Centro

This building was completed in 1945 and was designed by architect Antonio Muñoz Garcia.

The largest cathedral in the American continent. Designed by Claudio de Arcinieaga, construction started in 1537 and lasted for 250 years. Be sure to check out the side chapels where parishioners leave offerings for the various saints. For a bird's-eye view of the plaza, you can take a 40-minute tour (Spanish language only) of the upper levels and bell towers of the cathedral (M$12).

A side chapel next to the Cathedral completed in 1769. The façade is an excellent example of Mexican Churrigueresque architecture.

This church was started in the 16th century and completed in the 19th century; it was built in the grounds of the zoo of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma.

Built in 1897 on the site of the former Vasque Church of Aranzazu.

Built in 1678 and refurbished in 1845.

Tucked away on a side street, this very narrow gem of a church was built in the 1770s and is notable for being an outstanding example of Mexican Churrigueresque architecture. Even more remarkable than the façade, however, are the nine gilt retablos inside.

Huge historic church known for its opulent baroque interior. Part of a large Conceptionist convent founded in 1573. The statues and artwork is spectacular as is the gilded altar.

Baroque-style church established by the Jesuit order in the late 16th century and completed in 1610. The church is famous for its extensive art collection, some of which is on display for public viewing in an attached art gallery. The art was commissioned by the Jesuits during their first two centuries in Mexico. The collection remained intact when the Jesuits were expelled from all lands of the Spanish Empire during the 18th century. The building itself is admired for its early baroque architecture, which was more restrained than the effusive opulence of later churches, but that restraint did not extend to the church interior, which features many sculptures and period oil paintings, as well as architectural details like the extravangant Neoclassical main altar (designed by Manuel Tolsa to replace the original altar), covered in gold leaf. The art collection is one of the largest collections of early Mexican art and the gallery features four salons. Salon 1 contains the earliest works in the collection, mostly by well-known artists in Spain. Salon 2 boldly features a huge painting of Saint Philip Neri and the room is dedicated to works associated with the saint, as well as portraits of 11 popes. Salon 3 is a historical perspective of religious art from the 17th through 19th century with paintings depicting Biblical scenes and portraits of saints from those centuries. Salon 4 features works from the 18th century with two prominent paintings by Miguel Correa, one showing the torments of hell and the second showing judgment day as the good are separated from the evil.

Established in 1592, this green garden with fountains and statues is the oldest public park in the Americas. The name comes from álamo, the Spanish word for poplar tree, that were planted here. Much of the current layout of the park, with its starburst pattern of paths around fountains and the central kiosk dates from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The second largest square in Centro Histórico after the Zócalo. It is surrounded by various important buildings such as the Palacio de la Inquisición, Santo Domingo convent and the old Customs House.

This museum managed by the Medicine Faculty of the National University shows the history of health care in Mexico. Features a great replica of an old pharmacy and reconstructed labs of influential medical researchers. Signage is in Spanish only. It is housed in the Inquisition Palace, built between 1732 and 1737, which was the head office of the Holy Inquisition, the religious authority famous for torturing heretic people.

In this beautiful square you can find the statue of Spanish king Charles IV also known as El Caballito (the little horse).

Housed in the former Palace of Telecommunications, this beautiful Porfirian-style building was built in 1904 by architect Silvio Contri. The museum presents a permanent collection of paintings and sculptures from the 16th century through the early 20th century, including a large number of very early Mexican paintings. The museum is famous for its enormous and ostentatiously decorated Reception Hall and for its Patio de los Leones, which houses much of its sculpture collection. The museum is very large with over 3,000 objects on display. It often hosts temporary exhibits on special subjects. Allow at least a half day to fully explore its many galleries.

Formerly the Mining College, this building dated from 1792 features an old library and a chapel. It serves as venue for the yearly Mexico City Book Fair.

So called because in one city square you can see three different time periods of Mexico City's development mixed together: the pre-hispanic Aztec temple grounds of Tlatelolco, the 16th-century Spanish Church of Santiago, and a modern 20th-century skyscraper, now home of the University Cultural Center Tlatelolco (CCUT) for UNAM.

