National Museum of Mexican Art

I was very moved during my visit in this museum. The artists create pieces that make you feel something so strong through vibrant colors and history. The descriptions next to each piece were easy to read and helpful to understand the pieces. I was brought to tears several times. I’m very happy and thankful to have visited. Genuinely one of my favorite museums I’ve visited, and I’ve gone to museums in 15+ countries. I hope one day this museum can expand and grow its collection. I’ll be back. I try to post just a few photos, so the museum isn’t spoiled for people, but you can see why you need to visit.

First of all, it was wonderful to explore such vibrant and diverse Mexican art. And the best part is that the admission is completely free. The museum offers a rich collection that spans traditional and contemporary works. It was a perfect blend of cultural heritage and modern creativity. The gift shop itself was also awesome.

We were looking for stuff to do besides the stuff everyone does when they visit Chicago...Shedd, Field....that kinda stuff. I saw this museum mentioned online and looked it up. The Pink Line goes right to it. We decided to make a 1/2 day of it and took the L. It's an awesome museum, we were there the first day artists were selling their handmade Day of the Dead items which was perfect. They had very interesting displays and lots of history to read. We fully enjoyed our visit and after we walked to 5 Rabanitos Mexican restaurant and had lunch. Area felt safe, we walked 1/2 block to the L station and left. Check this place out, admission is free so you don't have an excuse not to go.

Always happy to visit and support the museum of Mexican Art for the location and the significance to keeping the history moving forward! Love to see all sorts of people with different backgrounds and cultures walking in and out the doors! There are plenty of restaurants nearby plus a park to hang for as long as you want! Sharing some photos of our recent visit More @bydavidrosales

Small but very interesting museum with beautiful items in their gift shop. Free admission. No excuse to miss a visit.

National Museum of Mexican Art is one of the most interesting and fascinating museums in Chicago to join with friends and families. Rino Siconolfi Instagram rino_siconolfi

The National Museum of Mexican Art is an exquisite destination offering profound insights into the rich culture and compelling stories of people of Mexican descent. Notably, admission is entirely free, underscoring their commitment to providing the community with access to their enriching exhibits. Relying solely on donations, they ensure that everyone can enjoy the museum without financial barriers. With a diverse array of themes and regularly changing exhibits, each visit promises a fresh and captivating experience. Particularly noteworthy are the awe-inspiring Day of the Dead exhibits during October and November, which offer a breathtaking glimpse into this vibrant tradition. Additionally, the museum boasts a charming shop where visitors can purchase a variety of culturally significant items. Whether you're a local or a visitor to the beautiful city of Chicago, a trip to this museum is highly recommended for an enriching and memorable experience.

Started off with an amazing tour of the local area where my class got to learn the meaning and history of the street art. Then we walked and enjoyed the vast variety of artwork throughout the museum.

I brought my daughter here on dia de Los muertos. I thought it would be a nice way to help her celebrate a part of her culture. There's street park and we were lucky to find a relatively close spot the next street over. I love the fact the museum is free. They also have a really nice playground next door. My kiddo was able to run off some steam. The artwork is beautiful. My favorite was a beaded piece of art. Stunning!! It was a nice way to spend about an hour on a Saturday. They have a very cute gift shop as well. They had so many cute things. We bought a Selena sticker and chocolate.

I'm embarrassed to admit, Im part Mexican and had never been here before. It is such a great place, regularly rotating displays, modern and traditional art, and free! Yesterday they had three big rooms devoted to Day of the Dead art and it was spectacular. A huge Chicago asset and the only certified Mexican Art Museum in this country. And while you are there be sure to take a leisurely drive around Pilsen to check out the incredible street art.

Overall, I enjoyed the museum although it was moderately small. Many of the artwork was stunning to look at. At least the admission was free.

