MARCO Contemporary Art Museum

Monterrey’s Contemporary Art Museum (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo) is more commonly referred to by its clever acronym, MARCO. It is one of the most prominent contemporary art museums in Latin America. Inaugurated in June 1991, it sits on Macroplaza’s southern edge. The museum focuses mainly on promoting international contemporary art, with a special emphasis on Latin American visual arts.

The building it is housed in is actually the first work of art you should consider. The structure was designed by Ricardo Legorreta, the famous architect. The spacious building covers 172,222.6 square meters, 53,819.6 of which are split into 11 galleries. The remaining space is divided into courtyards, terraces, an auditorium, a museum shop, restaurant, offices, and a vestibule. La Paloma, a great 19.6-foot tall bronze bird weighing in at 6 tons watches over the entrance. This work by Juan Soriano has become a symbol of the museum.

MARCO has a collection of more than one hundred works of art, including paintings, sculptures, installations, and graphic artworks by a variety of artists from Europe and the Americas. Some of the collection’s sculptures are displayed in the museum’s courtyards; others are shown periodically in the galleries. Nevertheless, the museum’s strong suit is the temporary exhibitions.

This space is also a cultural center offering conferences, workshops, concerts, and all kinds of courses for the public. It also has a library, a well-stocked gift shop, and a good restaurant that can be visited without paying the entrance fee.