavations
done at the most important religious compound of the ancient Tenochtitlan,
located beside the Metropolitan Tabernacle (Sagrario), in the core
of the Historic Centre of Mexico.
The Aztecs' Main Temple is believed to have been built in the mythical place where the Mexicas found the eagle devouring the snake. Its rediscovery was made by chance in 1978, when a stone disk weighing over 8 tons, representing on its surface the image of Coyolxauhqui (the moon goddess, sibling of Huitzilopochtli, the god of war) was found, thus initiating the investigations that would end in 1982.
The museum, inaugurated in 1987, has 8 rooms and a vestibule destined to temporary exhibitions. The images of Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, god of the rain, stand out in its interior; besides, it displays the stone disk and models of Tenochtitlan and the Main Temple before the arrival of the conquistador Hernan Cortes.
Address: Seminario 8, Historic Centre, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5542-4943 / 5542-4787
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 37 pesos (less than 4 dollars)
Museo Mural Diego Rivera: The life and the work
of the great Mexican artists (1186-1957) are rebuilt in its rooms
through paintings, pictures and diverse documents. But the greatest
jewel of this museum is the Dream of a Sunday afternoon at the Promenade
mural, a monumental 72 square metre fresco, realized for the El
Prado hotel.
The mural was painted by Rivera when he was 60 and represents the life and work of the author, and the historic evolution of Mexico through a long stroll through a promenade. The artist was inspired by one of his dreams when he painted it.
This attractive museum, inaugurated in 1988, has a room for temporary exhibitions of Mexican or resident artists of the country.
Address: Colon 7 corner with Balderas, Historic Centre, Mexico DF
Telephone: 612-0354
Website: www.arts-history.mx/museomural.html
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 10 pesos (less than one dollar)
Museo Franz Mayer: It gathers an important collection
of pieces of Mexican, European and Asian art which belonged to the
wealthy German financier Franz Mayer, who came to Mexican at the
age of 21. In his deathbed he left his collection to the people
who had embraced him. Mexican pottery objects, along with Chinese
and Spanish porcelain are shown in its 8 exhibition rooms; besides
furniture, textiles, jewellery and Mexican and European paintings.
The museum opened its doors in 1986, and is located in an old building
from the XVIII century.
Address: Avenida Hidalgo 45, Santa Veracruz Plaza, Historic Centre, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5518-2266
Website: www.franzmayer.org.mx
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 30 pesos (less than 3 dollars). Free entrance on Tuesdays
Museo de El Carmen: It holds one of the most important
collections of colonial religious paintings in Mexico; besides,
at the permanent exhibition named The Carmelite Silence, the history
of the order is shown to the public through documents, paintings
and furniture. There are also temporary exhibitions of contemporary
artists. The museum is located in the old convent of El Carmen,
a building from the XVII century.
Address: Avenida Revolucion 4, corner with Callejon del Monasterio, San Angel, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5616-2816 / 5616-1177
Website: www.museodeelcarmen.org
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 25 pesos (less than 3 dollars). Free entrance on Sundays
Museo Frida Kahlo: It allows to unveil the inner
world of the famous painter (1907-1954), who was born, lived and
created inside the so called Blue House, which nowadays keeps its
ashes, part of its great work, her personal belongings, her indigenous
dresses, and the love letters that her husband, the muralist Diego
Rivera, sent her.
You can feel the everlasting essence of the artist kept in every corner of the house while walking around the place, especially at her workshop or her bedroom. You can also appreciate works from Diego Rivera and other artists, friends of the couple, at the museum.
Address: Londres 247 corner with Allende, Coyoacan, Mexico DF
Telephone: 5554-5999
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 5:45 PM
Entrance fee: Public in general 30 pesos (less than 3 dollars)
Old Museum of the Basilica of Guadalupe (Antiguo Museo de
la Basilica de Guadalupe): It houses an interesting collection
of colonial paintings by Cristobal de Villalpando, Miguel Cabrera
and Sebastian de Arteaga; as well as objects of cult and diverse
images of the Virgin of Guadalupe. It is located in the old basilica,
a beautiful construction from the XVIII century built between 1695
and 1709.
Address: Las Americas Plaza 1, Villa de Guadalupe, Hidalgo Plaza, City of Mexico DF
Telephone: 5577-6022 / 5781-6810
Attending hours: Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Entrance fee: Free entrance