The temple, like Tenochtitlan's Templo Mayor, was built in several layers and is now the site of continuing archaeological exploration; it occupies the largest amount of area, on the north and west side of the plaza. If you're not around for the tour, you can guide yourself along the path (complete with English plaques) that takes you through the ruins, which deposits you in front of the Church of Santiago, on the east side of the plaza.

The colonial church, built by Spaniards immediately after destroying the temple in their conquest of Aztec lands, was constructed using stones "borrowed" from the temple itself. Despite its weathered appearance, the interior is well-maintained and should still hold regular Mass, although doors may not always be open to the public.

To the south, you'll see the modern-day tower and its adjacent buildings, which were built for the Secretary of External Relations (SRE), now headquartered across the street (though they still have offices in the church's adjoining cloister). UNAM runs the building as a conference hall and cultural center, and has a few exhibits open to the public: Memorial 68 (see Museums, below) and the Blaisten Collection, showcasing modern art.

In this square, groups of musicians play folk music. Most of these groups are "mariachis" from Jalisco, dressed in Charro costume and playing trumpets, violins, guitars and the guitarrón or bass guitar. The square is surrounded by cafés and restaurants that cater to mariachi band enthusiasts.

The Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City is a vibrant showcase of folk art from every Mexican state, housed in a stunning 1920s art deco former fire station designed by Vicente Mendiola. Spread across three levels and five thematic halls, it displays crafts like Chiapas carnaval masks, Oaxaca alebrijes, regional costumes, and Day of the Dead artifacts. An illustrated wall map highlights Mexico’s regional traditions. Even museum skeptics and kids love its colorful exhibits, and the ground-level shop offers unique, high-quality handicrafts.

Housed in an 18th-century building, houses the largest and finest collection of decorative arts in Mexico. The collection, including objects from Mexico, Europe and Asia ranging from the 16th to the 19th century was a donation of German-Mexican philanthropist Franz Mayer.

Housed in the former convent of Santa Ines built in 1600. The museum's collection features works by Mexican artist Jose Luis Cuevas as well as other modern artists, it also presents works (especially sculptures) from European artists such as Picasso and Rembrandt. The museum's courtyard features an enormous statue called, appropriately enough, La Gigantesca.

Housed in a building dated 1785 that was conceived as the Royal Academy of Beaux Arts. It is administered by the National University and features permanent and temporary painting collections. This is the oldest arts academy in the Americas and has trained large number of Mexico's most famous artists. Today, the academy is part of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) and only graduate courses are taught in the historic centro.

This museum was built to house Diego Rivera's famous mural Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central ('Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central'), which the painter created for the Hotel del Prado in 1947-1948. The hotel was destroyed in the earthquake of 1985, but the mural survived and was moved to this location. The museum also hosts permanent and temporary exhibits.

Features a collection of old engravings and other graphic arts.

Eclectic art museum that straddles the line between traditional artistic styles and the worlds of modern and contemporary art. The museum focuses on works that reflect the history and changing cultural values of Mexico City, a unique collection in a city crowded with outstanding arts venues. The museum itself is housed in a historic building, originally the Hospedería de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, but known to generations of Mexicans as the Hotel Cortes, the building was extensively restored and updated prior to the opening of Museo Kaluz in 2021. Roof top terrace with peaceful gardens and a popular cafe.

Eclectic art collection owned by the government's Finance ministry. Mexico has an innovative tax program that allows collectors and artists to pay tax debts by donating significant artworks. The collection includes works by famous artists like Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Rufino Tamayo as well as many cutting-edge contemporary works.

This museum is housed in a former convent from 1729 that later became headquarters for the Education Secretariat. In 1923, the department commissioned the up-and-coming Diego Rivera to decorate the building with 124 mural panels, extending over two city blocks and filling three levels. There are elaborate panels of traditional Mexican life on the ground floor, state seals on the second floor, and themes of revolution and class inequality on the third level. There is also a David Alfaro Siqueiros mural in the main stairwell. In 2024, the building became a museum dedicated to Mexican murals, with additional exhibits. Photography permitted, no flash.

