When one thinks of Mexico, perhaps the first image to come to mind is that of a charro or mounted horseman, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, with a blanket draped over his shoulders and a cheroot pursed in the corner of his lips. The history of these horsemen and Charros, the popular equestrian sport, is the subject of this museum. Located in what was once the Convent of Monserrat, the collection includes typical costumes, harnesses, saddles, paintings, photographs and objects related to the past and present of the charreria, one of the Mexico's most symbolic traditions.

Opened in 1988, this fascinating museum exhibits the collection of the Villamayor Ballinas, a family of shoe-shop owners in the city. The thousand life-size and 15,000 miniature shoes on exhibit span several centuries, originate from different cultures and showcase a variety of styles. Porcelain, bronze and silk, are only some of the materials from which they are made; there is even a replica of a pair of boots worn by an astronaut from the Apollo II space flight.

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.