7 Best Sights in Mexico

One of the city's most interesting museums, Centro de la Imagen shares the old Ciudadela building with the Biblioteca de México. Remodeled just a few years back, the extensive gallery spaces work cleverly to transect and interact with the historic structure and are devoted to reflections on photographs as both historical documents and art. The library near the entrance has a significant collection of photobooks. Guided tours in English can be arranged for free via the website with several weeks' notice.

In Doctores just a block from Roma and Avenida Álvaro Obregón, this historic textile factory has been transformed into a collaborative art and design space that serves as both showcase and incubator. From the street you'd hardly know it was here—you need to knock on the door to gain entry. But the public is welcome to drop in, order a well-crafted latte from the cool café (which is also an inviting spot to work on your laptop), check out the bookstore specializing in titles about design, and explore the building's unique architecture. Many of the galleries and studios inside sell their works to the public, but Laguna also hosts a wide range of cultural activities, including dance classes, art workshops, design expos, and various lectures. Above all else it offers visitors a terrific opportunity to interact with the city's constantly evolving creative scene.

Inside this imposing early 20th-century mansion and its connected buildings, artists are nurtured and browsers are welcomed in the airy exhibition spaces, a library, a bookstore, a wide range of courses, a café, and a swanky restaurant called Nueve Nueve that serves upmarket contemporary Mexican and international cuisine. All of the spaces surround a beautiful courtyard, and the restaurant—set inside a modern glass-walled addition—offers particularly nice views.

Referred to as simply the "Olimpo," this beautiful porticoed cultural center was built adjacent to city hall in late 1999. Its marble interior hosts international art exhibits, classical-music concerts, conferences, and theater and dance performances. The adjoining 1950s-style movie house shows both classic art films and animated features targeting younger viewers. The center also houses a planetarium with 60-minute shows explaining the solar system (narration is in Spanish); they run Tuesday through Sunday at 6 pm and Sunday at 10, 11, noon, 6, and 7—be sure to arrive 15 minutes early as nobody is allowed to sneak in once the show has begun.

The old customhouse has been partially restored and is now a cultural center with sporadic art or photography shows and theatrical productions.

The history of Poliforum Siqueiros has been and remains turbulent, but it still remains one of the city's most beloved cultural treasures. The cultural space was first opened in 1971 and features the largest mural of the world, “The March of Humanity” painted by Mexican muralist and political dissenter David Siqueiros. The interior mural covers more than 93,646 square feet and depicts the struggle of humanity across four sections, narrated by the late artist himself as a rotating platform carries visitors on a journey through the mural. The space also features galleries and a theater. The facade, a dodecahedron by design, brings Siqueiros’ art to the outside world. Over the years, numerous groups have worked to restore the building, now officially declared as part of the city’s cultural heritage. While it is officially closed to visitors, you can still see the mural itself just from the outside.