2010 IFUW Conference - Mexico City

Things to see in Mexico City

Sights

Historic Center: The heart of Mexico City is the Plaza de la Constitución, more commonly known as the Zócalo (Main Plaza) which is the the second biggest square in the world. It is surrounded by historic buildings such as the main Cathedral and the National Palace, which houses offices of the president, a museum and histocial murals by Diego Rivera. The area around Zócalo has over 1,400 colonial buildings as the new city was built on top of the destroyed Aztec City. Some of the remains of the old city can be found at the archaeological site of Templo Mayor.
Coyoacán: Coyoacán is a colonial neighbourhood with cobbled streets and cosy atmosphere. This area hosts some of Mexico City's finest mansions and great museums. Frida Kahlo's Blue House is here, for example , and is now a museum housing artifacts of her life.
Chapultepec: Chapultepec ("Grasshopper's hill" from the Aztech language) is the biggest green area in Mexico City. The Castle of Chapultepec, where Maximilian I of Mexico once lived and which now houses the National History Museum, is one of its main attractions. The park also includes the National Auditorium, along with several other museums, including the Modern Art Museum and the large National Museum of Anthropology and History where a collection of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican art and artifacts can be found.
Floating Gardens of Xochimilco: Xochimilco is a vast system of canals and flower gardens dating back to Aztec times. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is the last remnant of how Mexico City looked at the time when the Spanish arrived to Mexico City in 1521. This protected area comprises a botanical garden, articicial lakes and the network of canals where colourful "trajineras" (Xochimilco boats) cruise between "floating merchants" and mariachi bands.

Museums

Modern Art Museum (Museo de Arte Moderno): This museum exhibits a permanent collection of 20th-century Mexican art. It showcases the work of artists like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. It has a sculpture garden and exhibits also contemporary lithography and photography. The museum is located in Chapultepec.
Anthropology Museum (Museo Nacional de Antropología): This is one of the finest anthropological museums in the world containing an extraordinary collection of artwork from the indigenous population and an extensive collection of artifacts chronicling the history of Mesoamerica. The building itself is a masterpiece of architectural design. The museum is located in Chapultepec.
Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul): Frida Kahlo was born 1910 in Casa Azul (the Blue House) and lived here with husband and painter Diego Rivera off and on from 1929 until her death in 1954. The museum has a few examples of Kahlo's art but mainly features her personal belongings such as jewelry, books, photos, her typical tehuana ornate dresses and pre-Hispanic objects. The whole museum is set up to reflect her personality. The house is located in Coyoacan. Frida Kahlo's and Diego Riviera's works can also be found in the Dolores Omedo Museum, the Museo Mural Diego Riviera and the Museo Anahuacalli.
National Museum of Art (Museo Nacional De Arte): The museum’s permanent collection is designed to give a view of the development of the fine arts in Mexico from the early colonial period to the mid-twentieth century. The neo-classical building dates back to the early 1900s and has a magnificent marble staircase.The museum is located in the Historic Center.
National History Museum (Museo Nacional de Historia): This building, known as the Castillo de Chapultepec, was the residence of Maximilian I of Mexico. Visitors can inspect the opulent salons, a splendid imperial carriage and 20 halls displaying the history of Mexico. There is a fantatsic view of the city from here and many classical concerts, temporary exhibitions, take place here.
Museo Dolores Olmedo Patino: On September 17, 1994, María de los Dolores Olmedo opened her home as the Dolores Olmedo Museum, as a specific legacy to the people of Mexico. Here she displayed her collection of fine art, Precolumbian pieces and popular art. The five-building complex contains 145 paiting by Diego Rivera, 25 by Frida Kahlo (and some of their scripts and drawings) and nearly 6,000 pre-Hispanic figurines and sculptures.
Museo Franz Mayer: Franz Mayer was a German philanthropist who moved to Mexico and built a large collection of Mexican arts and crafts including textiles, silver, pottery and furniture. The museum is located in the serene surroundings of the 16th century Hospital de San Juan, on Avenida Hidalgo.
Templo Mayor: The museum was built on and from the ruins of the Aztec temple, the Templo Mayor. It contains over 3,000 pieces unearthed from the site and from other sites in central México. The museum is located in the Historic Center.
Palacio de Bellas Artes: This is Mexico´s principal opera house and the home of the National Folkloric Ballet. It features important murals and its interiors are a beautiful blend of art nouveau and art deco. It has a museum on the second and third floor, which houses the collection of paintings and sculpture done by Mexican artists including murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and José Clemente Orozco. The palace is located in Alameda Centra.

Other attractions

The Angel of Independance: Mexico City's most recognizable icon, a golden angel, can be can be found on the avenue Paseo de la Reforma. This avenue was modeled after Champs-Elysées in Paris and connects the National Palace and with the Castle of Chapultepec.
Basilica de Guadalupe: This holy shrine guards the shroud of Our Lady of Guadalupe and is a place to which pilgrims arrive from all over the world. It is located in the north area of the city.
Ciudadela Crafts Market and Saturday Bazar: The Ciudadela is a semi-covered market with a great selection of crafts from around the nation. It is located south of the Alameda Park. Bazaar Sabado (Saturday Bazaar) takes place in the Plaza San Jacinto in the San Angel neighborhood, selling paintings and other crafts.
Haciendas (restaurants): These restored restaurants called Haciendas, such as San Angel Inn, Hacienda de Tlalpan and the Hacienda de los Morales, are remnants of Mexico history serving excellent food.
Plaza Garibalidi-Marachi: This square's main attraction, apart from the many restaurants and cafés, are the "mariachis". Dressed in the traditional cowboy "charro" costums, they perform folk music, creating a fantastic atmosphere.