The Franz Mayer Museum, housed in a beautiful 16th century building, has a collection specializing in decorative arts and design. This precinct has been receiving thousands of people for more than 35 years in its permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as various thematic events; always seeking to be an inspiration and a meeting point for creativity and innovation.
Here we tell you everything you can find in “El Franz”, as well as its opening hours, location, prices and where to get your tickets.
1. Permanent collections
Franz Mayer Traumann not only had an impact on Mexico’s financial scene, he was also recognized for his work in terms of artistic collections. The objects he selected were meticulously planned and analyzed by experts.
Thus, the collection is made up of works of different techniques and periods. In the museum they are divided by genres: silver, painting and engraving, sculpture, ceramics and furniture, where trunks of different sizes, shapes and materials stand out.
It should be remembered that the first pieces in the collection were a batch of tiles from different buildings. Some of them are made of poblana talavera tiles that belonged to the iconic Casa de los Azulejos.
You will also find the folk art collection of Ruth D. Lechuga, with more than 22 handcrafted branches; as well as several pieces by the Austrian artist Wolfgang Paalen and a beautiful collection of jewelry and silver sculptures by William Spratling.
2. Autumn Orchids
In collaboration with the Mexican Orchid Association, an exhibition and sale of orchids is on display in the Central Cloister to honor Franz Mayer’s love of botany and orchids in particular. Many of the orchids you will see here are endemic to Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Veracruz.
You can visit it with your general access to the museum, but they also have talks and workshops about orchids in Mexico and how to take care of them. Here you can see the complete program.
3. Japan: from myth to manga
The new temporary exhibition Japan: From Myth to Manga, brought from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and in collaboration with Frikiplaza, has already opened! From traditional prints, including “The Great Wave of Kanagawa”, to Pokemons and ternurines, this exhibition presents how Japanese culture influences our daily lives.
Japan: From Myth to Manga celebrates traditional Japanese culture with its profound yet lighthearted characteristics and entertaining stories. If you are a fan of Japanese culture, you can’t miss its special activities such as cosplay events and origami and manga workshops.
🎟️ Check available schedules and reserve your place here.
4. Franz Mayer Museum Library
Did you know that this museum has a library? It is a space made up of different collections, among which the Cervantes Fund stands out, a collection with around 800 versions of Don Quixote de la Mancha. These are editions in different languages and even with original illustrations by Gustave Doré.
This library also has antique copies (from 1484 to 1799), tax reports and other documents from the 19th century, manuscripts from religious orders and much more. 22,000 items approximately!
5. Pierre et Gilles
The works of the French artist duo, Pierre et Gilles, arrived to mingle with the permanent collection of the Franz Mayer Museum. Their works fuse photography and painting and question the value of symbols through time.
If you buy a general admission ticket to the Franz Mayer you can see the entire exhibition of more than 90 works.
6. General information about the Franz Mayer Museum
This museum is located at Hidalgo 45, Centro, Cuauhtémoc and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. General admission costs $120, but students, teachers and seniors with INAPAM pay $60; and children under 12 are free. In addition, admission is free on Tuesdays. Here you can get your tickets in advance.
Also, you have to consider that the cost of special exhibitions is additional to the entrance fee.
