The museum is housed in building with an eclectic composition of steel and glass in the German Jugendstil style.

In fact, it was made in Germany and arrived in Mexico to be assembled between 1903 and 1905.

Its unmistakable towers are now the emblem of this venue, which also features immense stained glass windows that provide natural light to its three halls. That is why for decades, it was popularly known as the Crystal Palace.

Originally, it was intended for the presentation of industrial exhibitions during the festivities of the Centennial of Mexico's Independence (1910). It was also the venue for the Japanese industrial exhibition, which is why it was also known as the Japanese Pavilion.

From 1913 to 1964, it housed the National Museum of Natural History, where a fabulous collection of taxidermied animals, fossils, and medicinal plant samples was displayed.

Currently, it hosts a large number of activities mainly related to urban culture.