Museo Franz Mayer houses the personal art collection of stockbroker and financier Franz Mayer. Initially, this was supposed to be his private place, but the house officially opened its doors to the public in 1986, and thus became a cultural showcase for Mexico.

Located in Mexico City, where the San Juan De Dios monastery is, the museum is an 18th century structure that was rehabilated and restored before its opening.

Many of Mayer’s collection included books, sculptures, paintings, furniture and other works of art from Europe and Asia and the museum, in fact, only displays a fourth of his whole collection for the public. There are several others that are kept from view, because of their extra ordinary value and worth. The museum management, however, has acquired its own pieces to add to these collection over the years.
The Rogelio Casas Library is also part of this museum which has quite an important and extensive archive.

In order to support other artists in the city, the museum has also partnered with several artist groups, such as those silver and ceramic artisans who frequent the place to learn more about century old pieces. Today, with a more updated look, in spite keeping with its original 18th century style, the museum is used to hold workshops and exhibits, guided tours, as well as seminars and workshops to help improve the art scene in Mexico. It has also created a lovely cafe in the middle of the site, in the courtyart garden, for guests to dine and take breaks from.

The museum is located at Avenida Hidalgo #45.

Mexico’s National Museum of Art is found at the city’s historic center, at the Tacuba #8. The museum’s doors openend to the public in 1982 and at that time shared the building with the Ministry of Communication and Transport. But since 2000, the entire building has been transformed and dedicated to exhibits of art pieces from the XVI to XX centuries.

Museo Nacional de Arte or MUNAL is part of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. Exhibits, guided tours, workshops, seminars and performing arts are regularly done here, to help promote culture and arts in the country, as well as to help conserve arts in the modern world.

There are three sections to the exhibits at the museum, covering periods of art revolution from 1550 to the mid-50′s. Some of its most notable pieces include collections of Modern Art in Chapultepec Park, paintings of western art from the Academy of San Carlos, art work depicting Mexican Independence, and pieces from the Mexican Revolution. Paintings of artists like Pedro Gualdi and photography from Carlos Monsivais and Marina Yampolsky are also found in this museum.

The museum building is like an art exhibit in itself and inside, the Reception Hall at the second floor has an awesome display of sculpture exhibits. This area is a lot similar to European art museums. It’s big and very colonial, and has murals that carry different themes that highlights cultural significance. So beautiful is this hall that, President Porfirio Diaz chose this as the site where public declarations are done, or where guests from the international community is received. Overall, the museum carries classic and gothic architecture. To the center is a large staircase that leads to the rest of the halls around the building.

The Museo de Arte Moderno or Museum of Modern Art can be found at the Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. It is part of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes and mostly showcases work of contemporary artists, sculptors and muralists, both in the national and international scene.

Foremost of its collection include the works of artists like Frida Kahlo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Gelsen Gas, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Diego Rivera, Olga Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, Leonora Carrington, Rufino Tamayo, Juan Soriano, and Vicente Rojo.

The museums main building is a round structure that is of two-storey construction. There’s a big central staircase that serves as the focal point. The museum is divided into four spaces, dominated mostly by its four masters of the arts, while the rest of the spaces are for temporary exhibitions and other showcases. There is a beautiful garden inside the museum where scupltures in large scale are displayed.

Open to the public from Tuesdays to Sundays, Mexico’s Modern Art Museum is truly a must-visit venue for those who love to see more of what the culture is about. Guided tours are scheduled and starts at ten in the morning, while the museum is close by six in the evening.