Review: Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)

Zoom out. What’s this place all about?
Less than two miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, this museum combines traditional gallery spaces with performing arts stages, botanical gardens, a small aquarium, and an IMAX theater housed in an iconic dome-shaped structure that's dubbed La Bola.

What will we find in the collection here?
Paintings, sculptures, and photos—ranging from classical to contemporary to ballsy—depict Baja's history from the early Native Americans to the 1910 Mexican Revolution to today. It's not extremely comprehensive, but it's not skimpy either. Most signs are in both Spanish and English.

Don't miss the museum's collection of Botero paintings, historic letters written by Mexico's José Luis Martínez, and large-scale sculptures of Medieval-style warriors by Paris-based artist Xavier Mascaró.

What did you make of the crowd?
Even though most of the spaces are free, it's never too crowded—thanks in large part to the many different art spaces—and you'll see a mix of tourists, local families with kids, and school groups.

Do they have guided tours?
You can schedule 80-minute guided tours in English or Spanish for groups of 15 or more.

What's the gift shop like?
There's a small museum gift shop that sells handmade Mexican crafts, souvenirs, and books.

Is the café worth a stop, or should we just plan on going elsewhere?
Cafe Cecut is a casual spot serving coffee, sandwiches, and weekend brunch items like chilaquiles. Given the great restaurants in the area, don't go out of your way to eat here, but it's a decent option if you need a snack.

Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged?
Contemplating every piece could take a good two to three hours; but if you take more of a survey approach you can easily get a feel for the museum in an hour flat. Just make sure to save time to walk through La Bola—it's really impressive.