MARCO Museum Monterrey

MARCO - the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Monterrey - opened in 1991 and remains one of the finest museum buildings in Mexico. Ricardo Legorreta designed it in his signature language: massive planes of colour, deep-set openings, water and light used as materials, all organized around a central patio where a shallow pool periodically erupts in a sheet of falling water. At the entrance stands the museum's mascot, Juan Soriano's enormous bronze dove - Paloma - which every visitor photographs and every child tries to climb. Inside, the programme is exhibition-driven rather than collection-driven: large temporary shows of Mexican and international contemporary art occupy the main galleries in rotation, with the museum's own holdings surfacing in curated selections. The scale of the rooms allows ambitious installation, and the building's circulation - ramps, sightlines through openings, the courtyard always reappearing - is a pleasure in itself. The cafe and shop are good, and the Macroplaza's monuments and cathedral stand immediately outside.

What you actually see

• Legorreta's architecture - colour planes, water and light.
• Paloma - Soriano's giant bronze dove at the door.
• The rotating exhibitions - large-scale contemporary shows.
• The courtyard - the pool and its periodic water curtain.

When to go

Any day but Monday; check what is showing, since the museum turns over entirely between exhibitions. Free-entry days draw crowds.

Honest expectations

There is no permanent display to fall back on - a weak exhibition means a short visit, though the building repays it. Labels are Spanish-first. The surrounding Macroplaza is hot and shadeless at midday.

Nearby

The Macroplaza, the cathedral and the Paseo Santa Lucia canal to Fundidora all begin at the door.