Former College of San Ildefonso

Founded in 1588 when three Jesuit seminaries merged, this baroque complex became the birthplace of Mexican muralism between 1922 and 1940, when Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros covered its walls with foundational works of the movement. Rivera's La Creación (1922-1923) in the Anfiteatro Simón Bolívar marks the official start of the muralist movement, while Orozco's cycle across the Patio Grande includes La Trinchera and La Huelga, some of his most powerful social critiques.

The building itself spans four centuries of use — from royal college under Felipe III to military barracks after the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, then the National Preparatory School where Octavio Paz and several Mexican presidents studied. The three interior patios are framed by tezontle red stone and gray cantera, classic materials of Mexico City's baroque architecture. Rotating exhibitions fill the galleries, and free guided tours run on Sundays.

Student admission is half price, and entry is free every Sunday. The museum is a block from the Zócalo and directly across from the Templo Mayor excavations, making it an easy stop in the Centro Histórico.