Stepping into Mexico City’s Alameda Central Park with its majestic fountains, impromptu performance art shows and canoodling couples, you can feel the energy of the megalopolis and its cultural richness. Often romanticized in songs or featured in artwork such as the renowned Diego Rivera mural “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central Park,” the cultural hotspot also leads to the prominent Palace of Fine Arts, where Rivera recreated the mural famously destroyed at the Rockefeller Center.
In an effort to explore Latin America’s cultural art scene with an Austin lens, the local Mexic-Arte Museum has been leading art tours in the Mexican capital city on and off since 1996. It’s been offering these experiences more regularly since 2010, when Mexico celebrated its bicentennial.
An upcoming trip on June 22-27 offers Austinties the chance to understand the complexities of Mexican art and culture under the guidance of art expert and Mexic-Arte Museum founding director Sylvia Orozco.
Participants will visit Mexico City’s iconic cultural heritage sites including the expansive National Museum of Anthropology, which is often described as one of Mexico’s most important museums for its comprehensive collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts. Visiting the bellybutton of the city, the Zócalo main square, sheds light into the inner workings of the country’s past and present. And sights such as Frida Kahlo’s brilliant blue childhood home and bohemian Coyoacán neighborhood give new meaning to the artist’s work.
The trip, which depending on airfare ranges from $2,600 to $3,200, includes a curated itinerary of more art-centric sights. Visit mexic-artemuseumevents.org for more details.
Keep an eye out for more opportunities for Latin American travel with Austin cultural institutions that offer unique perspectives. In October, Austinites can join Cine Las Americas on a cinema-focused trip to Cuba for a week. Film enthusiasts can check out sites featured in movies such as “Our Man in Havana,” “Soy Cuba,” and “Fresa y Chocolate.”
More information about that Oct. 22-29 trip can be found on jbjourneys.com.
