Gran Museo del Mundo Maya

Half of the permanent exhibition space of this museum is dedicated to the culture of the Maya and the other half houses artifacts. The museum has more in common with PeeWee's Big Adventure tour of the Alamo than it does with a important anthropology museum.  The doors swung open for the change of the Baktun on 21 December 2012 and was the swans song of the governor .  The website is useless but they do have a map.  It's almost to the end of the prolongation de Montejo on the west side of the street.  For the moment the old anthropology museum in Palacio Canton on Paseo Montejo at Calle 43 is still open and I'd recommend going there before visiting the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya.

Casa de Montejo

In 2010 the Banamex bank finally renovated the Casa de Montejo which was once the home of Francisco de Montejo the younger. The building was constructed in 1549 and stayed in the hands of the conquistadors family until the middle of the 19th century. Today it is a sort of decorative art's museum with 4 permanent exhibition rooms with decor typical of the late 1800's and turn of the century furnishings. You'll see the sort of rooms one would expect to see in a mansion along the Paseo de Montejo where most of the furnishings no doubt came from. There are a couple of exhibition rooms which have paintings and objects from the banks extensive collection of Mexican artist. There is a gift shop with books good crafts made by the Grupo Plan artisans. Casa de Montejo is on the south side Gran Plaza on Calle 63.  For information on temporary expositions see their website.

House Tours of Merida

Every wednesday from November through March you can visit 3 or 4 Colonial houses in centro that vary weekly.  Keith Heitke who has hosted several episodes of House Hunters International is the guide. Meet at 9.45 at La68 Cultural Center on Calle 68 x 55.  You can read more about the tour here.

From October to April the House and Garden tour of Merida starts 9am at the MELL calle 53 no. 524 x 66 y 68 to benefit the Merida English Language Library.  For more information
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Centro Cultural Olimpo

On the main square at the corner of calle 62 and 61 is the Olimpo. Free exhibition galleries on the 2nd floor and a theatre on the ground floor that shows films and offers concerts. See the schedule posted outside. website en espanol.

Merida Tourism Office

An English edition of the official tourism office for the city of Merida with useful information regarding hotels and restaurants. There is a wealth of information on this site about the history and traditions of Merida with categories like Legends and Local Attire. Some of the links lead to Spanish language articles but hey what's google translate for anyway.

Symphony

The Yucatan Symphony Orchestra has a website in Spanish where you can see there program. Most of their concerts are in the Teatro Peon Contreras.

LA68

Off the corner of Calle 68 and 55 is the Casa de Cultura Elena Poniatowska.LA68 was founded by Poniatowska's daughter Paula Haro and her filmmaker husband Lorenzo Hagerman seen here on youtube. They show documentaries on Wednesdays,Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in an outdoor setting. They have a craft store with the choices of Paula who once worked for grupo plan developing the artisans of Yucatan. They also have yoga classes and restaurant. The Yucatan Today house tour leaves from La 68 on Wednesday at 9.45 November-March.