Museo Soumaya

Polanco & Bosque de Chapultepec


Someone ought to tell Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim that bigger isn't always better. Named after his late wife, this six-story behemoth (plated with 16,000 aluminum hexagons; designed by son-in-law architect Fernando Romero with guidance by Frank Gehry) holds a large collection of sculptures by Frenchman Auguste Rodin, including his 'Thinker,' and Catalan surrealist Salvador Dalí. The museum also contains worthy Rivera and Siqueiros murals and paintings by French impressionists, but there's too much filler.

To get here take an ‘Ejército Defensa’ bus from metro Chapultepec to the corner of Avenida Ejército Nacional and Avenida Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca, then walk one block north.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Polanco & Bosque de Chapultepec attractions

1. Museo Jumex

0.03 MILES

Museo Jumex was built to house one of Latin America's leading contemporary art collections. Temporary exhibits draw on a collection of around 2600 pieces…

2. Acuario Inbursa

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Mexico's largest aquarium holds 1.6 million liters of water and 280 well-cared-for marine species, including barracuda, manta rays and five types of…

3. Galeria López Quiroga

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Specializes in sculptures, paintings and photography by contemporary Latin American and Mexican artists, including works by Francisco Toledo, Rufino…

5. Museo Tamayo

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A multilevel structure built to house international contemporary art, donated by Oaxaca-born painter Rufino Tamayo to the people of Mexico. The small…

6. Fuente de Xochipilli

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This complex of cascade fountains opened in 1964, featuring architecture inspired by Tenochca (of Tenochtitlan) style with eagle-warrior heads and sloping…

7. Jardín Botánico

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Highlighting Mexico’s plant diversity, this 4-hectare complex in Chapultepec is divided into sections that reflect the country’s varied climatic zones…

8. 1a Sección

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Most of the major attractions of Bosque de Chapultepec are in or near this eastern (and oldest) section, including the Museo Nacional de Historia,…