Yet again another pleasant surprise: National Center of Arts (Cenart) I don't remember how I learned about this place but I'm glad I did. It's a subway ride away (with maybe a transfer) into Coyoacan (Frida Kahlo's neighbourhood). Cenart was created thirty years ago by the National Council for Culture and the Arts, a govt program. For more info, worth reading, it's in English: http://www.mexicoescultura.com/recinto/52982/en/national-center-of-arts-cenart-.html The short version of it is that's it's a multi-disciplinary public art university that embraces a wide range of arts genres. And, like all public education in Mexico, it's free! Yes, even the enormous UNAM University (enrollment 350,000) is free. The Cenart campus is lovely with some very interesting architecture.
An odd thing about it was the overwhelming police presence. As soon as I got there and saw the interesting architecture, I whipped out my camera and started clicking away. After a bit, a young woman cop approached me and asked me what I was doing photographing the campus. I responded, "I'm just a tourist" and she was happy with that and went away. So I kept on clicking and, in another area, I was approached by another cop who said, "No fotos" You needed permission. I thought about that and concluded that I was in no hurry and found out where you go to get permission. I was directed to the central security area and given a close inspection by a young woman in a uniform who then directed to another office where I met with another woman behind a desk. She questioned me as closely as she could, given the language barrier, for several minutes and eventually agreed to permit me to take photos. She had to print a form and go and get it somewhere (it took a long time) and had me sign it and carry a copy.
This must have taken a good half hour. So, I'm wondering: do they have a lot of terrorist activities on campus, or student unrest, or break-ins? What justifies all this policing and security on an arts campus? (In fact I wondered about this in general in Mexico City, the huge presence of police. Police everywhere, not really doing anything most of the time. For instance: Near where I stay, there was a parking place occupied 24/7 by a old beater Nissan Sentra cop car and three cops who stood around there day and night, never going anywhere, "accessing" power from a nearby building to run their coffee maker and charge their phones. There was a little bank of lockers there for them and they changed their clothing and kept their personals there. And they just hung out. There are police everywhere, flocks of police cars seemingly just driving around; sometimes sounding their sirens for a block, always with the lights flashing. And, in general: THEY ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!! They are very poorly paid.)
Armed with my completed permission slip, I continued my visit. Almost every time I pulled my camera out, a cop materialized but as soon as I got my permission slip out and held it up, they turned away. It could have been anything. In any case, I thought this place well worth photographing.
There are galleries and exhibition spaces.
An odd thing about it was the overwhelming police presence. As soon as I got there and saw the interesting architecture, I whipped out my camera and started clicking away. After a bit, a young woman cop approached me and asked me what I was doing photographing the campus. I responded, "I'm just a tourist" and she was happy with that and went away. So I kept on clicking and, in another area, I was approached by another cop who said, "No fotos" You needed permission. I thought about that and concluded that I was in no hurry and found out where you go to get permission. I was directed to the central security area and given a close inspection by a young woman in a uniform who then directed to another office where I met with another woman behind a desk. She questioned me as closely as she could, given the language barrier, for several minutes and eventually agreed to permit me to take photos. She had to print a form and go and get it somewhere (it took a long time) and had me sign it and carry a copy. 
This must have taken a good half hour. So, I'm wondering: do they have a lot of terrorist activities on campus, or student unrest, or break-ins? What justifies all this policing and security on an arts campus? (In fact I wondered about this in general in Mexico City, the huge presence of police. Police everywhere, not really doing anything most of the time. For instance: Near where I stay, there was a parking place occupied 24/7 by a old beater Nissan Sentra cop car and three cops who stood around there day and night, never going anywhere, "accessing" power from a nearby building to run their coffee maker and charge their phones. There was a little bank of lockers there for them and they changed their clothing and kept their personals there. And they just hung out. There are police everywhere, flocks of police cars seemingly just driving around; sometimes sounding their sirens for a block, always with the lights flashing. And, in general: THEY ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!! They are very poorly paid.) Armed with my completed permission slip, I continued my visit. Almost every time I pulled my camera out, a cop materialized but as soon as I got my permission slip out and held it up, they turned away. It could have been anything. In any case, I thought this place well worth photographing.
Each of these buildings houses a different discipline: dance, plastic arts, music, theatre, etc
There are galleries and exhibition spaces. 
Part of the film production department.
The music department
If you're in Mexico City and want to see something off the beaten track, this is one option. Just get your permission slip ready if you want to take photos.
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