Whether it’s a huge building full of collections, or a small room adapted with a few works of an emerging artist, going to a museum or gallery is always a pleasant experience; we all now it’s not all about de contemplation, it also implies a reflexion, and in some cases, it’s part of the journey in finding ourselves.

Luckily for of us living in (or visiting) Puebla, we are one of the cities with the most museums in México. And the vast variety makes it hard to pick one to start with, so we are making it easier for you: here are 10 museums and galleries that you might not wanna miss.

One of our favorites. A metal and glass structure hidden in a 16th century building in downtown Puebla, sounds pretty cool, huh?

The exhibitions presented here are divided into two: the permanent rooms (where you will find the best collections of pre-Hispanic and viceregal art) and the temporary ones, which focus on contemporary art. In the latter you will find everything: sculpture, painting, photography, installation, even textiles. They have passed recognized national and international artists.

As if that were not enough, El Amparo -as we call it affectionately- has a terrace with a  cafeteria that will guarantee you great moments, as well as a great panoramic view of Downtown Puebla. It is also a very versatile museum: apart from its exhibitions, they have a large catalog of activities ranging from movies to talks, both for children and adults.

Our recommendation?

Collateral, by Yoshua Okón, must-see. One of the most representative contemporary Mexican artists of his generation makes an incisive criticism of the current reality of our country and the world. And once you’ve seen it, go for a coffee or a beer on the terrace.

University museums will always have a freer spirit in which culture will always have the first place. The UPAEP Museum is not the exception, and in recent years it has stood out as a space that strives to bring unique exhibitions in the city. Only last year, its walls and corridors have seen works by artists such as Leonora Carrington, José Luis Cuevas, Rafael Coronel and Vicente Rojo, to mention just a few.

Our recommendation?

Currently, they have one of the most nostalgic and beautiful exhibitions you’ll find in Puebla: Ellas, las bellas by Ernesto García Cabral, legend of the Mexican illustration, and creator of one of the many of the iconic Mexican cinema posters, some which you’ll see there.

Possibly one of the most iconic buildings in Puebla. This beautiful enclosure in the purest art nouveau style is where you can find the UDLAP Art Chapel, which is one of the most versatile and interesting spaces to choose their exhibitions, which seek to form public and generate aesthetic experiences in those who visit them.

You’ll find exhibitions of all kinds: from invited exhibitions (such as the one they held last year together with the Museo Tamayo), pieces by great consolidated artists, to say the least, t Picasso, Rivera and Rothko have gone through these walls; or samples of young local artists and a vast menu of activities for people of all ages and interests: film, dance, art and coffee sessions, musical Wednesdays or their fantastic Sundays, ( activities designed especially for children). The perfect place for everyone.

Our recommendation?

Currently on the top floor of the gallery, you’ll find Revisión Diez, an exhibition where you’ll find some of the most important pieces of the UDLAP Art Collection. In addition, you will soon be able to enjoy Ver para creer, an anthological exhibition that reviews the work of Antonio Álvarez Morán.

One of the most important contemporary art galleries in Puebla, full with pieces that break the rules of art in order to make it better. If you are immersed in the world of collecting, you want to get started or you are just curious, you’ll find works of all kinds: sculptures, photography, painting, even performance.

Mercado Negro works under the idea that they have to please artist as well as the collector, and the visitor, creating a chain that benefits everyone. So if you are looking for an unconventional place (speaking of art) this is the perfect place: different expressions under the same roof.

Our recommendation?

Geometría primitiva, their most recent exhibition. You still have 10 days to visit it, what are you waiting for?

When we think of museums and galleries, we usually do as large institutions, full of protocols and formalities. El Venado y El Zanate take art to the street, this is an independent gallery, much more relaxed, but no less interesting. The work of many of the young local promises in art have passed through its walls.

