You’ve come to the right place because I lived in Meridafor many years, and I’m going to show you all the coolest museums in Merida (which are also some of the best things to do in Merida).
Known as the Cultural Capital of the Yucatan Peninsula, Merida is a culturally-rich city, and there are quite a few Merida museums you’ll want to check out.
From art museums to anthropology and history museums with Mayan Ruins, the best Merida Mexico museums will appeal to a wide variety of travelers.
There are also restored homes and haciendas in Merida, so you can essentially walk back in time in these pieces of living history.
If you’re ready, let’s dive in and explore the 17 best museums in Merida, Mexico, that you won’t want to miss.
The Best Museums in Merida Mexico
1. Gran Museo del Mundo Maya
Just one of the many artifacts on display in the Mayan Museum Merida Mexico, a Merida anthropology museum you should visit.
The Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, or the Mayan World Museum of Mérida, houses the largest collection of Mayan art and artifacts in Merida.
For those visitors who won’t make it out to see the Mayan Ruins near Merida, this is the next best option.
Located about 20 minutes by rental car, taxi, or Uber from downtown, this is known as the best museum in Merida, and well worth the trip for art and history lovers.
Beyond what’s inside, the Mayan Museum in Merida is housed inside one of the most beautiful buildings in Merida.
Mayan World Museum Merida Address: Calle 60 Norte #299, Merida, 97110 (📍Map)
Mayan World Museum Hours: Open Wednesday-Monday, 9am-5pm; Closed Tuesdays
Mayan World MuseumAdmission Cost: $150 pesos (about $9 USD)
2. Museum at Dzibilchaltun Mayan Ruins
There are so many great things to do at Dzibilchaltun — You can see and climb the ruins, swim in the cenote and visit the museum, all in one day.
Dzibilchaltun Ruins are the closest ruins to Merida, located about 30-45 minutes away.
(🤔 In case you were wondering, the Dzibilchaltun pronunciation is zee-bee-shall-tune.)
Besides the ruins themselves, you’ll want to check out the Dzibilchaltun Museum, which has numerous artifacts and ancient Mayan artworks.
CenoteXlacah at Dzibilchaltun Ruins
Don’t forget to swim in cenotes after visiting museums Merida.
After visiting the ruins and museum, go for a swim in Xlacah Cenote, the closest cenote to Merida, which is located right at the Dzibilchaltun Mayan Ruins site.
This is an open, swimming pool-style cenote, which you’ll love jumping in after a long day of climbing pyramids!
⚠️ Update: The cenote has been closed for some time, but I am leaving it in because it can open back up at any moment. I hope it’s open when you visit!
3. Museo Casa Montejo
This 16th-century mansion-turned-museum is one of the best museums in Mexico.
The outside of the Museo Casa Montejo (Montejo House Museum) is itself a work of art.
It is one of only a few examples seen in Mexico of the architectural style called plateresque, found mostly in Europe and brought to Merida in the time of the Spanish conquistadors.
As the name implies, the CasaMontejo Museum was at one time a house (casa). Merida’s elite Montejo family lived there until the late 1800s.
Well preserved, the inside is like going back in time. Head there to see what’s on display in the gallery, as they feature rotating art exhibits all year.
Museo Casa Montejo Address: Calle 63 #506, Merida, 97000 (📍Map)
Museo Casa Montejo Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-6pm; Sunday, 10am-2pm
Museo Casa MontejoAdmission Cost:FREE
4. Museo Palacio Canton
The Palacio Canton Museum of Anthropology and History Centro is one of the most recognizable buildings in Merida Mexico.
Museo Palacio Canton (Canton Palace Museum AKA Merida Museum of Anthropology) is arguably the most photographed building in Merida.
As the biggest and most iconic of the grand European-style buildings on Paseo de Montejo, its wows visitors with stunning Old World designs, both inside and out.
Some time ago, the museum’s name changed to Museo Regional de Antropología de Yucatán (Regional Museum of Anthropology of Yucatán), as it now houses a collection of Mayan artifacts.
