National Museum of History
About the Museum
The National Museum of History occupies Chapultepec Castle, the only true royal castle in the Americas, perched on a wooded hill in the middle of Mexico City. Built in the late eighteenth century as a viceregal summer residence, it later served as the Military College, the imperial palace of Maximilian and Carlota, and the official home of Mexican presidents until 1939, when President Lázaro Cárdenas turned it over to the nation as a museum. Since 1944 it has told the story of Mexico from the Spanish conquest to the Revolution of 1910.
The visit falls into two halves. The lower building holds the museum proper, twelve chronological galleries of paintings, weapons, flags, furniture, coins and documents, and the great murals that Mexican artists painted here in the twentieth century. The upper building, the Alcázar, preserves the private apartments of Maximilian, Carlota and Porfirio Díaz, with their original furniture, stained glass and roof gardens.
Give yourself at least two hours. The walk up the hill from the park gate is part of the experience, and the terraces at the top offer one of the best views in the city, straight down the Paseo de la Reforma.
Before You Go
- The castle sits at the top of a steep, shaded ramp inside Chapultepec Park; allow fifteen minutes for the climb or take the small shuttle that runs from the gate.
- Go early on a weekday; Sunday is free for Mexican residents and the rooms of the Alcázar become very crowded.
- Photography without flash is allowed in most rooms; tripods and large bags are not, and there are lockers at the entrance.
- Follow the murals in order: Siqueiros near the entrance, then O'Gorman and González Camarena in the history galleries, and finish with the Niños Héroes ceiling by the stairway.
- Do not leave without walking the roof garden of the Alcázar and the terrace with the view down the Paseo de la Reforma.
- The museum closes on Mondays, as do most museums in Mexico City.
Collection Areas
Highlights
12 works. Each work has a full written and audio guide.
