The “museum scene” in México City is gigantic! This largest city in North America contains about 150 different museums. They range in themes from local history, world history, art from around the world, ancient cultural relics, food & drink-oriented museums, interactive museums for kids, and museums that are just “eclectic.”
In this article, I will showcase 5 of my favorite museums you can visit which contain the title of National Museum / Museo Nacional in México. Some are huge in size and some are small. The themes for these National Museums vary greatly.
Note: Please check the schedule of each museum to see what days they are open and their times. Many are closed on Mondays and some only have specific days when they are open.
Ok. Here we go.
México National Museum of Art / Museo Nacional de Arte
After having visited many of México City’s museums, I have to say that this art museum is my favorite.. The reason I say this is not only because of the spectacular old paintings and sculptures showcased but also because this art museum is housed in an awesome palace. Yes, a palace!
When you first walk into the museum’s entryway, you will encounter an absolutely beautiful and ornate stairway. A photo taken from the bottom of the steps looking up will definitely be a keepsake to show all your friends back home.
The thousands of art pieces showcased here come from the mid-16th century all the way to the mid-20th century. They are housed in some of the grand ballrooms within this palace. As you admire the fine art, you can also stop and try to imagine the elite of the city dressed in their finery to attend grand gala banquet dinners followed by scrumptious desserts in one of these huge ballrooms. Later, live music would accompany the couples as they engaged in elegant and stately traditional dances of their time.
All in all, I’m sure you will come away with a sense of awe and a better understanding of the talents our ancestors had in the construction of these magnificent palaces and also of the excellent artistic endeavors by these many artisans who lived in the past.
México National Anthropology Museum / Museo Nacional de Antropologia
If anyone tries to convince you that you can see EVERYTHING in this museum in one day, they are not telling you the truth. There are 23 separate galleries with hundreds of thousands of artifacts including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and reenactment scenes which span the ages. This museum looks like a sprawling campus with a big courtyard in the middle.
Each gallery has historical information about the different geographic locations and periods in time around the country of México showcasing the different cultures who lived in each region. Examples would be Oaxaca and the Zapotec people, the Yucatan Peninsula and the many tribes of the Maya, and the Michoacan region where the Purepechas people lived and still do to this day. All these galleries are located on two levels.
Note: There are some exhibits which have English translations but most of the signage is in Spanish. My recommendation is to either study-up in advance regarding the regions of México you are most interested in and then plan your day by going directly to those galleries. The other suggestion would be to hire a historian guide who will help you to understand what you are seeing.
Another FYI: There is a nice little restaurant in the museum where you can have lunch after a morning of museum exploration before continuing in the afternoon to see more of the galleries.
México National History Museum / Museo Nacional de Historia
Ok, so here is the cool part about visiting México City’s National History Museum. It is housed in a castle. So you can explore the castle AND the museum in one visit. The name of this castle is Castillo de Chapultepec.
Just an FYI . . . this castle and museum is within a short walk from the Anthropology Museum listed above. If you really want to schedule an “ambitious day” of exploring museums, you could visit the Antho museum in the morning, see a couple of the galleries, have lunch, and then walk over to the Chapultepec Castle and the National History Museum. To reach the castle, you will have to walk up a long incline walkway so rest up at lunch for your afternoon trek up to the castle on the hill.
The view from the castle of México City below is really a good one. Make sure to go on the balcony to enjoy the view.
The artifacts and paintings in the National History Museum are housed within a series of rooms inside the castle. Here you will discover information which will give you a good idea about the tumultuous history of México (especially México City) from the Spanish Conquest to the Mexican Revolution.
This museum has some beautiful murals depicting México’s history and also good info about when the French took over Mexico for a few years and brought in their own Emperor to rule the country. This “Emperor” from Austria and his wife lived in the castle a short time until he was ousted or should I say, executed by a Mexican military firing squad.
México National Palace / Palacio Nacional de México
This location is not really a designated “museum.” The function of this building is as the main federal government building of México. This palace runs the length of the main plaza in the downtown area of México City. After Spain made México a Spanish colony, they built this large building over the site of where the government buildings for the Aztec Empire had been. Actually, a lot of the building materials for the palace you see today came from the building materials from the destroyed Aztec buildings.
I include this location as a “museum” because of the awesome series of murals painted by Diego Rivera depicting the history of México. The emphasis of these colorful murals show the struggles between the common people and foreign invaders from Spain and France who ruled at various times throughout this country’s history. The name of this series of murals is aptly entitled, The History of México.
Of course, being that this is the main federal government building, much of it is filled with administrative offices and is off-limits to the public. But Rivera’s murals are open for all to view (reservations required) as well as the main courtyard.
FYI: There are 14 courtyards scattered throughout this vast government complex.
México National Museum of Interventions / Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones
Located in Coyoacán, one of the south boroughs of México City, this museum is all about the history of foreign invaders. If you like history, you will like this museum as it displays old paintings, photos, documents, flags, and war relics from the conflicts with Spain, France, and the United States of America. In fact, each hall or room in this museum is dedicated to these different interventions/invasions.
The word “intervention” is used to denote both diplomatic persuasions by foreign governments to change México’s policies to their advantage and also signifies outright armed warfare.
This museum is housed in the former Monastery of San Diego Churubusco which was built over one of the Aztec’s religious temples.
This site is most known as the location of the last battle fought on August 20, 1847 by the invading Americans before they pushed their way into México City and eventually occupied the country’s capital for 9 months between September, 1847 and June, 1848. They called it the Battle of Churubusco.
Visit 5 more Mexico National Museums in México City
I included links for each one.
National Museum of Prints / Museo Nacional de la Estampa
Graphics arts collection – engraving & printmaking
National Museum of the Revolution / Museo Nacional de la Revolución
Displays of photos, documents & relics pertaining to the Mexican Revolution
National Numismatic Museum / Museo Numismático Nacional
Location that housed the Mexican Mint. It’s about coins.
National Museum of Cartography / Museo Nacional de Cartografía
History of maps, charts, codices, and more.
National Museum of World Cultures / Museo Nacional de las Culturas
History of the world’s cultures, past and present.
My Advice for Exploring Mexico City
I would highly encourage you to invest a minimum of 2 days to explore México City. That’s the minimum. To really get a feel for this huge city, then by all means, stay longer . . . 3-7 days.
With so many interesting museums, beautiful parks, lively markets, historical sites, local foods to try, and surrounding boroughs to explore, a visit to México City is sure to leave a big indelible mark in your portfolio of travel destination memories.
Adventure ON in México!