Museums Walking Tour (Self Guided), Mexico City

A massive pyramid temple in the heart of the Tenochtitlán empire, the Great Temple (Templo Mayor) was once the crown jewel and the absolute center of the Mexica world before the Spanish conquest. First built around 1325, the structure stood almost 60 meters high and had dual staircases leading up to the two crowning temples, one dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the god of sun and war, and the other to Tlaloc, the god of rain and agriculture.

After the Spanish conquered the city, the Temple was razed, but some of its traces remained. On February 21, 1978, electric company workers digging near the Metropolitan Cathedral uncovered an eight-ton monolith adorned with the carvings of the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui. The discovery prompted a major excavation during which four city blocks were demolished and the base of the Temple was revealed, along with multiple artifacts. In 2017, the space was further expanded to unearth partial remains of a round temple dedicated to the god Ehécatl, which is now open to the public.

The Aztec ruin of such magnitude is rather unique and includes traces of seven pyramids, as well as the Eagle Warrior Temple.

The adjoining eight-room museum showcases an extensive collection of pre-Colombian artifacts found on the site and is well worth two-four hours of your time, depending on your level of interest in Aztec religion, culture, and symbolism.

Tip:
The outside part can get very hot. Make sure to wear a hat and stay hydrated, or avoid the midday sun. If wishing to climb the Pyramid of the Sun, head there first because long lines can form early.
If you are not a Spanish speaker, check if there are audio guides available, because aside from some signage, most of the museum's text content is not translated into other languages.
Visitors can make reservations for a guided tour in English.

Opening Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday: 9 am–5 pm; free Sunday for Mexican citizens or residents

Located in the Historic Center of Mexico City, the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso is an art and culture museum housed in a former educational institute established by the Society of Jesus. The museum hosts both permanent exhibits of famous Mexican artists and temporary exhibits of contemporary artists.

Construction of the building that houses the Colegio began in 1712 and was completed in 1740. The design incorporates Spanish colonial and indigenous architectural styles. The building was used by the Jesuits as a college and as a school and became the National High School of Mexico in 1867. In 1902 an amphitheater dedicated to Simon Bolivar was added to the existing structure.

The Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso was used for different purposes after the expulsion of Jesuits from New Spain. It became military barracks for Mexican and invading armies, it was a school of jurisprudence and also the headquarters of the school of medicine. The National High School was again moved to the building and remained there until 1992 when it was remodeled to become the unique museum it is today.

Visitors, students, educational institutions and the general public can learn about the art and culture of modern Mexico and the workers' movements that shaped the mind of the artists at this museum in Mexico City.

Why You Should Visit:
Great place to see Diego Rivera's first mural, along with some of Orozco's most famous, as well as other muralists.
Also, the woodwork in the Salón el Generalito is nothing less than stunning.
As a bonus, you have various interesting changing exhibits of current art.

Tip:
After a visit and if you are hungry – try eating at El Mayor or Las Sirenas restaurants nearby.
El Mayor (on the terrace and top floor of the Porrúa bookstore) has a spectacular view over the Zócalo, Cathedral, National Palace and Templo Mayor site.

Opening Hours:
Tue: 10am-8pm; Wed-Sun: 10am-6pm

The building formerly known as the Communications Palace that served as the main post office in Mexico City now houses the National Art Museum. The museum has a large collection of art from the 16th century to the works of 20th-century Mexican artists. The architect Silvio Contri designed and supervised the construction of the Communications Palace between 1905 and 1911. The building was constructed for the regime of Porfirio Diaz, a former military dictator of Mexico. The style was an eclectic combination of renaissance and neoclassical styles. The entrance hall has Corinthian columns and an ornate iron staircase designed by the Florentine firm Pignone. The ceiling is decorated with an elaborate allegorical painting representing peace.

The museum houses over 3000 artworks from 1550 to 1955. There are two large art galleries within the National Art Museum that showcase western assimilation and the construction of the nation of Mexico. The collection at the museum includes paintings, drawings, sculpture and ceramics. The museum has paintings by notable Mexican artists including Juan Correa, Miguel Cabrera, Eugenio Landesio and a large collection of landscapes by Jose Maria Velasco.

The museum’s permanent collection is designed to give a panoramic view of the development of the fine arts in Mexico from the early colonial period to the mid-twentieth century. The artwork is subdivided into three distinct periods. The first covered the colonial period from 1550 to 1821. Entitled “Asimilación de Occidente” (Assimilation of the West), it is contained within Salons 1-14 on the second floor. The second covers the first century after Independence and the third covers the period after the Mexican Revolution to the 1950s. It is entitled “La construcción de la Nación” (Construction of a Nation) and housed in Salons 19-26 of the second floor. The last time period is titled “Estrategías plásticas para un México moderno” (Strategies for the fine arts in modern Mexico) and is housed in Salons 27-33 on the first floor. Historically, this period is after the end of the Mexican Revolution when questions of modernity and nationalism were foremost.

