Berlin has its Tiergarten, New York has Central Park. But Mexico City has Chapultepec. It’s the green lung of the capital, the sonic boom of the art scene and the ultimate pause button for the hypercharged metropolis.
There is a jogging event this sunday on the Avenida Paseo de la Reforma, which cuts through the northern edge of the almost 700 hectares huge park. Even on a day of rest this place doesn’t sleep. Thousands of Mexicans embark on their quest, in the early morning, to avoid the January heat and the tens of thousands of locals that flock to the park every week on this day of rest.
This is the day this place really comes alive. Most museums are free on sundays. The indigenous people give their mind-boggling show on the high poles, where they almost perform a serenade at thirty metres height, only connected by a rope and the centrifugal forces of the revolving tower. Everywhere around the Museo Nacional de Antropologia are small food stalls and drink stands.
The way the people use their parks says a lot about their societies probably. Central Park is the melting pot where the loud Big Apple comes together in huge numbers to do sports, make music, have fun. Berliners tend to avoid Tiergarten mostly, leaving it to the tourists and preferring the smaller Volksparks in their neighborhoods instead.
And Ciudad de Mexico shows its passion for the high arts, for its rich culture, and its relaxed way of life in Chapultepec. This is a shelter within the city, an independent living and breathing body, the one place where the city isn’t screaming and isn’t moaning under its overpopulation.
In fact, the park is so huge and diverse that only spending one day there doesn’t really do it justice. But let’s try anyway, won’t we? And if we fail, we fail in grace.
Castillo de Chapultepec
The third (and most western) section of the park is hilly and exhausting. The second one is a nice bonus with a theme park and another museum. But the real action happens in sector one, on the eastern side. And the slowly beating heart of it is the Castle on the hill.
This is the place to start the day. To be ahead of the crowds. And to enjoy the beautiful views of the metropolis, before it gets more and more shrouded by fog in the course of the day. Yes, they do have a decent exhibition here as well, but that’s like going to a football match for the beer. At the castillo you go for the views. Basta.
Museo de Arte Moderno
Going down there is no avoiding the six beautiful marble columns of the Altar a la Patria (altar to the homeland), better known as the Monumento a los Ninos Heroes (monument for the boy heroes). It is dedicated to the soldiers in the war against the United States in 1846 and 1847 and still has the remains of six boys in its columns.
This solemn place is your focal point when you exit Chapultepec metro station and walk towards the park. When you head right, there is also no way to avoid the museum of modern art. Be ready for your first shot of what will become an overdose of art. The entrance building leads down into the sculpture garden. The tendency here is to stay walking at the frantic pace of the city, instead of slowing down. This is a beautiful spot, ideally probably enjoyed with a headphone with meditative music, to put you into a cocoon separated from your surroundings.
The main attraction is still to come though. In the four rooms of the big building is a dazzling collection of paintings of contemporary art. The breadth and depth of this collection is just mind-blowing.
It goes far beyond the Mexican School of Painting (Escuela Mexicana de Pintura). Yes, it of course has classic works of Frida Kahlo. It has huge paintings of the Big Three Muralists, our newfound friends Diego Rivera (Kahlo’s husband), Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
It goes far beyond the Mexican School of Painting (Escuela Mexicana de Pintura). Yes, it of course has classic works of Frida Kahlo. It has huge paintings of the Big Three Muralists, our newfound friends Diego Rivera (Kahlo’s husband), Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
What this museum does is also open the doors to the Breakaway Generation (Generacion de la Ruptura), those artists from the fifties onwards that wanted to show that Mexican art was about more than just murals. Unfortunately I forgot the name of the painter who died only 19 years old, but had already developed an instantly recognizable personal style.
This overdose of paintings is topped off by the architecture of the building. The atrium has a round, semi-transparent roof, that has been slowly degraded by nature into a beautiful yellow-brown hue. Let yourself fall on your back in the centre and just let your mind float a while, before embarking on the next stage of this incredible one day journey.
This overdose of paintings is topped off by the architecture of the building. The atrium has a round, semi-transparent roof, that has been slowly degraded by nature into a beautiful yellow-brown hue. Let yourself fall on your back in the centre and just let your mind float a while, before embarking on the next stage of this incredible one day journey.
Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo
Overconfidence could have been a Dutch invention. After having survived the modern art museum, assuming I had already had the biggest chunk of art behind me, I stumbled upon the Museo Tamayo.
This one has even better temporary exhibitions than its neighbor, and is housed in an astonishing building that seems to rise from the earth. It has both green slopes and raw concrete walls on the outside, and on the inside the various levels ingenuously blend into eachother, in a maze of exhibition spaces.
This one has even better temporary exhibitions than its neighbor, and is housed in an astonishing building that seems to rise from the earth. It has both green slopes and raw concrete walls on the outside, and on the inside the various levels ingenuously blend into eachother, in a maze of exhibition spaces.
Since 1982 this museum, founded by artist Rufino Tamayo, has tried to become the focal point of contemporary art in the country and beyond. And though it hasn’t gained the international recognition of some other institutions, the exhibitions continue to push boundaries fearlessly.
