Chapultepec is Mexico City’s answer to New York’s Central Park and Madrid’s El Retiro. It’s an oasis of green in the center of a bustling metropolis where you’ll find museums, monuments, running trails and paddle boats. It’s biggest attraction is the Castillo de Chapultepec, but the park has a lot more to offer. If you’re interested in modern art and sculpture, the Museo de Arte Moderno and Museo Tamayo face each other on opposite sides of Avenida de la Reforma.
Modern Art Museum
Start your afternoon at the Museo de Arte Moderno (MAM). You’ll see a big sign on Avenida de la Reforma, next to a gate and a parking lot. The museum itself is on the other side of that parking lot. It’s small – this is no Reina Sofía – and there is no permanent exhibition of the collection; instead the four galleries host changing exhibitions. The modern art museum was opened in 1964 and the building, based on a design by Pedro Ramirez Vázquez and Rafael Mijares, pays homage to organic forms and fluidity between interior and exterior spaces. The museum shop, coffee shop and bookstore share a circular space behind the main building.
The highlight of a visit to the MAM, rather than the galleries themselves, is the sculpture garden. The garden surrounding the main museum building was designed by Juan Siles, and displays at least thirty or so modern art sculptures. There are benches and grass to sit on, plenty of trees for shade, and you can take your own lunch or buy a picnic from the coffee shop to eat while you enjoy the artwork.
I had a torta from Abarrotes Delirio, and the company of a curious little kitty who was clearly wondering if I wanted to share some of my lunch with her while I ate on a bench. If you prefer to eat at a table, the coffee shop offers indoor and outdoor seating, and has a little more quirk than you’d usually find in a museum cafe. It sells brightly colored mugs, cast iron tea pots and local crafts along with the food.
Rufino Tamayo Museum
Once you’ve finished eating and enjoyed the MAM’s sculpture garden, head over to the Museo Rufino Tamayo. This museum was opened in 1981, founded by Oaxacan painter, Rufino Tamayo to display his personal collection and make it available to the public.
The building was designed by Mexican architects Teodoro González de León and Abraham Zabludovsky. They began working on the design in 1972 – seven years before construction would begin – and were awarded the National Arts and Sciences Prize in 1982 for their work. The building itself is considered part of the collection, and with good reason. Just as the architects intended, the design of the galleries, with their natural and artificial lighting, do in fact intensify the visitor’s relationship with the artwork.
The museum’s permanent collection is small, but well curated and impeccably displayed. It features few pieces from any particular artist, but shows a broad cross section of contemporary art, including painting and sculpture. The museum also has a gallery dedicated to the work of Tamayo himself. It showcases the artist’s talent, as well as his artistic development over time and in different mediums.
About half of the gallery space is used for changing contemporary art exhibitions. When I visited, the largest space was dedicated to an installation; a collaboration between four artists from different parts of the world that prominently displayed the deconstruction of art and how we experience it. Another smaller space featured an installation by a Columbian artist using record covers. There was also an exhibition highlighting craftsmanship from all over Mexico – pottery, hat making, weaving, glass blowing and leatherwork were among the crafts displayed.
I was impressed by the museum’s shop, which has an impressive selection of books, covering art and design as well as literature, and a good selection of wares made by local artists including clothing, jewelry, pottery and knick-knacks. If you’re wanting a unique backpack or felt bag that will only set you back about $50 USD or a baseball cap that says “CHINGÓN” (a crude way of saying that something is awesome) this is the place to look.
Botanic Garden and a Break
Even though the collections are not so big they are overwhelming, two museums in one day is my limit, so on my way out of the Museo Tamayo I strolled past the Reflecting Pool, lined with reclined benches that look like the most perfect spot to relax on a sunny afternoon, then crossed Reforma and headed to my right, past the MAM to the Botanic Garden. The garden does a pretty good job of covering the extremely diverse array of plant life to be found in Mexico, from cacti to lush tropical greenery and edible plants. If you’re interested in mezcal and tequila, you’ll be able to find specimens of the plants used to make them, like the famous Blue Agave – used in tequila – and Tobalá – a common type of agave used in mezcal.
You’ll find benches and even a swing in the garden, if you’re tired of walking and feel like resting your feet while you contemplate the plants, but if you’re looking for a cup of coffee and a comfortable spot to recharge after spending most of the afternoon on your feet, leave the garden and walk up Reforma away from the MAM. At the next gate, you’ll find a Starbuck’s that has a wooden deck filled with comfy outdoor seating, including a couple of swing chairs. Not that I’m a fan of drinking Starbuck’s coffee when you’re in Mexico, there are plenty of better options, but the location of this one is key.
Across from the Starbuck’s is a local bookseller, the Librería Porrúa, where you’ll find a large selection of Spanish language books, as well as a few English language titles, a coffee shop, and a deck that overlooks the lake. Either of these is a great spot to get something to drink, find a comfy chair and read or just enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
Locations: Museo de Arte Moderno: PASEO DE LA REFORMA Y GANDHI S/N BOSQUE DE CHAPULTEPEC // Museo Rufino Tamayo: Paseo de la Reforma 51, Bosque de Chapultepec // Starbuck’s: Bosque de Chapultepec, Sección Primera // Librería Porrua: Av. Paseo de la Reforma S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc
The entrance fee for each museum is currently $60 pesos, roughly $3 U.S. dollars.