The Museo Nacional del Virreinato is the reason Tepotzotlán belongs in a travel guide. It fills the former College of San Francisco Javier, a Jesuit complex begun in the colonial period, and uses its cloisters, library, chapels, and church to tell the story of New Spain.
The museum's collection covers religious art, books, furniture, and everyday objects, but the building is just as important as the displays. The church of San Francisco Javier is a riot of gilded baroque carving, and it can turn a casual day trip into something memorable.