The Soumaya is the private museum of Carlos Slim, for many years the richest man in the world; he named it after his late wife. Its eye-catching tower in Plaza Carso, Polanco, is sheathed in 16,000 hexagonal aluminium tiles that catch the sun differently depending on the angle. The Mexican architect Fernando Romero, Slim's son-in-law, designed the building, which opened in 2011.
The collection inside runs to 66,000 pieces and ranges across European old masters, French Impressionists, pre-Columbian gold, religious art, and the largest set of Auguste Rodin sculptures outside France. The hang is dense, the labels minimal, and the chronological logic flexible — the experience is more "abundance" than "curation." Admission is free, partly explaining the long weekend queues; visit on a weekday morning. Closed Tuesdays.