Sights in Tamaulipas
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Playa Bagdad
The nearest beach to Matamoros is a scruffy settlement that clings to an expansive stretch of fairly clean sand 37km east of town. A large port prospered on the Mexican bank of the Río Bravo north of Matamoros, and, according to local folklore, this town was given the name 'Bagdad' by Texans who were astounded by its wealth (mostly derived from smuggling). Hurricanes destroyed the settlement in 1889, and nobody seems to remember anymore how that name traveled over here.
Playa Bagdad today consists of a small fishing settlement, a few aging cabañas and a seemingly endless row of wind-battered clapboard beach restaurants. During the June-to-September hot season and the Se…
reviewed
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Museo del Agrarismo Mexicano
The Museo del Agrarismo Mexicano, a bright-orange building 200m north of the highway, documents the ejido movement (a 20th-century campaign that redistributed private farmland into communal holdings) and also the history of the Mexican revolution in Tamaulipas.
You won't learn any history if you can't read Spanish, but if you like looking at old guns and farm tools, you might enjoy it. Either take one of the Playa Bagdad buses from Plaza Allende or a more frequent Technológico-Esperanza (usually abbreviated as 'Tec-Esp') bus heading east on Independencia or Lauro Villar.
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A
Casa Cross
Casa Cross, a partly restored brick mansion complete with elaborate verandas and dormer windows that looks straight out of New Orleans, has a fascinating history. Finished in 1885, it was the home of Meliton Cross, whose father had fled South Carolina after his family discovered that he had fallen in love with the black slave who was caring for him during a serious illness. The couple later married and settled in Matamoros. Though it has few furnishings, it's an atmospheric place.
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Museo Tamux
The Museo Tamux is an excellent interactive natural history museum covering everything from asteroids to cloning to dinosaurs, including some cool replica fossils. The big orange ball is a planetarium, and there’s a botanical garden down below. No buses come here, or even pass nearby. The ticket office closes at 5pm.
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B
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Tamaulipas
Matamoros’ excellent Museo de Arte Contem poráneo de Tamaulipas showcases quality exhibitions of photography, sculpture and painting. The building itself is a landmark modernist structure with a maze-like interior and walls set at oblique angles to the polished concrete floor.
reviewed
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C
Museo Histórico
Reynosa's modest little Museo Histórico may not offer any flash interactive displays, but it does have a curious combination of ancient pottery, old typewriters and historic city photos. In the rear room there's often a temporary exhibition of work by local artists.
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Museo Regional de Historia de Tamaulipas
The Museo Regional de Historia de Tamaulipas, in a lovely yellow building formerly inhabited by nuns and the army, does a good job tracing the state’s history. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, stop by to see the large collection of Huastec figurines.
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Centro Cultural Tamaulipas
The art gallery in the Centro Cultural Tamaulipas brings in temporary exhibits from a variety of Mexican artists. Also worthy on the art front is the large mural showing the history of Tamaulipas in the lobby of the Teatro Juárez.
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D
Museo Casamata
Filling a remnant of an 1845 fort, all that remains of the original city defenses, plus some newer buildings around it, Museo Casamata traces the city's history with old photos, artifacts and some English signage.
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E
Teatro Juárez
Worthy on the art front is the large mural showing the history of Tamaulipas in the lobby of the Teatro Juárez.
reviewed
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Museo Ferrocarril
The Museo Ferrocarril has a few railroading relics and a small art gallery in the city's old train station.
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Centro Cultural
See if anything is on stage at the city's shiny new Centro Cultural on the outskirts of town.
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