This creative space (in addition to exhibitions, concerts, bazaars and parties) not only has the exhibition space, but you’ll also find a cafeteria and a bar. A piece of art and a great beer are the perfect combo for a great plan.

Our recommendation?

This weekend they open Cattleya, by Roberto Colin Balbas. And if you are already there, enjoy a beer or stay in one parties they usually have.

Style and design are good words to start describing La Miscelánea, the gallery belongs to UNARTE a University dedicate to art, so they usually have student work showing; nonetheless, this is a space that has also presented important artists such as Vicente Rojo, Hector Esrawe, Alberto Ibáñez and Mauricio Karreto, serves as a showcase for young proposals that are gradually becoming renowned in the art world as Cristóbal Sarro or many of his own students, who also had the opportunity show his work there.

You’ll find both pictorial exhibitions and fashion shows, as well as industrial design. This is the perfect place to meet the young and upcoming proposals of young artists.

One of a kind, this museum surely is unique, not only in México, but in Latin America and the world. The National Museum of the Mexican Railways is dedicated to the rescue, conservation, study and diffusion of the memory on this transport system. No other city in the country has something similar.

Learn, listen to their stories or just have fun and explore among passenger cars, locomotives, freight cars and tools used in the operation of these metal giants. A museum that serves as a time machine.

Our recommendation?

The museum recently turned 30, so the activities and celebrations are non stop. That, and the fact that it is the only museum of its kind in Latin America, you need any other reason?

More than a museum, it is a joint experience, or in other words, a combo of interactive museums for children and adults: the House of Music in Vienna, the Puppet House Museum and the Children’s Museum of the Constancia Mexicana. If we had to describe this triad of museums with one word, it would be interactive.

In the Children’s Museum you can participate, experiment and learn in a fun way about science, natural phenomena and technology; And if you were wondering, do not worry, also those who are not as children can enter. In the House of Music in Vienna (a replica of the original Haus der Musik in the city that bears the name) you will find a playful space, dedicated to both sound and one of the most complex artistic expressions: music. Interactively, as well as with concert halls and unique experiences, you can enter one of the most fascinating worlds.

Finally, at the Casa del Títere (also one of a kind), you’ll learn all about the historical development of this particular art form: the puppet.

Our recommendation?

Take the children to enjoy in an authentic interactive museum; or if not, have fun as if you were one.

The new one of the group, although not the youngest. This museum is located inside a building that belonged to the Psychiatric Hospital of Our Lady of Guadalupe, inaugurated by Porfirio Díaz in 1910, if you take a look inside, you’ll find the union of the old with the new, the pre-Hispanic with the current and the pyramid with the city.

Through its eight rooms, you’ll enter the corridors that connect with the tunnels of the great pyramid. By taking the tour, you’ll learn the history of the pyramidal basement, and you’ll be able to enjoy a collection of alebrijes and even a video mapping installation in a space dedicated to the great sacred city .

Our recommendation?

Take one Sunday to enjoy this museum as it should, with the Great Pyramid in the background (which we also recommend to visit) and everything else that Cholula has to offer.

If there is anything that characterizes Puebla, it is that it is Baroque, and always has been. This museum is that meeting between the new and the old of this style. A wide collection of Baroque art awaits for you inside, sheltered by an incredible building made by the 2013 Pritzker Architecture Prize, Toyo Ito.

As its name indicates, this museum revolves around one of the most prolific artistic movements in history and very characteristic of Mexican culture: the Baroque. The objective of the MIB (the only museum dedicated to this style) is to raise awareness of this interesting movement emerged between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as well as show their new versions.

A must for any inhabitant of this city and of course, any visitor.

Our recommendation?

The permanent collection, there is no equal. And once you are there, take a good tour of the building, which is undoubtedly one of the most iconic of our city (and probably the country).

Come near, learn, think, meditate, play, explore, change. Do not be afraid to knowledge, museums included. Here are our recommendations on Puebla city.

#ExploreToCreate ⚡

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