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Standing on the famous Plaza Garibaldi in the centre of Mexico City, the Museum of Tequila and Mezcal, known by its Spanish initials MUTEM, is devoted to the two agave spirits that are among the most emblematic products of Mexico, and to the mariachi music with which the square has long been associated. The museum opened in December 2010 as the centrepiece of a wider project to renovate and revitalise the historic Plaza Garibaldi, traditionally the gathering place of mariachi musicians who wait there in their elaborate costumes to be hired, and where Mexicans have long come to drink, sing and celebrate. Its modern building, with a glass facade decorated with images of agave leaves and mariachi silhouettes, stands in deliberate contrast to its surroundings. Inside, the permanent exhibits trace the history and production of tequila and mezcal, explaining how both are distilled from the agave plant, the differences between them and the regions and traditions behind them, and the museum holds a large representation of the many tequilas and mezcals produced across the country. It also houses a space dedicated to mariachi music and its instruments. A terrace bar and a shop allow visitors to taste and buy the spirits, making the museum both an educational stop and a lively part of the square's nightlife. The museum's situation on Plaza Garibaldi is no accident, for the square has been for generations the spiritual home of the mariachi, where bands gather in their charro suits to be hired and where the music, the spirits and the celebration of Mexican identity come together, and the museum was created precisely to anchor and dignify a renovation of this historic but long-neglected space. The exhibits guide visitors through the cultivation of the agave, the differences between tequila, which by law must come from particular regions and be made from the blue agave, and mezcal, a broader family of agave spirits with deep roots in states such as Oaxaca, and the methods, traditions and regional variations behind each. A large representation of the many brands and varieties produced across the country gives a sense of the breadth of the industry, and a dedicated space honours the mariachi tradition and its instruments, tying the two great emblems of the square together. The rooftop terrace bar, with views over the square and its musicians, allows visitors to sample tequilas and mezcals, and the shop offers bottles to take away. By combining education about the national drinks with the living tradition of the mariachi just outside its doors, the museum offers visitors a rounded and characteristically Mexican experience in the heart of the capital.