The museum's permanent collection on the ancient Mexican civilizations and baroque art is good, but…read morethe temporary exhibition on corn was fantastic. The housing of the museum in an old monastery is an attraction itself.

The whole downstairs is about the Freemasons- kind of interesting and unexpected. The upstairs…read moredetails the history of Mexico's independence as writing on the walls of several rooms. It is rather a dull exhibition, although the history itself is important.

My husband and I just happened upon this museum while walking around in San Miguel de Allende. It…read morewas such a nice find! We enjoyed the various installments and murals there, but I really enjoyed the location. The architecture is amazing and the courtyard is beautiful. It's also free to enter. Don't miss this place up if you're visiting San Miguel. It's definitely worth a visit!

Fans of botanical gardens will likely enjoy El Charco del Ingenio, a 170+ acre garden/ecological…read morereserve in San Miguel de Allende. It's a serene, safe place to wander pathways and explore, even if it lacks anything as colorful, vibrant, or artful as (my favorite), the U.K.'s Kew Gardens. Between the attractive gift shop one enters through, the building that functions as a museum for what you'll see here, and the al fresco cafe where fresh-squeezed juices are well-priced and delicious, you might mistakenly think you're in the Bay Area, with far cheaper prices. It's very aesthetically pleasing. The actual botanic gardens are somewhat less so. A map of the grounds will show you the trails and the layout but it's easy enough to just wander. There's some art (very little), some created habitats (e.g. medicinal plants), a greenhouse, and a lake/pond to cross and see some historic relics. Whether any of this appeals to you really depends on your mood. If you decide to come here I'd recommend you walk from wherever you are. The hilly walk here from central SMA takes you through a really lovely neighborhood of high end homes before suddenly navigating a dirt path with tumbleweeds and cacti. All of this nicely satisfies the desire you have to see things because, once on site here, what you'll see is - I have to admit - less exciting. Finish up with a green juice and purchase some organic honey for those back home. Then enjoy the walk back to where you came from.

This place was great, not only was it affordable but we really enjoyed the hike and the fresh air…read more Some people mentioned walking from the city center but I don't recommend it unless your ready to be tired when you get there. Just park directly at the location or get a taxi to drive you up there. Also it can be a bit challenging for kids and the elderly so I wouldn't recommend making the full circle. I would say to at least cross the mini dam since it was the most beautiful thing there. I also loved the abandoned villa with its ancient oven. The entrance was very nice and it had well kept bathrooms inside as well. Lastly, I would recommend bringing a bottle of water and to add some sunscreen.

San Miguel de Allende is more than tacos and tequila and the tourists who subsist on them. It's got…read morea lot of intriguing history, so naturally there's a historical museum right across from the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. The evocative museum is housed in an 18th-century, two-story colonial mansion owned by Mexican independence war hero Ignacio Allende. There's a bucolic central courtyard where you can find the way to the restroom. The furniture is authentic to the period. It gave us an idea of what life was like for a Creole family before the revolution. There's bilingual signage in Spanish and English, though it's more convenient to follow the audio tour available. It took us less than an hour to walk though the building. There are other museums in the city devoted to local crafts like toys and decorative masks, but this struck us as the most essential one. Admission was MX$70. RELATED - Exploring San Miguel de Allende? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/mNfHj1axEC

Lots to read and see. We only had 3 hours in town, so checking out this place gave us a quick…read moreoverview of the town. I appreciated the short video playing in the tiny media room. I had a chance to sit and enjoy a quick 10 min overview of San Miguel. This is an old building and you can finish the self guided tour in as little as 30 mins. It depends on your desire to read all plaques.

If you're looking for more of the upscale Carmel-by-the-Sea vibe, you can find it here in spades…read more It's far enough from Zona Centro for you to avoid most of the tourist congestion but close enough to stroll over. Arresting pieces of public art come into view before you get to the entrance of this former textile factory. Too bad they've been placed rather unphotogenically in the parking lot (Photo 8). They've done an excellent job renovating the buildings and sprucing up the grounds. There are three upmarket components to this expansive complex: art galleries, retail stores, and cafes. It can make for a pleasant browsing experience should you be in the mood for it, but if not, it illustrates a rather polarizing divide between the haves and have-nots in San Miguel de Allende. If you're seriously considering a purchase here, you know which camp you're in. There's certainly enough outdoor furniture and ornate bric-a-brac here to fill your summer home. The only items Jamie W and I bought were a pair of iced coffees and an artful slice of apple pie at Geek & Coffee, a charming terrace cafe on the grounds (Photo 16), a pleasant break before we headed back to town. RELATED - Exploring San Miguel de Allende? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/4NSK-pc5tS

The place is amazing! Was a large textile factory in the past and some of the machinery has been…read morepreserved. Gallery after gallery of art, clothing, jewelry with a couple of spots to eat along the way. Plan on spending hours if you have the time!