Why You Should Visit:
The permanent collections are vast, and when you add the temporary ones, plus the live concerts, guided tours and the other smaller Telegraph Museum inside, it would be easy to spend a day here.

Tip:
Excellent place to bring groups and kids, as it offers workshops all year round and during the summer – for all ages.

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 10am-5:30pm; free on Sundays

The Franz Mayer Museum (Spanish: Museo Franz Mayer) in Mexico City opened in 1986 to house, display and maintain Latin America’s largest collection of decorative arts. The collection was amassed by stockbroker and financial professional Franz Mayer, who collected fine artworks, books, furniture, ceramics, textiles and many other types of decorative items over fifty years of his life. A large portion comes from Europe and Asia but most comes from Mexico itself with items dating from the 15th to the 20th centuries. Many pieces in the collection are fine handcrafts, such as textiles and Talavera pottery, and they are important because they are items that often did not survive, as most did not consider them worth preserving.

The museum is housed in the historic center of Mexico City in the former San Juan de Dios monastery and hospital, an 18th-century structure which was rehabilitated for the museum. In addition to displaying the items Mayer collected, of which only over a quarter is visible, the museum still makes acquisitions, holds workshops, sponsors temporary exhibits and has a cafe located in the center courtyard/garden.

Why You Should Visit:
One of the hidden gems in Mexico City... The eye of a private collector is always interesting, but Mayer's eye was remarkable. Not to miss!

Tip:
If you're a teacher/professor, you get a discount for the entry ticket, even if you're not Mexican.

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 10am-5pm; Sat-Sun: 10am-7pm; closed on Mondays

The Museo Mural Diego Rivera is a unique venue, established for a single purpose, and that is to exhibit Diego Rivera's mural "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central" (Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central).

Initially, this mural was housed at the nearby Hotel del Prado. After the hotel was badly damaged by an earthquake that shook the city in 1985, a decision was taken to save it and move to a more secure location.

In order to transport the mural from the hotel, the wall on which it was painted had to be cut and a special metal structure was employed to support its 15-ton weight (the structure is still preserved in case of another earthquake). The museum building was then constructed around the mural after it was placed on the current site near Almeida Park, and was finally inaugurated in 1988.

The history of the mural itself began in 1946 when the architect Carlos Obregón Santacilia asked Diego Rivera to paint it for the Hotel del Prado's Versailles dining room. The subject for the mural was Alameda Central Park, located just across the street.

Diego took to the task and created a fresco in which he recounted the history of Alameda Park (much as that of Mexico as a whole) from the times of the Spanish colonization to the murder of the democratically elected president Franciso Madero and the ensuing years of civil unrest.

The enormous painting – 4.7 x 15.6 meters large – was finished in 1947. Overall, more than 150 important people who helped shape the history of the country have found their place in it. Among them Hernán Cortés, Benito Juárez, Maximiliano de Habsburgo, Francisco I Madero, Porfirio Díaz, and others. Also depicted here are some regular folk like street vendors and revolutionaries, as well as Rivera's wives (including Frida Kahlo) and some of his daughters.

Rivera himself said of the mural that it is composed of the memories of his life, his childhood, and his youth, going from 1895 to 1910. "All the characters are dreaming, some asleep on the benches and others, walking and talking," he said.

For the visitors' convenience, there are comfortable chairs to sit on and marvel at the vast painting. English and Spanish guides can help you recognize the depicted figures and explain their role in Mexico's history.

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 10 am–5:30 pm; closed on Mondays

The Museo de Arte Popular occupies a building that was once an old firehouse located in the Historic Center of Mexico City. The museum is dedicated to Mexican folk arts and handicrafts. This repository of folk traditions not only promotes folk art but preserves them by holding workshops teaching children to make traditional crafts.

The building that houses the Museo de Arte popular is an art deco structure that once served as the home of the fire service. Architect Vincente Mediola designed the building. There is a central hall for parking fire engines and three floors with rooms that served as offices and residences. The facade of the structure is made of stone with ancient Aztec reliefs decorated with motifs. A tower with a light to signal emergencies faces the intersection near the museum. The building was donated by the government of Mexico City for a museum and Teodoro Gonzales de Leon was given the task of restoring the building for the purpose. The inner courtyard is now covered by a large glass cupola.

Opened in 2006, the Museo de Arte Popular has a large collection of textiles, pottery, handicrafts made of glass, piñatas and figures of fantastical creatures called alebrijes. An annual parade is sponsored by the museum called the Noche de Alebrijes where large alebrijes are taken on a parade and their creators compete for prizes.

Why You Should Visit:
When you enter this museum, you feel immediately energized by the colors and gorgeous displays of fantastic art! Small and very do-able to walk through and see everything in under 2 hours. The gift shop has tons of crafts from all over the country and many potential fun buys!

Tip:
Make sure to start your visit on the top floor and work your way down.

Opening Hours:
Tue, Thu-Sun: 10am-6pm; Wed: 10am-9pm; closed on Mondays