This museum presents the history of the city in an 18th-century mansion; the building is possibly more interesting than the contents. It is believed that a conquistador's house used to be on the site, as evidenced by the southwest cornerstone of an Aztec serpent head likely taken from the Templo Mayor.

In UNAM's University Cultural Center Tlatelolco (CCUT) at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas (see Landmarks, above), Memorial 68 is a well-put together museum chronicling the events surrounding the police massacre of student protesters at Tlatelolco in 1968, around the time of the Summer Olympics, which were hosted in Mexico City that year. It's definitely worth a look, but all explanatory text and video interviews are in Spanish only, so brush up your vocabulary or bring a translator.

Opened in 2010, this museum is dedicated to the remembrance of genocides and crimes against humanity committed around the globe, with the goal of promoting peace and tolerance. Separate sections of the museum are devoted to the Holocaust, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, the Khmer Rouge, Darfur, Armenia, and Guatemala. Genocide is only one of the issues the museum confronts. Exhibits also explore hate crimes committed in the name of religion, racial purity, and especially sexual orientation, with a number of exhibits and lectures exploring LGBT issues (in Mexico, they tend to add a lot of extra letters so that you might see it as LGBTTTQIA).

Collection of traditional Mexican clothing.

Private collection of old shoes from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The museum belongs to the shoe store El Borcegui, established in 1865 and still selling shoes today.

Housed in the former Mint building built in 1734. The museum is dedicated to anthropology of the world.

Housed in the historic 16th-century Casa de las Ajaracas, it is a rare survivor on a street that has seen other historic structures knocked down to explore the Templo Mayor site. The museum is home to a huge collection of historical photographs from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, documenting the constantly changing cityscape of Mexico City.

This is the official cultural center from the Spanish Embassy and features temporary exhibits.

Managed by the National University, this museum features some stunning murals and hosts great permanent and temporary art exhibits.

One of the newest museums in the city, this contains the personal collection of paintings, photography, and books of the Mexican journalist and writer Carlos Monsivais.

Depicting the history of Mexican cartoons (political and amusing cartoons).

Managed by the National University, this museum is mostly for students on everything to do with light (photography, electricity, vision, etc).

This museum features everything about the Mexican Cowboy, known as Charro.

Museum dedicated to Mexico's Congress, with exhibits about the legislative process and the two houses: the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The building houses the legislative chamber of the larger house (Chamber of Deputies). The Senate conducts sessions in a different building on Av. Reforma. Congressional tours are conducted through the museum and include the opportunity to enter the Chamber of Deputies. This building is equivalent to Parliament in London or the Capitol in Washington D.C.

This is one of Mexico City's premier exhibition spaces for photography, with rotating exhibits of work by Mexican and international photographers. The center also has a small bookstore.

One of the oldest buildings in town, built in the late 16th century, it was first home to the local nobility and later the residence of Mexican Emperor Agustin de Iturbide. The building is owned today by the Cultural Trust of Banco Nacional de Mexico, the Mexican branch of Citibank.

Designed by Italian architect Adamo Boari. Construction started in 1905, however due to the Revolution War, it was not completed until 1934. The building is so heavy that it has sunk 4½m into the former lakebed. It is considered to be one of the best examples of Mexican Art Deco architecture; architectural and interior features include its copper cupolas and a Tiffany stained-glass stage curtain designed by Mexican painter Gerardo Murillo (commonly known as Dr. Atl).

One of the most beautiful buildings in the country and considered a National Heritage Building. Built in 1906, this European style building houses the main post office. Most of the materials used to build it were brought from Italy.

Housed in the Postal Palace, features old postal stationery and mail boxes.

Office of the Mexican Central Bank, built in 1925.

Architecturally unique and utterly fascinating restored neoclassical mansion from the Porfiriato era of the 19th century with period furnishings. Guided tours (in Spanish).

Construction started in 1948 and was completed in 1956. This was Mexico's first skyscraper, boasting 44 floors and 182 meters. There is an observatory in the 42nd floor.