My wife and I stopped in with our kids over the weekend. Everyone really enjoyed it. Our kids are 7, 11, 16 and 19. We were able to cover the 3 galleries in about an hour and they have a great gift shop as well. There are some really interesting pieces we enjoyed, especially the DNA project that focuses on 16 families through a photo exhibit.

Loved visiting this museum! I was looking for things to do in the Pilsen area and stumbled upon this. It's free (donations welcome) with some really wonderful art. During my visit, there were two special/temporary exhibits and their permanent collection open. I think some other areas were closed. As such, it didn't take me long to browse through. I enjoyed all the exhibits, but there were a couple showstoppers in the permanent exhibit that actually stopped me in my tracks. The Legend of the Volcanoes (what a tragic story!) and this beaded masterpiece. Stunning!

We found this place on yelp and it said it was free so we decided to stop by. There's a side parking lot and you pay for parking. Someone greats you in the front. There's several rooms you can go into and see art. It's all really beautiful. There's a gift shop there. We purchased a few things and the attendant asked if I wanted to donate and I said yes I have $10 in cash. She ended up charging me another $10 on my card. Not sure if she pocketed the cash but I don't like the hidden fees. It ended up costing me a total of $40 so it wasn't really free. The art is nice but be cautious what they charge on your card.

I returned to the National Museum of Mexican Art and loved it just as much on this visit. Located on a quiet side street in the Pilsen neighborhood, the location is easy to get to and offers a ton of parking. I can't believe this small museum offers so many beautiful pieces and presents collections that are very impressive. The museum is clean and kept up nicely. I always enjoy spending a couple of hours here. The gift shop is filled with so many nice things. I love the items for your home. There many things for kids too. I will definitely return again soon.

Check out this lesser known museum about Mexican art and culture. It's in Pilsen, a neighborhood known for Mexican businesses and restaurants so it fits in around here. The National Museum Of Mexican Art is among the best of the museums people don't usually go to. Free admission, which is the best thing about it. You can see both local and nationally known artists and learn about immigration and other stuff. After looking for other museums we came here. It's one we had never been to yet so we chose it. This is in Pilsen, a Mexican neighborhood, and we knew about the Mexican restaurants. It's in Harrison Park, the main park of the neighborhood. Kind of far from the main areas but close enough to walk from the L stations. Free admission. The art has descriptions in both English and Spanish. There's some that celebrate indigenous cultures and their languages are used. Has both pretty new and older artwork. There's also collections of artifacts from important figures like Cesar Chavez and others. Has lots to check out in here. It's closed Mondays but open other days and it's free to get in. The museum is pretty small but there's enough inside it can take awhile to get through.

I'm almost always open minded and love exploring new cultures and experiences, but I was really amazed by how much I loved this museum! It's smaller and unassuming, located in the Mexican dominant community of Pilsen in Chicago (they also have several great murals and some awesome street art). It's also free! (Donations appreciated). I love edgy, provocative art, as well as art that leans to the darker or more serious side. I was surprised by how many political and intellectually stimulating pieces were on site, though in retrospect I shouldn't have been! The museum is broken up into a few different galleries. The first is a rotation selection of their permanent collection. Currently this section explores Mexican identity, religion, immigration, struggles with capitalism, imperialism, worker's rights, death, and more. There was also a small exhibit on youth participation in neighborhood activities and how local programs and community investment can make a neighborhood better. There is also a special exhibit by a visiting artist, and this particular exhibit had huge, colorful, modern pieces featuring stylish and ambitious Mexican youth. The museum also takes care to feature Chicago area artists. I learned a LOT about Mexican history, life, and culture here. There is a good bit of print--not a TON--but enough that I took photos to study and read more carefully later. Print is in English and Spanish. There is parking next to the museum. For two hours, I paid around four bucks. I would plan at least an hour and a half or two hours to really appreciate the exhibits. There are also a lot of local vendors and restaurants nearby, serving Mexican cuisine.

