Apologies for the lack of updates, but as I try to collect my thoughts for a future post here I figure it would be good to post pictures of my trip to Mexico City last summer.
The Mexican flag at the Zócolo, June 2018
I stayed in Mexico City for a week in June 2018. I decided to explore the city on my own and at my own pace. What I wanted to see most was the Museo Nacional de Antropología (MNA), the largest and most visited museum in Mexico. The MNA houses the pre-Columbian heritage of Mexico, from the first arrivals millennia ago to the Mayans, Tarascans, and Aztecs.
Facade of the Museo Nacional de Antropología (MNA)
The Murals of Cacaxtla
There is always a crowd around the Aztec Sun Stone…
The MNA is large and will take the better part of a day to navigate. It is one of the best museums I have ever visited.
Beyond the MNA there are plenty of sites to visit in Mexico City, such as the Monumento a la Revolución. Originally built to be the centerpiece of the Mexican Congress during the Porfiriato, it was commandeered to become the monument for the Mexican Revolution.
Monumento a la Revolución
There is Palacio de Bellas Artes, the historical theatre of Mexico City.
The Palacio de Bellas Artes
Oh hey! Darwin! This is from a (small) portion of Diego Rivera’s mural El hombre controlador del universo (1934)
If you go to the Palacio de Bellas Artes, just be aware that you will need to buy a ticket from the ticket booth to go beyond the ground floor. Stand at the long line, since that’s for the theatre and not to see the murals.
The last site I’ll mention here its the Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL), which is close by to the Zocolo. It houses Mexican art from the colonial era into the modern. I especially enjoyed their special exhibit on Nahui Olin.
I’m embarrassed to say that I did not know of Nahui Olin until this visit. But I’m now a fan. Her typography and design aesthetic is phenomenal.
There is also a large collection of portrait art at the MUNAL
Unfortunately, I was not able to stay in the city longer. There were many more sights I wanted to visit, but time was limited since I had to prepare for a research trip to the UK. If time permits, I will go back this summer. As someone born and raised in the US and who is also of Mexican descent, I really connected with the art and culture of my ancestral homeland. It’s useful to know where one comes from, and I hope to learn more from Mexico in the years to come.