The innovative, hands-on Papalote Children’s Museum was designed by the architect Ricardo Legorreta and opened its doors to the public in 1993. It was built in response to the global trend to create interactive spaces for children to discover the world around them. The museum is a paradise for children of all ages (although adults are also kept stimulated), divided into five different areas which house nearly 300 interactive exhibitions.  The areas cover subjects such as the human body, science, music and ecology and focus on issues such as self-esteem, communication between people and different ways of expression. Fun activities include putting together a radio show, joining an archaeological dig or testing out new gadgets.

Plan on a whole-day visit to the Papalote Museum, with so much to do and see. There are a number of unique attractions such as the massive IMAX movie theater with the biggest digital screen in the city. The theater regularly shows educational and recreational videos and it is worth checking the scheduled productions. The on-site planetarium is also a big hit. The museum is also home to the Maya Garden, a fun place for kids to explore with a pre-Hispanic theme and an archaeological feel about it. One of the more popular features of this garden is its Mayan pyramid which kids can climb and discover.

The museum integrates part of the Chapultepec Forest and the natural flow between the inside and outside spaces are arranged so that visitors feel that they are walking through the forest in some areas.