Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Oaxaca (Contemporary Art Museum of Oaxaca), Oaxaca

The Contemporary Art Museum of Oaxaca was born on February 28, 1992, thanks to the vision of a coalition of citizens and artists-including Francisco Toledo, Rodolfo Morales, and Arnulfo Aquino. Housed in a lovingly restored colonial residence once belonging to the Lazo de la Vega and Pinelo families (whose 17th-century coats of arms still grace the façade), the museum melds historic charm with cutting-edge creativity.

Inside, fourteen galleries showcase permanent works by Oaxacan luminaries such as Rufino Tamayo, Rodolfo Nieto, and Francisco Toledo, while additional spaces host rotating exhibitions of painting, sculpture, installation art, photography, and graphics by both Mexican and international contemporary artists.

Beyond its galleries, MACO is a dynamic cultural hub. The star-vaulted staircase ceiling-hand-adorned by Toledo himself-feeds into a central courtyard where sculpture, film screenings, lectures, and performances bring art into three dimensions.

Throughout the year, MACO curates talks, roundtables, concerts, and book launches, and it proudly hosts the Rufino Tamayo Painting Biennial, cementing its role as an educational platform and a champion of emerging talent.