Soumaya Museum (Plaza Carso)

The Basics

Named for the late wife of Mexican business mogul Carlos Slim, the Soumaya Museum features works by influential European artists, including Da Vinci, van Gogh, Picasso, and Dalí and houses a large Rodin sculpture collection. Mexican artists such as Diego Rivera are represented. Visitors explore the museum via a spiral ramp and elevators that connect six thematic floors. The building's exterior sparkles with 16,000 honeycombed aluminum hexagons. Some Mexico City architecture tours include the museum.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The Soumaya Museum's Plaza Carso venue is a must-see for art and architecture lovers.

• Select Mexico City sightseeing tours that stop at the museum also include hotel pickup and drop-off.

• The museum is open every day except Tuesday, and admission is free.

How to Get There

The Plaza Carso building in the Polanco neighborhood is now the museum’s main location and is best reached via public transport; nearby metro stations include Rio San Joaquin (Line 7), Polanco (Line 7), and San Cosme (Line 2). An older, second location at Plaza Loreto in the San Angel area of Mexico City dates to 1994.

When to Get There

The museum is open Wednesday to Monday, with later hours on Saturday. It’s busiest on weekends. To avoid the crowds, visit on a weekday. Allow at least two hours for the exhibits.

Inbursa Aquarium

Mexico’s largest aquarium, Inbursa (Acuario Inbursa), is across the street from the Soumaya Museum. The aquarium features five tanks and nearly 230 species of animals, including more than 5,000 marine mammals. The aquarium is mostly underground and designed to mimic the ocean depths with kid-friendly exhibits such as Sunken Ship, Touch Pool, and more.