• Basilica of Guadalupe

  • Toluca

  • Cradle of Muralism

  • Palace of Fine Arts

  • National Museum of Anthropology

  • Diego Rivera Studio-Home

  • Fresh Fruits at Local Markets

  • National Palace

  • Taxco

  • Toluca

  • Chapultepec Castle

  • Xochicalco

  • Xochimilco

  • Teotihuacan

  • The National University (UNAM)

  • Tula Archaeological Zone

Mexico seems to be on everyone's bucket list this year!  It is a hotspot for foodies, art connoisseurs, amateur archaeologists, digital nomads and culture lovers in general because it offers something for everyone's tastes!  Since the pandemic (which feels light years away at this point) there are all sorts of trendy venues including the spectacular Kaluz Museum, the stunning Banxico Museum, the educational Pavillion of Biodiversity and the Cencalli Museum, to name a few.  Temporary art exhibits, stunning first-class museums ranging from folk art to on-site archaeological spots, urban murals, markets, concerts and up-and-coming restaurants - you name it -  dot the horizon of CDMX (Mexico City) as well as the country.  Mexican hospitality is unparalleled!

Understand Mexico offers both the traditional visits to the Anthropology Museum, Teotihuacan and downtown Walking Tours, but we also have developed a wide variety of custom routes to suit everyone's interests.

[We are eagerly awaiting several up-and-coming projects expected to be inaugurated this year:  the new Dolores Olmedo Museum, the Cablebus that will link the four sections of Chapultepec Park, the renovated SCOP Murals and Museo Vivo del Muralismo, just to name a few.  Hopefully, the Diego Rivera Murals in the National Palace will become freely accessible again by the end of the current presidential term ... so even if you've been to Mexico, there will always be something new to see and do!]

And remember, Understand Mexico is here to help you enjoy the capital.  If you are looking for an in-depth explanation of a historical, anthropological, artistic or cultural spot in or around Mexico City, we're here for you.  You can join one of our learning experiences by either scheduling a private tour or joining one of our pre-planned group tours (check our calendar for programmed group activities by clicking on the "calendar" button on the blue ribbon at the top of this page).  If you are a local, you can sign up for our regular newsletter with updates on group activities (click the newsletter link to sign up).  We hate spam and promise never to share your email with anyone!

Mexico city tours

Outside CDMX

Talks

Understand Mexico offers a wide array of colorful, dynamic PowerPoint presentations, conferences, and informal talks on sundry topics related to Mexico. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico, the American School Foundation, The International Women’s Club of Mexico (Formerly Newcomers’ Club), and The Ebell of Los Angeles are among our clients.

When COVID hit and tourism came to an unexpected halt, we discovered the magic of Zoom and shifted our attention from offering in-person museum and walking tours to providing weekly talks on Mexican history, anthropology, and virtual tours.  Painted Walls: Mexico’s Modern Muralist Movement, Mexico City’s Signature Museums, Prehispanic Cultures, the Indigenous People of Mexico, Magical Neighborhoods, Magical Towns, Nimble Fingers: The Handmade Crafts of Mexico, and Day of the Dead are just a few of our recent topics. We also provide intercultural briefings and an introduction to life in Mexico for ex-pats.

Among our most requested topics:

General Culture

  • A Taste of Mexico (Introduction to Mexico)
  • Random Reasons to Love Mexico (A Potpourri of Why I Love This Country) Part One and Part Two
  • Gift of the Gods: Native Foods of Mexico (from Prehispanic Times to Today)
  • Painted Walls: Mexico’s Modern Muralist Movement
  • Diego Rivera: Master Muralist and Latin Lover
  • Frida Kahlo: The Woman Behind the Pain
  • Remarkable Mexican Women
  • Nimble Fingers: The Handmade Treasures of Mexico (Crafts)
  • Legends of Love: The Untold Love Stories of Mexico
  • Day of the Dead Festivities: What’s It All About?
  • Piñatas, Posadas and Pastorelas: The 3 Ps of a Mexican Christmas
  • The Reckoning of Time: Ancient Calendars
  • Out of Context: Foreigners Who Left Their Mark on Mexico (and the World) Part One and Part Two

 

The Virtual Armchair Travel Series

  • CDMX’s Magical Neighborhoods: A Virtual Tour
  • Mexico’s Enchanting Magical Towns
  • Mexico’s Signature Museums: An Armchair Tour
  • Teotihuacan: The City Where the Gods were Born
  • Templo Mayor: Ruins in the Heart of Mexico City: A Virtual Tour
  • Tlatelolco: Plaza of the Three Cultures
  • The City of the Eagle and the Serpent: Prehispanic Mexico City
  • Mexico’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites; An Armchair Tour
  • Mexico City Seen Through Its Art
  • National Museum of Anthropology: Right Wing
  • National Museum of Anthropology: Left Wing
  • National Museum of Anthropology:  Ethnographic Halls
  • The Hidden Museums of Mexico
  • The Charms of Chiapas
  • The Pleasures of Puebla: A Virtual Tour
  • Zipping Through Zacatecas
  • Hidalgo State:  From Poor to Powerful
  • Reforma Avenue: A Microcosm of Mexico

 

Shaping A Nation (history series can be given independently or as a series)

  • Mesoamerica – Mexico Before the Conquest
  • Overtaking an Empire: The Discover and Conquest of America
  • III. 300 Years of Mexico’s History Erased:  The Spanish Viceroyalty (1521-1821)
  • Breaking the Chains from Spain: Mexico’s Independence
  • Maximilian and Carlota: Mexico’s Second Empire Gone Array
  • VII. Unravelling the Mexico Revolution
  • VIII.  Picking Up the Pieces:  Post-Revolutionary Mexico