During my visit the main draw was the work of German Venegas. Never heard of the guy before? Me neither. And to say his works are batshit crazy is one way of explaining it. You could also admire his discipline. What his series do is take an existing piece of art, copy it, and then make new slightly changed versions of it. Dozens of times, until the original is completely unrecognizable anymore. It is almost like Groundhog Day. Just the sheer volume of work is already fascinating. Pleasant surprises like this make every museum worth a visit.
During my visit the main draw was the work of German Venegas. Never heard of the guy before? Me neither. And to say his works are batshit crazy is one way of explaining it. You could also admire his discipline. What his series do is take an existing piece of art, copy it, and then make new slightly changed versions of it. Dozens of times, until the original is completely unrecognizable anymore. It is almost like Groundhog Day. Just the sheer volume of work is already fascinating. Pleasant surprises like this make every museum worth a visit.
Museo Nacional de Antropologia
If there is only one place to visit, most tourists actually make the mistake to go to the biggest one. This one. And yes, this vast complex is a must-see if you want to get overloaded by information about the many, many civilizations that once lived in this beautiful country.
But when do you reach saturation point? This modernist building, with its long rectangular blocks, seems to go on and on with its massive exhibition spaces. Arranged chronologically, by the time you get to the 17th century and the crimes of the Spanish conquistadores, you already forgot what happened before.
It is, of course, a matter of personal preferences and taste. Mexico is partly so interesting because of its rich history. But, in my humble personal opinion, it’s better to pick some highlights and dive deep in those. After all, one of those highlights (Teotihuacan) is just around the corner…
Zoologico
In the unlikely event there is still some energy left, the city’s zoo is a good spot to round off your day during daylight. It is in the northern edge of Sector I, close to subway station Auditorio.
Is it any good? Well, it’s free and it’s huge and quiet, which are useful qualities in the city. And apparently you can get up and close to the animals, including reptiles. As I am not a zoo man, I skipped it on the first visit, but if you have some energy left, have a try.
Auditorio Nacional
The truly last part of your day could be this stunning building. The concert venue has stark architecture: again a quite modernist, almost brutalist building, with a lot of concrete.
This place has all the local heroes and many more and the amphitheatre, with its 10,000 seats, is considered to be one of the best venues worldwide. If you want to make this a swanky night out, the posh Polanco neighborhood is just around the corner for pre- and post-concert drinks and food.
Casa Estudio Luis Barragan
This complex is losing its status as hidden gem pretty quickly unfortunately. Luis Barragan was one of the most famous architects worldwide until his death in 1988.
His former house, south of Chapultepec park on the edge of sectors I & II, is one if his biggest legacies. It can only be visited on guided tours that sell out quick to lovers of architecture, so it is becoming increasingly hard to even get in.
Inside his casa you can see his famous trademarks: Bright and huge spaces and the use of bright colors, which is a nice Mexican habit by any means. The house itself is the main attraction: stunningly enough Barragan’s art collection (with works of Picasso, Rivera and Orozco) is just a sideshow.
Museo de Historio Natural
So you probably convinced yourself of a second day in Chapultepec park, dedicated to Barragan and sector 2? In that case this museum is a nice visit as well, especially if you have kids. They will love the stuffed animals.
La Feria de Chapultepec
A theme park is usually located far outside a city. Not in Mexico though of course, where La Feria is dead-bang in the middle of Sector II of Chapultepec.
Big it ain’t, on an international scale it is actually an innocent affair. The rides are more like the ones you will find on a fair in a bigger city near you, except for the huge wooden coaster. Again though: if you have kids, bring it on, they will LOVE this place and you will be happy they can release their energy there.
Casa del Lago
This villa near the biggest pond is an extension of the UNAM museum on the university grounds. It houses exhibitions but sometimes also performances, see the official Casa del Lago site.
Nezahualcoyotl Fountain
One of the biggest and most beautiful fountains in the Chapultepec park, this is the work of sculptor Luis Ortiz Monasterio. Located on the western edge of the first part of the park.
Altar a la Patria
When coming from the Paseo Reforma and / or the Chapultepec subway station, this is the first big monument you will encounter. It is better known as the Monumento de Ninos Heroes, six military cadets that gave their lkife defending Mexico City in 1847. Their death is now commemorated with a civic holiday in the city, and this massive six-column monument.
Good to know:
- Chapultepec comes from the Aztec word chapoltepec (at the grasshopper’s hill)
- Getting there and away: it is within walking distance from especially the Polanco district. More likely is that you come by subway. In that case either take line 1 and exit at Chapultepec (at the eastern edge of the park, closest to the main museums) or line 7 and exit at Auditorio (northwest corner of Sector I) or Constituyentes (southwestern corner).
- Food and drinks: the museums obviously have cafetarias and sometimes restaurants. Especially in Sector I around between Tamayo and Antropologia museums you will find plenty of food stalls. The nearest neighborhood, Polanco, is around fifteen minutes walking from the northern edge of the park and is a relaxed way to finish your day.