Best History Museum in Mexico

"Inside this grandiose colonial palace you'll see Diego Rivera murals (painted between 1929 and 1951) that depict Mexican civilization from the arrival of Quetzalcóatl (the Aztec plumed serpent god) to the post-revolutionary period. The nine murals covering the north and east walls of the first level above the patio chronicle indigenous life before the Spanish conquest. "

"Plaza de la Constitución S/N, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06066 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico. Though his reputation is now arguably overshadowed by that of his former wife, painter and muralist Diego Rivera—commissioned by Mexico’s postrevolutionary governments starting in the late 1920s to adorn several national monuments in..."

"In what better place can architects apply their theories than in their own home?. Luis Barragán proved that with his Casa Barragán. It is the second residence that the architect designed for himself in the Tacubaya district of Mexico City; the first was on 20–22 Ramirez Street, only a stone’s throw away."

"Casa Luis Barragán sits next to Archivo, which is across from Labor. The Tacubaya Triangle, some call it. Convenient for an afternoon art dive, as these three spaces give you a unique taste for Mexico’s past, present and future within a one block radius."

"Housed in Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec), the Museo Nacional de Historia is located in Section 1 of Chapultepec Park. The castle contains displays that show the evolution of Mexico from the conquest and formation of New Spain and up to the early twentieth century, but besides the history museum, there's a large section of the building that is furnished as it was during the time of some of its previous inhabitants including Maximilian and Carlota, and Porfirio Diaz and his wife. The museum also contains some wonderful murals by Orozco, Siqueiros, and O’Gorman."

"The Museo Nacional de Historia is found within Chapultepec Castle, one of the only royal palaces to have been built in North America. The historic location features exhibitions of Mexican history beginning from the colonial era, into the Mexican Wars of Independence, and then the Mexican Revolution all defining events which helped to develop the Mexico of today. There are literally hundreds of museums to visit in Mexico City, and this guide of the best museums in Mexico City is barely scratching the surface."

"Interior of the National Museum of Anthropology | © Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com. Many would consider the Museo Nacional de Antropologia to be the best in Mexico City, if not the world, and it is easy to see why. The architecture of the building itself makes the museum look so avant garde, even though it was designed way back in 1964, making it easy to see why some visitors flock here for just the architecture alone."

"The Museo del Tiempo Tlalpan is a wonderfully niche museum that makes for a fascinating break from art and culture. This is Mexico City’s Museum of Time, and it delves deep into the past as it looks at the unique topic of the history of time. That means you can expect to find archaic time keeping devices as well as antique clocks and watches on display here."

"The castle has a small entrance fee and is home to the National Museum of History, where you can get a great insight into Mexico’s past. If you’re still feeling up for more adventure, spend the next couple hours wandering around Condesa, popping into the street markets, stalls, and vendors you see along the way. Or, if you’re a museum buff, stop into the National Anthropology Museum or the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán — both world famous and easy places to spend an afternoon."

"Chapultepec Castle, home of the National History Museum in Mexico City | © Kamira / Shutterstock.com. This is another of Mexico City’s museums from the 60’s, and is located inside the impressive Chapultepec Castle. This castle is built atop a hill that used to be sacred Aztec ground, but then became a presidential residence, until it was given to the country in 1944 to become a national museum."

"If you’re a lover of the arts then the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporaneo – or the University Museum of Contemporary Art – could be the best art museum in Mexico City for you to visit. Usually known a little more simply as MUAC, this is a museum that’s home to the largest collection of modern art in Mexico, and one of the largest collections in the Americas too. MUAC displays the best contemporary art from Mexico, and has become one of the best platforms for emerging and contemporary artists in the country."

"Insurgentes 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico. If you happen to be on the hunt for Mexican designer jewelry and you're already at the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo (University Museum of Contemporary Art), then be sure to stop by the museum's large store, where the work of more than..."

"MUACCiudad de México, MexicoThis museum located on UNAM’s campus “Ciudad Universitaria” presents extraordinary temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, and it’s considered one of the best venues of its kind in Latin America. It’s worth having breakfast or lunch in its restaurant."

"Diego Rivera Mural Museum is home to the murals created by notable muralist Diego Rivera. The museum houses the popular mural ‘Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda of Diego Rivera’ which is on permanent display in the museum. The museum focuses on preserving the works of Diego Rivera, but occasionally works of other artists are also displayed here."

"Av Mexico 5843, La Noria, 16030 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico. Art patroness and businesswoman Dolores Olmedo Patiño lived at this Xochimilco area estate that became a museum in the 1990s. An impressive ode to Mexican identity, the MDO features a wowza collection of Riveras, and Kahlos, alongside..."

"Mexico City is home to Latin America’s very first ice bar “The Artic Bar”. At this special bar, you can experience the freezing temperatures of 15˚F in their ice room, where you can lounge on ice sofas. Don’t worry about wrapping up before arriving."

"Musak is a sleek and cool cocktail bar in Roma Norte, more for the traveler who wants to get dressed up and upgrade from the dives in Condesa and around. Known for perfectly-executed cocktails, their menu is not to miss. This is the ideal place to relax and forget the sounds of the city (of which there are many) and sit back with a drink in hand with your date or with your friends."

"If you have a flair for the historically dramatic, spot in at the Bar Opera and take a look at the hole supposedly shot into the ceiling by Emiliano Zapata. This old decadent beauty of a bar was once the place to see and be seen in high-class Mexican society and was the after-hours hang out for the city’s opera, as you might have guessed from the name. The liquor list here is indeed a never-ending story, but no fancy molecular, smoke-infused cocktails, just straight-up regular drinking."

"When I fancy going to traditional place in the city centre, I head to La Opera, the famous historical cantina where revolutionary hero Pancho Villa famously fired his gun at the ceiling in 1910. Its menu is offers much more than the typical botanas and includes a good variety of starters and main dishes. I recommend lengua a la Veracruzana, cow’s tongue cooked in the Veracruz state style."

"Bar La Opera is one of the most storied bars in Mexico City history (revolutionary hero Pancho Villa famously fired his gun at the ceiling in 1910). Come here for straight tequila flanked with sangrita, a salty-sweet traditional tequila shooter. Sip a little tequila, follow it with some sangrita, then suck on a lime wedge and repeat."

"Local artists line the pathways of this park to sell their paintings and vendors hawk art supplies. Arts & Crafts in Mexico City"

"The greatest urban park in Mexico City, Chapultepec is the capital’s lung with an extension of roughly a thousand and a half acres. This urban oasis is not only extremely rich in flora and fauna, hosting also its own botanical garden, but also in art and history being home to the Chapultepec Castle and some of the best museums in town: the Museum of Anthropology, one of the finest museums in the world of its kind, the Museum of Modern Art and Tamayo Museum. Locals love spending their weekends there walking, visiting one of the museums, rowing a boat in the lake, or just relaxing."

"1.30pm: Get some lunch on the go from any of the street vendors that can be found in the nearby Chapultepec park, or on the streets leading up to it. It’s a brief walk to the park from the museum and you can enjoy the sights of Paseo de la Reforma on your way. Find a bench and watch the squirrels scrabbling up and down the trees, on the lookout for kind tourists offering them food. After you’ve eaten, stroll around the park – it’s the largest inner-city green space in all of Latin America."

"Finishing the tour at around 4, I’d recommend spending the last few hours of daylight in the Bosque de Chapultepec. Check out the castle, take boats out on the lake if you desire, and just enjoy being in the largest green lung of the city."