The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán, or MACAY for short, is the premier modern and contemporary art museum in the Yucatan Peninsula.
It is one of the biggest and best museum of contemporary art Merida located next to the grand Merida Cathedral in Plaza Grande.
There are 15 temporary exhibition rooms, which rotate exhibits every three months, so check their schedule to see what’s on view now.
This Merida contemporary art museum also has two galleries and four permanent rooms featuring works by Yucatan artists like Fernando Garcia Ponce, the museum’s namesake.
MACAY Address: Ex Ateneo Peninsular, C. 60 502B-Altos, Centro, Mérida Yucatán, 97000 (📍Map)
MACAYHours: Open Monday-Saturday, 10am-2pm
MACAYAdmission Cost:FREE
6. Pasaje a la Revolucion
If you’re looking for a free activity in the city, visit Pasaje a la Revolucion, one of the interesting art galleries Merida.
The Pasaje a la Revolución (Revolution Passageway) isn’t a museum per se, but it often has a FREE public art display.
Located between the Merida Cathedral and the MACAY Museum, you’ll find a rotating lineup of art installations from both Mexican and international artists.
⚠️ Taking the free Merida walking tour? You’ll meet right across the street from the Pasaje a la Revolucion in the pink Palacio Municipal de Mérida building (Merida Municipal Palace).
Pasaje a la Revolución Address: Between Calle 58 and Calle 60, Centro, Mérida Yucatán, 97000 (📍Map)
Pasaje a la RevoluciónHours: Open to walk through all-day
Pasaje a la RevoluciónAdmission Cost:FREE
7. Museo de las Gastronomia Yucateca (MUGY)
Making tortillas a mano (tortillas by hand) at the Museum of Gastronomy Merida, one of the best Merida restaurants, which also has a small museum.
In Yucatan, you’ll find local ingredients like axiote (annatto) and naranja agria (sour orange), and regional foods like cochinita pibil (suckling pig slowly roasted underground) and sopa de lima (chicken and lime soup).
🍫 Want to visit another Merida food museum? Check out the Cacao Chocolate Museum Merida on Paseo Montejo.
Located in downtown Merida, this traditional casona restaurant has a small museum and replica of a Mayan village, so you can learn about Yucatan food in an interactive space.
MUGY Merida Hours: Open Monday-Thursday, 11am-11pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-1am; Sunday, 9am-11pm
MUGY MeridaAdmission Cost:FREE
8. Casa Montejo 495 (Casas Gemelas)
The Merida twin houses aren’t identical twins, but they do look very similar.
Casa 495, one of the two Casas Gemelas (Twin Houses), is like stepping back in time.
The other house is privately owned, but Casa 495, a European Renaissance-style mansion, opened its doors to the public in early-2021.
⚠️ Merida Travel Tips: Casa 495, and many other museums in Merida, are closed Mondays. If you’re looking for things to do in Merida on Monday, head to Dzibilchaltun Museum at the ruins.
The inside of the home has been well preserved and reflects the esthetic style popular in Merida during the early 1900s when Casa Montejo 495 was built.
Within this picturesque mansion, you’ll see tapestries from all over the world, sculptures, paintings, stained glass windows and more.
Casa 495 Address: Paseo de Montejo #495, Mérida Mexico, 97000 (📍Map)
Casa 495 Hours: Open Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm, with guided visits available during these hours
Casa 495Admission Cost: $250 pesos (about $15 USD)
9. Fundacion de Artistas
The cafe at Merida Artist’s Foundation is located next to Coqui Coqui Merida. (Photo: CH via Flickr, art museum Merida)
You won’t see this place on most other lists of the best museums in Merida, because the Fundación de ArtistasMerida (Merida Artist Foundation) is one of the true Merida hidden gems.
This unique space is an art gallery Merida with a boutique store and café outside in a beautiful courtyard.
