Quirky Attraction: The Tequila and Mezcal Museum in Mexico City

Mexico is known for its tequila, and Mexico City is known for its museums. So of course there would be a Tequila Museum in Mexico City!

The Tequila and Mezcal Museum in Plaza Garibaldi is one of the city’s most unique attractions. And you even get a couple of free shots with your admission!

If you’re interested in taking a tequila tour of Mexico City, why not start at the Tequila Museum itself? Here’s everything you need to know for your visit.

Ticket Prices, Hours, Tequila Tastings

Museo del Tequila y el Mezcal doesn’t advertise its prices on its website, so this information is subject to change. But when I visited, the most basic ticket to the museum was 60 pesos (about $3 USD).

It included the right to walk around downstairs and look at the exhibits, as well as mini-shots of tequila and mezcal (one each) at the bar.

For a guided tour with additional tastings of alcohol, you can pay roughly 260 pesos ($13 USD). I did not choose this option, though many people report on TripAdvisor that they had a good experience with the tequila tour.

The museum itself opens at 11 am and closes at 10 pm for most of the week, and midnight on weekends.

There’s also a tequila store and an upstairs cantina bar, both of which stay open even later on weekends, until 2:30 am!

Because it’s open so late, the museum is one of the top things to do in Mexico City at night. Check out my complete list of 85 activities for tourists to do in Mexico City!

PRO TIP: The area around Plaza Garibaldi is regarded by some as dangerous. It’s totally fine to visit this museum if you arrive by taxi or Uber. Plaza Garibaldi itself is fine, but don’t go wandering off into random neighborhoods outside the area.

What You’ll See Inside the Tequila Museum

Don’t expect this place to be like the Smithsonian. The Tequila and Mezcal Museum isn’t huge.

You’ll see a wall of 300 tequila and mezcal bottles, plus some displays of various Mexican cultural objects and musical instruments.

There are giant skull heads which are hollow, so you can hop inside them for funny pictures.

There are basic educational displays about the distillery of Mexican spirits, and extra information about the history of mariachi music and Plaza Garibaldi itself.

Information boards are written in Spanish and English. That’s about the extent of the excitement on the main ground floor.

The Museum’s Patio and Terrace Area

Upstairs, the terrace area has a cantina bar and a great patio for people watching in Plaza Garibaldi.

You can look down at the mariachi bands, which gather here and wait for tourists to come request a song.

You can order all sorts of drinks, but it only makes sense to get a drink with tequila in it since you’re here! They have multiple flavors of frozen margaritas.

And dont forget about mezcal! Mezcal is the spirit that has become a hipster favorite throughout the U.S. and Mexico. There are mezcal bars in the city that specialize in the beverage.

While you’re upstairs, performers and dancers may drop in to liven up the atmosphere. Throw them a few pesos if they’ve entertained you.

PRO TIP: If it’s daylight hours, feel free to walk around Plaza Garibaldi and check out the little restaurants there.

You’ll find all sorts of cheap, authentic Mexican food like pozole and carne asada at the food stands inside the large building labeled “MERCADO” (you can see this building from the museum terrace.) Remember not to wander off beyond the plaza, though.

If you like booze, definitely stop by this museum! Add it to your Mexico City itinerary, along with the Frida Kahlo Museum, Chapultepec Castle, and Palacio de Bellas Artes.

The Other Tequila Museum in Polanco

Last year, a second tequila museum opened in Mexico City, in the ritzy neighborhood of Polanco.

Dubbed Tierra de Maestros (land of Masters), the interactive museum was created by Tequila Maestro Dobel, a brand of tequila.

This was meant to be a temporary museum. Visit there if you like, but I still recommend the Plaza Garibaldi location to get the original museo del tequila experience.