Is Chapultepec Park free? Yes — the castle is not

The Bosque de Chapultepec costs nothing to enter, and it is one of the largest city parks in the western hemisphere, comfortably bigger than Central Park. The zoo inside it is free too. What is not free is the castle on the hill, at 210 MXN general admission, or the Museo Nacional de Antropología in the same first section. Walking, sitting and looking are free; the doors cost money.

What you get for nothing

The park itself: paths, lakes, trees, the Niños Héroes monument at the entrance, the free zoo, and a hill with a castle on top of it that you can walk around without buying anything. On a Sunday the whole city is out here, and that is worth seeing in its own right. The park is the reason I tell people not to write off a Monday in this part of town — the museums are shut, per opening hours, but the Bosque is not.

What you pay for

The castle, which houses the Museo Nacional de Historia, at 210 MXN general admission, with half price for Mexicans and residents and free entry for under-13s, over-60s, students and teachers with ID, and visitors with disabilities. Sundays are free for nationals and residents. The Museo del Caracol on the way up and the Anthropology Museum nearby are separate again. The full breakdown sits on ticket prices.

Bigger than Central Park, and it behaves like it

The size is not trivia; it is a planning problem. Distances between the entrance, the castle and the Anthropology Museum are longer than a map suggests, and the road train exists for exactly that reason. Budget walking time, and if you are meeting a guided tour somewhere in the first section, find the spot before your start time.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Chapultepec Park free to enter?

Yes. The Bosque de Chapultepec is free, and so is the zoo inside it. The castle, the Museo del Caracol and the Anthropology Museum all charge separately.

Is Chapultepec bigger than Central Park?

Substantially, yes — it is one of the largest city parks in the western hemisphere. Plan for real walking distances between the entrance, the hill and the museums.

What museum is inside Chapultépec Castle?

The Museo Nacional de Historia, since 1939. General admission is 210 MXN and the exemptions are listed on ticket prices.