Mexico City Museums closed their doors for a week due to a lack of security personnel. It is one more symptom of the economic crisis they are going through. The federal budget allocated to culture in 2024 fell by 6.5 % to 770 million euros. These figures reflect an austerity policy established in 2018 by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and prosecuted by the current president Claudia Sheinbaum.
It has been several years since institutions have reduced the means allocated to security, as well as to the maintenance and maintenance of the premises. In 2022, the security company then under contract with the museums reported a delay of three months in the payment of invoices. This affected the salary of security agents.
This situation harms the image of the capital abroad: the National Museum of Anthropology, winner of the Princess of Asturias 2025 award in the Concorde category, remained closed that day, when it drew the attention of the whole world due to the price. The Museums of the Templo Mayor, of the Château de Chapultepec, the Museo del Carmen, the National Museum of Interventions and the National Museum of History have not opened. Tourists present in front of the museums concerned were refused entry without explanation.
The economy is also weakened: tourism is one of the main sectors of activity in Mexico and its capital. The National Museum of Anthropology welcomes more than 2 million visitors per year, making it one of the largest cultural destinations in Latin America. This closure could have consequences for the country’s revenues.
Professionals in the sector denounce “tijeretazos” or budgetary scissors that suffocate institutions. In an emergency, the auxiliary police in the city of Mexico has been requisitioned to reopen museums. This event led to the resignation of Diego Prieto Hernández, director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) Mexican.
