Museo Franz Mayer

Set in a former hospital and monastery beside the Alameda park, this museum holds the country's foremost collection of decorative arts, assembled by a German-born financier over decades. Silver, ceramics, textiles, furniture and religious objects from the colonial period fill its galleries, arranged around a serene arcaded cloister. A garden fountain and cafe in the courtyard make it a tranquil retreat within the busy centre. It also stages exhibitions of design and photography, complementing its holdings of viceregal craftsmanship.