Literally an amazing experience. I got to see a Diego Rivera in person . And Mario my tour guide was so incredible and informative I learned so much . Can't wait to take other there it's so local

I was extremely impressed with this museum! First they have a pretty decent sized parking lot that is only $2/hr which is a great price for Chicago. The museum is by donation only and they take donations in the gift shop. They were undergoing renovations when I was there but they still had two galleries open. I had never been to a Mexican art museum before- this was amazing. Everything was so beautiful! There was a giant piece (in my pictures) that looks like different tiles but it was completely made of seed beads. I cannot imagine how long that took to make. There was a painting called "The Mona Lupe" which I absolutely loved - it was probably my favorite piece. And the last piece I loved was in three parts - at one view you see the SunMaid lady, the next view is I a migrant worker, and the last view is of the migrant worker as a skeleton. It was a really moving piece. They also had a gallery of local teenage Mexican artists- that was so cool to see their modern art displayed. They are extremely talented. There is also a gift shop which is how the museum makes most of their money. I bought a few things including a day of the dead coaster, a hand painted Frida Kahlo mug, and some postcards. I would've loved to buy more. We spent a couple hours here and really enjoyed it!

We have lived in the Chicago suburbs for almost 40 years. In all that time, we said we would visit Pilsen but had yet to. I had some vacation time to kill, so took the day off so we could finally get there. Going to the museum was going the be the highlight of our day. And it certainly was the highlight of our day. Their special exhibit was dedicated to Dia de Los Muertos. The exhibit was colorful, beautifully laid out, and simply fun to see. There are three rooms of permanent exhibits with Mexican art going from nearly prehistoric times up to the present. One fun room had art dedicated to Frida Kahlo. I don't think anything was done by her (although they do have some of her art in their other exhibits. This was a unique experience. The National Museum of Mexican Art is a gem in the city. While there is no admission fee, donate what you can and buy something from the gift shop. While they get money from generous grants, we need to keep the heritage alive. In all, it was a vibrant experience. While Chicago has a lot of museums, some world-class, this museum is something that everyone in and around Chicago should visit, at least once. And if you are visiting, remember to add this to your list of places to see.

Great museum in the heart of Pilsen, celebrating and collecting and displaying Mexican art and art by Mexican artists. The museum is small and charming and colorful. There's a small well-stocked gift shop at the entrance to the museum with beautiful and unique gifts. I love the name Tzintzuntzan. The museum is also free so that leaves plenty of cash to spend at the shop to support this great museum.

Been wanting to go here for quite a while. Found this to be worth the time to learn a bit more about Mexican culture and see some of the various regional Mexican art from regions of the country. Give a donation but it doesn't cost you anything to walk in.

I have visited the National Museum of Mexican Art several times over the years, and it has taken me this long to post a review. Located in the Pilsen neighborhood, the museum displays interesting, colorful and thought-provoking exhibitions of Mexican art. A visit around the Day of the Dead is always a good idea. Amazingly, the National Museum of Mexican Art still has free admission. Don't go on a Monday as they are closed on Mondays.

Parking charge wasn't bad for 2 hour that I spent there. Love all their are and how they have it set up, by rooms . I definitely feel represented when visiting the museum.

Copitas de Sol was amazing at the museum. We got to taste many different Mezcals and food. Produced in partnership with S.A.C.R.E.D. They had a live DJ, dancing, and more. There were ten spirit brands with ten of Chicago's best restaurants. Event partners: Restaurant partners: Rubi's on 18th St, Taco Nano, Libertad, Tacos '76, Americanos, Xocome Antojeria, La Michoacana Premium-Pilsen, TACO MUCHO I don't rember who has it but I had the best empanadas ever. Craft beer partners: Casa Humilde Cervecería, Cervecería Monstruo de Agua Coffee and Chocolate partners: Dark Matter Coffee and Sleep Walk Chocolateria. The best drinking. Chocolate. Events at the museum have been wonderful.

