Mexico City Museums - Modern Art To Ancient Aztecs

Nearby Mexico City Hotel Mexico National Museum Cuauhtemoc Modern Art Museum Mexico Children's Museum Cuauhtemoc Templo Mayor Mexico City Frida Museum Mexico City Olmedo Museum

From ancient Aztec pyramids to magnificent modern art, Mexico City is a captivating cultural destination boasting hundreds of famous art museums, galleries and historic buildings that celebrate the amazing art, history, architecture, heritage and passions of Mexico. Discover Mexico City’s world-famous Modern Art Museums, where you can gaze at works by Mexico’s acclaimed muralists and contemporary artists, including Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo. Whether you are intrigued by Mayan artifacts, Art Deco architecture, or national history, Mexico City is a colorful mosaic of art, culture and spirituality.

National Museum of Anthropology -

Opened in 1964, the enormous National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park is home to the most extensive collection of pre-Columbian, Aztec and Mayan artifacts in the world. At the finest anthropological museum in the world you learn about Mexico's colorful, pre-Hispanic history. The museum’s ground floor highlights the native cultures of México before the Spanish conquest, and the famous Aztec sun stone is displayed among the impressive collection of indigenous artwork. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 to 7:00 and Sundays from 10:00 to 6:00. Call 5553 6381 or visit www.mna.gob.mx.

Chapultepec Castle/ National History Museum -

The centuries-old Chapultepec Forest is crowned by the most magnificent castle in Mexico City. Constructed during the 18th century, this neo-classical castle originally served and home of the Emperor Maximiliano. Today this historic landmark and world heritage site houses the National Museum of History, featuring various salons with opulent furnishings, historic jewels, the splendid imperial carriage and amazing murals by Orozco, Siqueiros and O´Gorman - the greatest muralists in México. The incredible view of the city and manicured grounds make a visit to the castle spectacular. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 to 7:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 6:00.

Modern Art Museum -

Located in Chapultepec Park, the Modern Art Museum houses Mexico City's permanent art collection and features impressive artworks by Mexico's greatest contemporary artists including Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Frida Kahlo. Museum exhibits include Mexican painting, sculpture, lithography and photography. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 5:00.
Tel: 5-553-6233.

Fine Arts Palace -

The most beautiful building in México City, Fine Arts Palace is Mexico's national theater and opera house, and home of Amalia Hernandez's folkloric ballet. Marvel at the elegant harmony of the Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture, and incredible Mexican art. Tiffany's in New York created the theater's main curtain, a mosaic of one million crystals that depict the Mexican valley. The palace features the work of three great Mexican muralists - Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Juan O’Gorman and Rufino Tamayo. The magnificent venue presents artistic and cultural activities, including opera performances, classical music concerts, and art exhibitions of painting and sculpture.

Papalote Children's Museum -

Described as one of the most technologically advanced museums in Mexico, this colorful museum was designed to delight and inspire children. The museum features more than 248 interactive exhibitions divided into five areas: Con-science, I Am, Expressions, I Communicate and Our World. Kids are encouraged to discover the world and themselves through interactive games and educational exhibits that highlight culture, art, science and history. Check out the Megapantalla IMAX, where 3-D films like Grand Canyon are shown on the gigantic screen. Visit www.papalote.org.mx.

National Art Museum -

Located in the former Communications Palace, the National Art Museum features a great collection of Mexican art ranging from the 16th to the first half of the 20th centuries. A whole room is devoted to the plastic arts of México, from the 1930s to the 1960s. Other rooms feature revolving exhibits of contemporary painters, sculptors, lithographers, and photographers from around the world. The National Art Museum displays paintings by Juan Correa, Miguel Cabrera, Eugenio Landesio and the largest collection of paintings by the outstanding Mexican landscaper, Jose María Velasco. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. Sundays are free.

Museo Templo Mayor -

Recently discovered in Mexico City, Templo Mayor (Great Temple) is a massive stone pyramid with two Aztec temples built in the 14th century in honor of the Aztec gods of war and water. Museo Templo Mayor illustrates the splendor of the Aztec Empire with over 3,000 artifacts excavated from this ancient site and others in central México. The centerpiece is an 8 ton carved round stone discovered at the Templo Mayor depicting the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui. Notable pieces in the temple include: Tzompantli-Shrine or Wall of Skulls, a panel made of rows of human skulls covered with stucco; two identical life-size clay statues of Aztec warriors dressed in eagle costumes; and a stone eagle symbolizing the god Huitzilopochtli, where sacrificial victims were placed. Visit www.conaculta.gob.mx/templomayor/.

Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum -

Designed by the great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, this 23-room museum features an interesting collection of Pre-Hispanic Mexican ceramics and sculpture - the largest in Mexico. Meaning “House of the Valley of Mexico, the museum includes a replica of the painter's studio, along with sketches of the famous mural he painted in New York's Rockefeller Center, which was destroyed for political reasons, and re-created in the Fine Arts Palace. Built with volcanic rock and stone, Rivera took elements of Teotihuacan and Aztec architecture to highlight the pre-Hispanic past and create a significant artistic center. A central plaza sets the stage for theatrical and musical representations. Visit www.anahuacallimuseo.org.

Frida Khalo Museum -

The house where the artist was born and lived, the Frida Kahlo Museum is a reflection of Frida Khalo’s personality and art. The fascinating museum includes many personal objects and work utensils, and some of her art work like giant papier-mâché skeletons outside the gloriously decorated kitchen. The collection also displays pictures and sketches of Diego Rivera, and paintings by Jose, Maria Velasco, Joaquin Clausell, and Paul Klee. Open: Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 to 2:00 and 3:00 to 6:00.
Tel: 5-554 5999.

Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo House Studio Museum -

Formerly the avant-garde abode where Diego Rivera lived with Frida Khalo, this museum features the works of these two famous Mexican painters. The museum displays a few examples of Rivera´s exceptional art and a lot of memorabilia from the famous artist couple. Rivera lived in the house until his death in 1957. Open: Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tel: 5-550-1518.

Dolores Olmedo Museum -

Set in a peaceful 16th-century hacienda, the Olmedo museum features the largest and most important collection of works by Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo. The historic home is a fascinating destination surrounded by beautiful gardens, where Aztec peacocks roam freely. A wealthy socialite who still lives in part of the mansion, Dolores Olmedo was a avid patron of Rivera who amasses a large collection of his art. Open: Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tel: 5-555-0891.

Leon Trotsky House Museum -

Tour the house where the celebrity lived from 1939 to August 1940. The museum features Trotsky’s personal furniture and objects, as well as the monument where his ashes rest. You will also see photographs detailing Trosky's life in México. Open: Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 5:00. Tel: 5-554 0687.

San Indelfonso Museum -

A magnificent building where arcades frame frescoes by Ramón Alva de la Canal, Fermín Revueltas, José Clemente Orozco, Jean Charlot and Diego Rivera, this unique museum presents major temporary art exhibits that showcase early Mexican mural art, especially by Orozco. Visit http://www.sanildefonso.org.mx.  [Top]