This Baroque building was built as a church, but in the 1960s was repurposed to house a library. For visitors the primary interest is a series of enormous murals painted by the Russian emigré painter Vladimir Kibalchich Russakov (known in Mexico simply as Vlady). The murals in the main room are titled La Revolución y los Elementos (or 'Revolution and the Elements'). They required eight years to complete and are considered to be among the artist's most well-known works.

Located in a former tobacco factory, it is one of the largest libraries in the city. It contains several beautiful courtyards and smaller libraries decorated according to the character of different Mexican authors who donated their book collections to the library.

Next to Buenavista train station, it is the largest library in Mexico and functions as a central library for other libraries in the country. It is housed in an impressive modern building designed by architects Alberto Kalach and Juan Palomar. It is a must for visitors with an interest in architecture, not only for its stunning exterior design, but for its famous "floating stacks" that create the illusion of book shelves hanging from the ceiling. The library also houses a large contemporary art collection. The ground floor houses free temporary exhibits and the grounds include a botanical garden with native plants.

A colonia in the Cuauhtémoc borough, 2 km west of the historic center. This area was designated as a "Barrio Mágico" by the city in 2011. It was created in the late 19th century and reached its height between 1910 and 1930. In the 1930s, the middle class moved in and a new era of construction began. Today, the colonia is a mix of old mansions and homes (with over 1,000 categorized has having architectural or historic value), small shops and businesses, tenements and abandoned buildings.

This historic park, established in 1861, is the heart of Santa María la Ribera. Its centerpiece is the Kiosco Morisco, an Art Nouveau pavilion built in 1884 for the New Orleans World’s Fair and relocated here in 1910. Surrounded by jacaranda trees and tiled fountains, it hosts dance classes, markets, and music on weekends.

Housed in a 1906 Porfirian building in Santa María la Ribera, this museum showcases Mexico’s geological heritage with a mammoth skeleton, the dinosaur Isauria, and extensive mineral and fossil collections. Interactive exhibits and José María Velasco’s paintings enhance the experience.

This late 19th-century Byzantine-style church in Santa María la Ribera, designed by Carlos Herrera, is a hidden gem. Its vibrant interior features murals by Pedro Cruz depicting the life of St. Joseph, Christ’s birth, and the flight to Egypt, alongside stunning stained-glass windows and unique woodwork. A serene space for reflection, it’s a cultural treasure in one of Mexico City’s historic neighborhoods.

Housed in a striking 1902 iron-and-glass building by Enrique Norten, this UNAM-managed museum in Santa María la Ribera focuses on contemporary art. It features rotating exhibits of avant-garde works, performances, and workshops. A cultural hub with a modernist vibe.

A colonia in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, on the western edge of the Centro Histórico and the Zona Rosa. This area was developed in the early 1900s with a mix of mansions and upscale apartment buildings, but its fortunes had declined by the end of the 20th century and the area is a bit rough at night with seedy characters engaged in prostitution, drug dealing, and petty crime, though it is generally safe during the day. The neighborhood has a bohemian character with several old cantinas. The neighborhood was once the refuge of Fidel Castro and his supporters who plotted their Cuban Revolution in local cantinas. The most famous attractions here are the Monument of the Revolution (with a large historical museum), the San Carlos National Museum, and the Jai-Alai Fronton Mexico.

Historic theatre that was built to resemble La Scala in Milan. It is a huge theatre with stacks of balcony levels looking onto the stage below. The best seats are on the 1st balcony level (better than main level seats). The theatre hosts a range of performances, many plays, but also dance, music, and other forms.

Iconic performances of regional traditional dance and music from all parts of Mexico. The performance hall itself is a spectacular example of Art Deco architecture and features a stained glass curtain designed by famed muralist Dr. Atl.

A famous venue for lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) and boxing.

The first half of the street (from Avenida Eje Central Avenue to Avenida Isabel la Católica) specializes in all sorts of electronics. From spare parts (speakers, wiring, transistors) to complete home theater systems, audio mixers and lighting for dance clubs. The other half of the street (from Isabel la Católica) specializes in stationery and paper.

Specializes in appliances, from spare parts to industrial vacuums and blenders.