Extraordinary in many ways. A world class museum with lots of exhibits. A must visit and it's free.

Beautiful museum that's easy to visit. We bring out of town guests here frequently and enjoy it every time. Some amazing art to be found within its walls!

An amazing collection of art and history! I had such a great day exploring Pilsen and this was certainly my favorite part. The museum is free (!!) to enter. Despite being free, they have an impressive collection. The space is medium sized- enough to keep you busy for an hour or two, without being overwhelming. They have sections devoted to Frida kahlo, activism, indigenous history, and more. Their information cards are informative and do a really great job of providing context and background. I had such a wonderful time learning about the artists as well as the activists that have contributed to Chicago and the Mexican community as a whole. This is worth traveling to! I would definitely go again.

Small but mighty! You need to take a guided tour to truly appreciate what you are looking at. The museum is always free according to the president and founder- "because everyone deserves to enjoy art and their heritage" Metered parking is in a lot next door or on the street. This is a very safe area. We loved the colorful exhibits and the intense history. Must visit!

A beautiful art museum that is both fascinating, colorful and educating! The museum has street parking around it as well as its own pay parking lot that isn't expensive. Museum entry is FREE but you can make a donation. The museum is tastefully done, very well organized in sections and displays many art mediums (painting,sculptures, glass mosaics, pottery etc...). The history of Mexico is explained simply for everyone to understand and differentiate their culture from other Hispanic origins. We really enjoyed the day of the dead items, Diego Rivera sketch and Frida Kahlo wing exhibits. The gift store was amazing and had so many interesting hand made items and crafts. There is so much you can learn in this museum and I can't wait to go back again to visit and broaden my knowledge of Mexico!

This museum is lovely for its use in the community it's free admission. It is a space folks rally around. It serves such a clear purpose of preserving Mexican history and I felt connected to it from their three exhibits. I dinged it one star because it had a couple of closed exhibits, and the entire visit took about 1 hour in total.

Really impressive collection of Mexican art, from precolombian to contemporary. It's not a huge art museum, but the average quality is really high and there is a lot of detail included in curation: personally that's my favorite style of art museum. Permanent exhibit was the big highlight for me, but I imagine the temporary ones vary and are sometimes quite good. The fact that it's free and in a fun neighborhood makes it a great stop as part of a day out.

This stellar museum is a Latinx institution. We have talked about visiting for years and it lived up to expectations with its impressive collection which ranges from Mesoamerican to current Xicano art. Each piece merits close admiration and/or analysis; my hubby pored over each piece. The current exhibit features photos of Frida, including those taken of her, by her, or belonging to her personal collection. Your visit is free(!) and located in the art-rich Pilsen neighborhood.

We went here with 14 middle school kids from Detroit who are of Mexican heritage. They were really excited about the gift shop...haha! The museum was small, which their website is open about. The art was interesting and staff was pleasant.

Great exhibits, though not all of the museum was open that weekend. These are a couple great paintings.

Free looks, with depth, insight, great ethnic art, and a great little gift shop. We Always go when in Chicago!

Was visiting Chicago for a couple of days and this place was on my list of places to visit!! It's within a neighborhood and it's so nice! There were three different exhibits to see and they currently have a Frida Kahlo exhibit too. Staff is super friendly as well. They store is also super cool with such interesting things! I appreciate that they have small businesses' things for sale!!

Viva mxico en chicago Free admission Love the exhibition the store is kind over price but you can also fined nice stuff below $10 Also can take photos or video just no flash

The museum is small but has a lot of rich history within their exhibits. The staff were also so nice!

Highly recommend this free museum in Pilsen! It's a great way to spend an afternoon, browsing art, and learning more about Mexican art and culture. I learned so much, and it's the perfect size museum that you could spend 1-2 hours in. It's not so tiny that we would just breeze through it, and it's not so huge that it would become overwhelming or too tiring. It has a few gallery rooms that we were able to take our time walking through and reading about the art, and then we wrapped up by going to their adorable gift shop! Don't forget to give a donation, however big or small, to support the continued operation of this wonderful museum! If you're planning to spend an afternoon in Pilsen, add this to the list!

