San Juan de Dios Church / Museo Franz Mayer, Mexico City

San Juan de Dios Church / Museo Franz Mayer, Mexico City

On the western side of Plaza de Santa Veracruz, the Church of San Juan de Dios served as a flour mill, hospital, church and monastery for four centuries before housing the vast collection of decorative arts – Latin America's largest – amassed by German stockbroker Franz Mayer during his lifetime and among the finest you'll ever lay eyes on.

Now called the Franz Mayer Museum, the historic structure is used to display fine artworks, books, furniture, ceramics, textiles and many other types of decorative items. A large portion of the collection comes from Europe and Asia but most comes from Mexico itself with items dating from the 15th to the 20th centuries. Many pieces are fine handcrafts, such as textiles and Talavera pottery, and they are important because they often did not survive elsewhere.

In addition to displaying the items Mayer collected, of which only over a quarter is visible, the museum still makes acquisitions, sponsors temporary exhibits and has a café located in the center courtyard/garden. In the cloister area, an important section is dedicated to Mayer's over 14,000 books, which include 800 different editions of "Don Quixote" and the "Chronicles of Nuremberg", edited in 1493. In 2016, the Center for Popular Art Studies opened in the museum's basement.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Mexico City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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San Juan de Dios Church / Museo Franz Mayer on Map

Sight Name: San Juan de Dios Church / Museo Franz Mayer
Sight Location: Mexico City, Mexico (See walking tours in Mexico City)
Sight Type: Religious

Walking Tours in Mexico City, Mexico

Create Your Own Walk in Mexico City

Create Your Own Walk in Mexico City

Creating your own self-guided walk in Mexico City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chapultepec Park Walking Tour

Chapultepec Park Walking Tour

Nicknamed "the Lungs of Mexico City", Chapultepec Park is a vast oasis of lush greenery in the heart of the Mexican capital, sprawling over 686 hectares of land, providing a vital source of oxygen for the city. Rich in natural beauty, historical landmarks, and vibrant atmosphere, throughout centuries, this park has inspired various works of literature, poetry, and visual art, further...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Coyoacan District Walking Tour

Coyoacan District Walking Tour

Translated from the Nahuatle language as “The Land of Coyotes”, Coyoacán is a relatively quiet neighborhood in the southern part of Mexico City. Formerly a rural village, over the years Coyoacán has become a rich pocket of art and history in the capital, closely associated with some iconic figures of the 20th century and the tumultuous times in which they lived.

One of its most famous...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Historic Center Walking Tour

Historic Center Walking Tour

Mexico City is the oldest capital in the Americas and is one of the two founded by indigenous people. Originally known as Mexico Tenochtitlan, the city was built by the Mexicas (aka Aztecs) in 1325. According to a legend, the Mexicas' principal god, Huitzilopochtli, pointed out the site of the future settlement with an image of a golden eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus, devouring a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Zona Rosa Walking Tour

Zona Rosa Walking Tour

Zona Rosa, or "Pink Zone" in English, is a vibrant neighborhood near the historic center of the Mexican capital which is known for its lively atmosphere and diverse cultural scene. The neighborhood's name comes from the pink-colored tiles abundantly used to pave the local streets.

The area rose to prominence in the early 20th century as a residential district for the wealthy...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Historic Center Food Tour

Historic Center Food Tour

A combination of history and tradition in Mexico City permeates all aspects of life, including food. For centuries, food and drink have been an inseparable part of the city's culture. Within Mexico City's bustling historic center, you can find a variety of culinary gems that offer a taste of what we call diverse Mexican cuisine.

One of the must-visit spots here is the San Juan Market....  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

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