Mexico’s cultural heritage continues to solidify its status as one of the main drivers of national tourism. From January through August 2025, museums and archaeological sites across the country received a combined total of 14.6 million visitors, a figure that reflects the strengthening of cultural tourism at the national level, according to the Ministry of Tourism, headed by Josefina Rodríguez Zamora.
“The increase in visits to museums and archaeological sites reflects the interest of national and international tourists in discovering and valuing our cultural heritage, which in turn drives local economic development and contributes to the generation of Shared Prosperity,” the Minister stated.
Rodríguez Zamora emphasized that museums across the country received 7.7 million visitors in the first eight months of the year, a 17.6 % increase compared to the same period in 2024, and 3.9 % more than in 2019 (pre-pandemic). Of the total, 89 % were domestic visitors and 11 % were foreign.
According to data from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the museums with the highest attendance so far this year are the Museo Nacional de Antropología, the Museo Nacional de Historia, and the Museo del Templo Mayor—three institutions that house some of the most emblematic collections of the country’s heritage.
Mexico’s archaeological sites welcomed 6.9 million visitors during the same period, 4 % increase compared to 2024. Of this number, 64 % were domestic and 36 % were foreign tourists.
Among the most‐visited sites are Chichén Itzá, with 1.5 million visitors; Teotihuacán, with 1.2 million; and Tulum, with 790 000 visitors—together representing 51 % of the national total.
“The historical and cultural richness of Mexico is one of our greatest tourist attractions. Each museum and archaeological site tells a part of our story and allows us to project Mexico’s grandeur to the world, thus boosting the arrival of more visitors and the development of cultural tourism in the country,” Rodríguez Zamora concluded.
Cultural tourism has emerged as a strategic component for local economies, generating employment, reinforcing identity, and promoting cultural exchange. In recent years, the Ministry of Tourism has promoted joint activities with the INAH, state governments and local communities to ensure heritage conservation and broaden sustainable tourism offerings.
With these results, Mexico reaffirms its position as one of the world’s leading cultural destinations. Museums and archaeological and historical sites do more than preserve collective memory—they also drive regional development, economic recovery and national pride.
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Mexican Press Agency is part of ALMA, which is dedicated to news and information about Mexico and Mexicans in the United States and is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Focus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Redwood City, California.
