National Museum of Housing (Munavi)

The National Museum of Housing, Munavi, is the Museo Nacional de la Vivienda. It’s a museum dedicated to the importance of housing, homes, and apartments. These are recognized as fundamental to human wellbeing and the social fabric of the entire country.

Munavi is part of the broader complex that serves as the headquarters for the National Workers’ Housing Fund (Infonavit). Infonavit is a three-part public body. It includes participation from workers, the private business sector, and the government. The main purpose is to efficiently manage resources from the National Housing Fund which is paid into by 56 million beneficiaries. This allows homebuyers to finance the acquisition, building, expansion, and improvement of homes, land, apartments, and condominiums.

It’s a part of the reason that housing is such a fascinating topic in Mexico City. All of the great housing developments and complexes come together as the result of these kinds of partnerships. Infonavit came to be in 1972. Since then, it’s financed 12 million loans for housing across the country.

The Infonavit complex here was designed by architect Teodoro González de León. He’d already established his credentials working with Infonavit on a number of public projects over many years. Here, the museum he designed is divided along six thematic axes:

1. Adequate Housing
2. Spaces We Inhabit
3. The Right to Housing
4. History of Housing in Mexico
5. Neighborhood and City
6. The Future of Housing

The museum is involved in multiple cultural and outreach services, not only within the neighborhoods and developments in Mexico City. The reach extends across the entire country. There’s also a library that focuses on many of these important topics.

Munavi is about a 7-minute walk from the Metro Barranca del Muerto station.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.