What a wonderful museum of Mexican American history and culture. This small museum in Chicago's Pilsen neighbourhood is a must visit. There's loads of beautiful art on display and a lot to be learned.

Gorgeous artwork, well worth the time to visit (and free!) Saw one of my favorite paintings there

This is a wonderful place to experience the diversity of Mexican art and culture as well learn about the journey of Mexicans into and influences on the US. I had the please of visit with a Historian friend and I can't wait to return and learn more. Best of all it's free to visit. They have parking (not free) and an amazing gift shop as well.

This is definitely one of the best museums I ever visited. It is free, not sure about parking, I parked around the corner. So there is a great Frida Kahlo photos exposition. The regular exposition is very impressive.

While visiting Chicago, I was delighted to stumble upon a Frida Kahlo exhibit at this museum. I really enjoyed all the works!

It's true Chicago boasts incredible museums and some of the most renowned are also enormous. In comparison, the National Museum of Mexican Art is very small, but it's also free and the exhibits are amazing. We happily spent about an hour roaming the different rooms. I was glad to see they had a painting by Diego Rivera and can only hope they continue to build on their permanent collection with more of the greats. My favorite exhibit was actually Peeling Off the Grey - all about the current gentrification of Pilsen. Very well done. I was only surprised to find it wasn't very busy on a Sunday afternoon. Definitely a welcome relief from the usual crowds at other Chicago museums. So go before word on this hidden gem gets out!

Wow! Didnt expect this to be such a great museum, but it was! Many beautiful works by Mexican artists, with little bits of information on each piece! It was a smaller museum, but perfect for the amount of time we had, as we were walking along to fo done other things as well. Definitely stop by this place and appreciate it! My only disappointment was that there were no works by Frida Kahlo- such a prominent Mexican artist! Maybe the will acquire one in the future!

What a beautiful museum! There is so much wonderful art from Mexican artists displayed beautifully throughout several galleries. The current exhibit for Dia De Los Muertos was exceptionally stunning. Walking through the museum and seeing so many pieces that resonated with me and parts of my culture gave me so much pride. The gift shop is also one of the best museum gift shops I've seen! It is well stocked with lots of gift options. This is an amazing institute located in the middle of the Pilsen neighborhood, away from the very touristy downtown area of Chicago and definitely worth a visit!

Before I even left Miami, I knew that this museum had the potential to be my favorite experience during my entire trip to Chicago, and it did not disappoint. I loved the museum and all of the exhibits they had on display. There was a beautiful and touching exhibit dedicated to Dia de Los Muertos, its history and the traditions associated with the practice. I found the exhibits vibrant, detailed, carefully thought out (everything is in English AND Spanish), and in greater supply than any of the other popular museums that feature tiny sections dedicated to Latin/Hispanic culture. I 10000% recommend you visit the National Museum of Mexican Art when in Chicago. There's a metro stop a few minutes away (18th/Pink) if you don't have a car. While entrance to the museum is free, I encourage you to make a donation in lieu of an entry fee. Personally, I decided that if I was going to pay $25 per person to get in to the Art Institute of Chicago, that I would give just as much here... plus what I spent at the gift shop. ;)

For a free museum, 'Museum Of Mexican Art' is very well kept. I was impressed. Yes, though it's on a smaller scale but the collection and information of art, cultural history, architect are all worth it. Beautiful art works from several Mexican artists. Intriguing information behind cultural art and architect. Everyone that works there seemed helpful and friendly. Easy to navigate. 2 minutes walk from samen (CTA) Gift shop has a variety of merchandise. Great collection of books, jewellery, souvenirs, etc. DEFINITELY a Place to be atleast once, especially if you are a lover or various culture and a history fiend. Great job.

