Established in 1781 as the School of Engraving, the Academy of San Carlos is the one of the earliest built art academy and museum in Mexico City. Built in Baroque style, this institution is known to encourage art and has always engaged some of the best artists of Mexico. The place holds huge collection of periodic Greek, Roman and European art, and also exhibits works from artists around the world. The place is a must visit for every art lover!
This recent addition to the local museum scene has an important collection by the world-renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Copies of his famous works, such as The Kiss and The Thinker, can be found in an art exhibition unique in Latin America. Other nineteenth and twentieth century artists represented include Camille Claudel, Emile-Antoine Bourdelle and Honoré Daumier. There is also a display of objects from the Mexican colonial period, including ironwork, folding screens, quilts and examples of what are known as caste paintings, as well as an important collection of 18th and 19th century Mexican portraits. You can enjoy works by Juan Cordero, Hermenegildo Bustos and Miguel Cabrera who founded the Academy of Painting in 1753. The museum has its own shop, and is situated within the Plaza Loreto Shopping Center.