Museo del Tequila y el Mezcal (MUTEM)

Overlooking Plaza Garibaldi, MUTEM traces the production and cultural significance of tequila and mezcal from pre-Hispanic agave fermentation to modern distilling, with a rooftop bar for tastings.

Planning your visit

MUTEM overlooks Plaza Garibaldi, which is the correct address for a museum of Mexican spirits — the square is where mariachi bands gather for hire, loudly, into the night. The museum traces agave drinks from pre-Hispanic pulque, the fermented sap of the maguey used ritually before the Spanish arrived, through the introduction of distillation, to tequila's regulated modern form and mezcal's more varied artisanal production. Displays cover agave species, harvesting, the roasting pits that give mezcal its smoke, and the denominations of origin that govern what may be called what.

The distinction the museum makes clearly is that tequila is one kind of mezcal — made from blue agave in a defined region under industrial conditions — while mezcal proper covers dozens of agave varieties and small producers, mostly in Oaxaca.

Tastings are integral, conducted on the rooftop bar with views over Garibaldi. That turns the visit into an evening activity, though the museum operates through the day.

Bookable options include tickets with guided tastings, full experience formats with a wider range of spirits, and combined tours. Tasting formats vary mainly in how many pours are included. Age restrictions apply. Current availability is shown below.