This was a small, but well detailed museum that highlights the work of Mexican artists. There were three collection rooms on display. The Legends of the Volcanos piece stood out because I use that story in my Spanish class. To see a representation of that legend in real life was incredible. Carmen Loza Garza's Las Posadas really tugged at my heart. When I was in elementary (circa 2001), I read a book that featured all her art work. I just remembered how cool that book was because it highlighted traditions of people I went to school with. But it was so powerful to see it in real life. The gift shop was fun to check out! You find many products that pertain to the Mexican culture. Note: if you have a backpack of any sort on, the guards will ask that you wear it in front of your body so you don't damage any artwork!

Love this museum!!! It's great to be able to walk in and see all the cool Mexican art.I live 2 blocks away and I enjoy running around Harrison Park in the summer so to me this is just COOL.Until I read from another Yelper that they accept donations I had noooooo idea.Next time I come thru I FOR SURE will be donating.This is part of MY history.Im Mexican American born and raised here in the USA.And I LOVE learning about my heritage.So glad this museum is here near my crib!!!

I just moved to Chicago, but still can't believe I didn't know the masterworks and epic stories exhibited in this museum. The level of art--from ancient times to contemporary--blew me away. Also, kudos to the curators, who wrote (bilingual) labels that concisely capture important context for these pieces. I learned more about how archaeology cemented post-world war Mexican nationalism, Mexico's involvement in the trade of enslaved Africans, women warriors and so much more. I'm Anishinaabek and the Great Lakes are my people's homelands. I work on helping tribes reclaim our Ancestors and sacred ceremonial items from museums. So I was wishing for a bit more context about settler-colonial archaeology in what is now known as Mexico and the ancient items exhibited. But other than that, all I can say is I can't wait to go back!

Art, culture, history and more! This museum is a gem and supports + features local artist works. Dia de Los Muertos is a popular time to come out and witness a selection of beautiful work but any time of the year, the museum displays beautiful art and events for adults and children.

I can't think of one thing that I dislike about this Museum. The admission at this museum is free. Many museums in Chicago have select days when they are free or discounted, but it's nice that this museum is always free to walk through. When you enter, the front desk requires you to sign in with your name, zip code, etc, but that's it. The museum is close to one of the CTA pink line train stops, and also bus stops. If you are driving, there is also plenty of free parallel parking spots around since it is located within a residential neighborhood. I've been to the museum 4 or 5 times, and I like that the art work is always changing. I can come one month to check out the artwork exhibits, and a few months later there will be completely different artwork to check out. This place is not very large, but it is still possible spend a solid hour or more here when all of the exhibits are open. This is a great museum to see art work, and also learn about Mexican culture as well. After you are done walking through the galleries, make sure to stop by to look at the gift shop area. The gift shop has some neat items like day of the dead themed coffee mugs, artwork prints, beautiful scarves, and a large number of other items.

This is not my 1st time here. More like my 200th time. It is located in the Pilsen neighborhood. A perfect area to have it. The exterior is nice and contemporary. Parking is tight though especially when they have a popular exhibit or event; good luck. Area is being gentrified so the safety is getting better than it was years ago. Today's exhibit was not as entertaining as the Day of the Dead exhibit. I strongly recommend you see this display. They also have other events throughout the year. It free admission. U can make a donation if u like. They have ample restrooms which are always clean. Also there's a gift shop, kinda pricey but I always like to support them even if it's something novelty.

This is absolutely my favorite museum in Chicago - and it is so relatively underhyped. This wonderful building contains a couple of permanent exhibits as well as some rotating and more immersive installments. The art ranges from traditional, historically relevant pieces from Spanish colonial times and missionary and Catholic influence to more contemporary works. I also really love the pop culture references and more modern political pieced. It's not too big of a museum so it is pretty easy to do with kids. Make sure to check out the gift shop for some unique and eclectic finds!