Fundacion de Artistas Hours: Open Monday-Sunday, 10:30am-8:30pm
Fundacion de ArtistasAdmission Cost: FREE
10. City of Merida Museum
Discover the city’s long and fascinating history at the Museum of the City of Merida. (Photo: Museo Merida Mexico via Instagram, Anthropology museum Merida)
The Museo de la Ciudad de Merida chronicles the history of the city — one of the oldest on the Americas Continent.
There are four rooms in the museum, showcasing prehispanic pieces from the city of T’ho (Mayan name for Merida) through the modern-day 19th century and 20th century.
GAMM (Municipal Merida Art Gallery)
Located within this Merida Mayan museum, there are works by local Yucatan and Mayan artists, Mexican artists, and international artists and expats living in Merida.
A so-called Blue Chip gallery, most of the pieces in this Merida City museum are available for sale.
City of Merida Museum Address: Calle 56 #529A, Mérida Yucatán, 97000 (📍Map)
City of Merida Museum Hours: Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am-6pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-2pm
City of Merida MuseumAdmission Cost: FREE
11. Merida Railroad Museum: Best Merida Museum for Kids
Museo de Los Ferrocarriles de Yucatan is one of the family-friendly spots in Merida.
Looking for the best things to do in Merida with kids and the best museums in Merida for kids?
This museum houses the second-largest collection of railway equipment in Mexico.
See a range of locomotives, carriages, and wagons from across the ages of Mexican and Yucatan rail history, including a wooden Pullman carriage from the 1890s and a 1930s diesel-electric locomotive.
Merida Railroad Museum Address: Calles 46 and 48 #429, Mérida Yucatán, 97000 (📍Map)
Merida RailroadMuseum Hours: Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
Merida RailroadMuseumAdmission Cost: $30 pesos for adults (about $2 USD); $15 pesos for children (about $1 USD)
12. Museo Quinta Montes Molina
Museo Quinta Montes Molina is the home of the founders of Merida, one of the interesting Merida Mexico history museums.
Quinta Montes Molina (AKA Casa Museo Montes Molina) is the only museum in Merida that remains in its original state since its completion in 1902.
Its well-manicured gardens and elaborate interior showcase how wealthy families lived in Merida at that time.
Located on the beautiful Paseo de Montejo street, this is the home Francisco de Montejo and “the Montejos” lived in — the founders of Merida, Mexico.
Besides the home, there’s a nice collection of high-quality regional handicrafts and local arts.
Quinta Montes Molina Museum Address: Paseo de Montejo #469, Mérida Yucatán, 97000 (📍Map)
Quinta Montes MolinaMuseum Hours: Tours are offered by reservation only, and you’ll find information on their website.
Quinta Montes MolinaMuseumAdmission Cost: $120 pesos for adults (about $6 USD); $70 pesos for children (about $4 USD)
13. Filux Lab (Merida Art Gallery)
Contemporary and modern art meet different colored lights at this best Merida museum. (Photo: Filux Lab via Instagram)
Filux Lab is one of the coolest museums in Merida (well, one of the coolest contemporary art museum Merida, if you want to get a bit more technical).
It’s an independent space that promotes a sense of artistic community in Merida, with a rotating lineup of exhibits centered around light, film, and visual arts.
True sensory experience, you never know what you’ll get at Filux Merida — but it’s always amazing.
🎨 Want to visit more of the best art galleries in Merida? Check out Nahualli Casa de los Artistas, Soho Gallery, Galeria La Eskalera, La Sala Art Gallery, Galeria Merida, Galeria Tataya and Casa Pompidou.
Filux Lab Hours: Hours vary by event; check their event calendar here
Filux LabAdmission Cost: Costs vary by event; check their event calendar here
14. Museum of Popular Art of Yucatan
Museo de Arte displays different folk art, including artistic masks and colorful alebrijes, making it one of the best Merida art museums.
The Museo de Arte Popular de Yucatan (Museum of Popular Art of Yucatan, AKA Casa Molina) is a small but also one of the best museums in Merida to see folk art.
It is a converted two-story house showcasing art, handicrafts, textiles, and more made by artisans from all over Mexico.
