Casa del Lago Juan José Arreola

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) opened its first off-campus cultural center here in 1959, with the writer Juan José Arreola as founding director. Casa del Lago, which now carries his name, stands in the Chapultepec woods, a traditional Sunday walking area for the city's residents.

The center works across many artistic disciplines and is known for bringing the avant-garde and tradition together, and for connecting different generations. Its programming favors originality and experimentation, yet it draws a large popular audience, showing that contemporary work and wide appeal can go together. That mix has made it an emblematic place in Mexico City's cultural scene. It suits visitors curious about experimental and contemporary art, as well as anyone combining a walk through Chapultepec with some culture.