A building that could not decide between Art Nouveau and Art Deco and resolved the argument by being magnificently both — the exterior in Carrara marble with Art Nouveau curves, the interior in Art Deco geometry with Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Rufino Tamayo murals covering the walls. The building took thirty years to complete (1904-1934) and sank over a meter into the soft lakebed clay during construction, which is the most Mexico City fact imaginable: ambition defeated by geology, then completed anyway. The murals inside are not decoration — they are the defining works of Mexican muralism, political arguments in paint that insist art belongs to the public rather than the collector.
Location
Centro Historico, Mexico City
Map
Insider Intel
Enter for the murals — Rivera's 'Man at the Crossroads' (the mural Rockefeller destroyed in New York, recreated here), Orozco's 'Katharsis,' Siqueiros's politically charged panels. The fourth floor has the most important works. The Tiffany glass curtain (depicting the Valley of Mexico volcanoes) is visible during performances or by special arrangement. The architecture itself is the second exhibition — study the exterior from the Alameda, then the interior from the central atrium.
Tuesday through Friday morning, arriving at opening (10am). The murals are best viewed in quiet, and the weekend crowds make contemplation difficult. Sunday is free entry and extremely crowded. The exterior is most photogenic in afternoon light from the Alameda side.
Located at the eastern edge of the Alameda Central, directly on the Centro-Juarez boundary. Entry is approximately 80 MXN; free on Sundays. Photography without flash is permitted. The building hosts performances (ballet, opera, concerts) in the main theater — check the schedule for the chance to see the Tiffany glass curtain raised before a show. The sinking is visible if you look at the building's relationship to street level. Allow 1-2 hours for the murals. The Alameda park across the street is a pleasant complement. Metro Bellas Artes (Lines 2 and 8) is directly adjacent.