⚠️ PleaseNote: The collection from Museo de Arte Popular has beed relocated to the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya (Mayan World Museum, #1 on this list), as the art museum has closed.
Mayan World Museum Merida Address: Calle 60 Norte #299, Merida, 97110 (📍Map)
Mayan World Museum Hours: Open Wednesday-Monday, 9am-5pm
Mayan World MuseumAdmission Cost: $150 pesos (about $9 USD)
15. Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace)
Get a closer look at the Merida Government Palace by checking out the murals painted by Fernando Castro Pacheco.
Built in 1892, the Merida Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace) houses Yucatan state’s executive government offices.
This pretty green building is lovely from the outside, but you’ll want to head to see the artwork in this mini-Merida museum.
Check out both floors for some pretty Merida photos and to see the beautiful art. Hanging on the walls, there are murals and oil paintings by local artist Fernando Castro Pacheco, depicting the Yucatan Peninsula’s history.
Palacio de Gobierno Address: Calle 60, between Calles 61 and 59, Plaza Grande, Centro, Merida, 97000 (📍Map)
Palacio de Gobierno Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm
Palacio de GobiernoAdmission Cost:FREE
16. Palacio de la Música (Merida Music Museum)
The beautiful Music Museum Merida in downtown, one of the best Museum Merida.
The Palacio de la Música (Merida Music Palace) has eight virtual pavilions showcasing the history of music from all over Mexico.
There’s one whole room dedicated to the local Yucatan trova, a type of serenade, as well as a music library, video library and a concert hall.
For musicians and music lovers, this is the among the best museums Merida Mexico has for showcasing the Mexican music culture — and you won’t want to miss it!
Merida Music Museum Address: Calle 50-A #487, Mérida Mexico, 97000 (📍Map)
Merida Music Museum Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm
Merida Music MuseumAdmission Cost: $200 pesos (about $10 USD)
17. Hacienda Yaxcopoil & Museum
Hacienda Yaxcopoil is one of the vintage Mexican haciendas you will find in Yucatan. It’s also one of the best haciendas and museums in Merida Yucatan.
Hacienda Yaxcopoil (pronounced yash-coe-poe-ill) is located about an hour outside of Merida, but it is worth the trip to see one of the best Merida haciendas in Yucatan.
Built in the 16th century and 17th century, it has been fully restored back to its former glory and is open for tours.
The inside of the Hacienda Yaxcopoil house itself is basically a museum of the Old World.
From the outside, you can tour the beautiful grounds and see all the large-scale machinery used to make Merida’s main export — sisal.
Hacienda Yaxcopoil Address: Calle 21 #500, Yaxcopoil, Yucatán, Mexico 97396, or you can also use Km. 220, Carretera Federal 261, Mérida-Uxmal (📍Map)
Hacienda YaxcopoilHours: Open Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm, Saturdays, 10am-2 pm
One of the large exhibits in the Merida Mayan Museum depicting Mayan culture.
What is the best museum in Merida?
The best Merida museum is the Mayan World Museum of Merida, which houses the largest collection of Mayan artifacts in the city.
How much is the entrance to the Maya Museum Merida?
$150 pesos (about $8 USD) — All foreign visitors must pay this entrance fee, while local adults and children receive a slight discount.
Yucatan residents get free entry on Sundays, which is the busiest day.
What are the Mayan Museum Merida hours?
El Gran Museo del Mundo Maya de Mérida is open daily from 9am-4:30pm. Unlike many Merida museums that are closed on Mondays, this museum is open Mondays
My Final Thoughts on the Best Museums in Merida Mexico
Merida is a cultural hub with beautiful museums and yummy food.
Besides the Merida art galleries and museums, make sure you also check out the great Merida beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, Mayan Ruins and Merida cenotes.
Give yourself plenty of time, as there’s something for everyone in Merida!
As one of the most beautiful cities in the Mexico Yucatan Peninsula, I hope this article helps you find all of the city’s beauty, as well as the top museums in Merida Mexico.
