All about Museo de la Ciudad de Mérida (2025 Guide)

When I first wandered through Mercado Lucas de Gálvez, Mérida’s largest and busiest market, I eventually stepped out onto Calle 56, right across from the City Museum.

I had passed the museum before but had never gone inside, so on a whim I decided to check it out. Admission is free, and right at the entrance you’re welcomed with a smile and asked to sign the guest book. From there, you can head in any direction.

The ground floor holds the permanent exhibits, taking you from Mérida’s pre-Columbian roots and colonial past to the fight for independence and its growth into the modern city. Upstairs you’ll find temporary shows with contemporary paintings and sculptures.

Since it was a weekday morning, I was pretty much the only visitor. Outside, the August heat was already in full swing, but inside the museum the air conditioning was set to what felt like near-Arctic levels.

Permanent Exhibitions

On the ground floor, the museum displays about 150 permanent pieces. They’re spread across four main areas, each focused on a key chapter of Mérida’s history. Here’s a quick overview:

1. Prehispanic Merida: This room showcases numerous artifacts from ancient Merida, predating the Spanish conquest, including items from the Maya civilization.

   
   

2. Colonial and Novohispanic Merida: Here, you encounter objects dating back to Merida's founding period, as well as everyday items, weaponry, and other artifacts reflecting life during the colonial era.

   
   

3. Merida in the 19th and Early 20th Century: This room presents artifacts depicting the city's development, economic growth, and aspects of daily life, education, and politics during this period.

   
   

4. 20th Century: This section features objects representing contemporary life in Merida, highlighting not only the city's culture but also its architecture, sports, and particularly its traditions.

Ceramics and other artifacts from Mexico’s ancient cultures have often survived as burial offerings. In the pre-Hispanic exhibition, you can see not only individual pieces but also a small reconstructed grave.

It displays the skeleton of an adult accompanied by four ceramic vessels, carefully arranged to recreate the setting of a traditional Maya burial and give insight into ancient funerary practices.

In the exhibition on Colonial and Novohispanic Mérida, you can explore artifacts that reflect the city’s architectural and cultural heritage from this period.

You’ll find displays with religious sculptures, old weapons, and historical documents that bring this era to life. The setting itself, with patterned tile floors and bright display cases, gives the space a very authentic feel.

The section "Merida in the 19th and Early 20th Century" highlights the impact of the henequén industry – represented by the sisal bundle on the wooden cart – on Mérida’s development in the 19th and early 20th century.

As one of the world’s most important fibers, henequén was exported globally, generating immense wealth and making Mérida the richest city in Mexico during that period. Photos, furniture, and objects show how the boom shaped politics, education, and daily life.

The 20th Century room gives you a feel for Mérida’s more recent past with a mix of sculptures, artwork, and everyday items. You’ll spot pieces like carved furniture, along with objects showing how local traditions, sports, and culture shaped life in the city.

Temporary Exhibitions

The temporary exhibitions are held on the Museum's first floor, featuring diverse visual arts encompassing painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture.

Depending on the exhibition, you’ll also find recordings, photography, and video. thematic exhibitions are curated to delve deeper into Merida's history. The next image shows for example the exhibition Biomorfías by Emilio Salazar in 2025.

It featured around twenty medium and large-scale works that explore organic abstraction through fluid, undulating shapes inspired by nature. His art blends color, form, and emotion to create immersive experiences that highlight intuition and personal expression.

Another temporary exhibition at the City Museum showed Intertextos: Manual de zoología fantástica by Carlos Núñez Armesto. His works mix realistic figures with surreal, symbolic elements. The painting combines natural detail with dreamlike imagery.

A Historic Building with European Flair

The beautiful early 20th-century building once served as a federal post palace. Designed by military engineer Salvador Echegaray, it was inaugurated in 1908 by Governor Enrique Muñoz Aristequi.

With its neoclassical style and French touches, the building reflects Mérida’s early 20th-century boom and the European architectural trends that shaped the city.

On the first floor, you can step out onto the charming balcony, designed in full colonial style, and enjoy the atmosphere while overlooking the palm trees and the lively streets of Mérida below.

Since 2007, the building has housed the Museum of the City of Mérida. With its rich past, it’s a historic landmark itself. The museum was previously located in the former Templo San Juan de Dios.

Activities for Children

The museum offers kids' activities like sculpting and painting workshops. On Saturdays from 10:00 AM to noon, there’s a supervised play area for children aged 6 to 12 (weekend hours: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM).

Markets and Sights Nearby

Right next to the museum is Mercado Lucas de Gálvez, Mérida’s main market. Just beyond it lies Mercado de San Benito, the second largest. Both are lively spots where locals stock up on fresh food, spices, and daily essentials.

If you want to experience the full range of market life after your visit to the museum, this is definitely the place for you. And Plaza Grande with all its surrounding sights is just two blocks to the northwest.

Discover the Mayan World in Mérida

Another tip: If you are particularly interested in Maya art, you should definitely visit the Mayan World Museum in the north of Mérida – it’s my personal favorite.

The museum houses an extensive collection of over 1,160 artifacts, ranging from pre-Hispanic sculptures and ceramics to colonial-era religious art and historical documents.

The exhibition is structured into four main sections, highlighting both ancient and contemporary Maya culture, their connection to nature, and the traditions that have endured over time.

Even though it is located outside the city center, I highly recommend it as a great place to explore the rich history of the Maya and understand how their influence continues to shape the region today.