Centro Cultural del México Contemporáneo

What it is. A cultural centre on Leandro Valle, in the northern part of the Historic Centre a couple of streets from Plaza Santo Domingo. It works as neighbourhood cultural infrastructure rather than as a museum: temporary exhibitions, workshops, talks and events, in a part of the Centro that visitors walk past on the way between the Zócalo and the Lagunilla markets.

Why stop. Because entry is free and the programming is local and current —this is where you see what artists and collectives in the city are doing now, rather than what is already in the collections. It is a half-hour visit, not an afternoon.

Practical notes. Open daily 10:00–18:00. Programming changes constantly and is not published far in advance, so phone the number listed or check what is on before travelling for a specific exhibition. Metro Allende and Zócalo on Line 2 are both a short walk, and the Templo Mayor and the Cathedral are five minutes away on foot.