Art and Galleries in Tulum: Murals, Museums and Contemporary Art

Tulum is home to a vibrant art scene led by SFER IK Museion (founded in 2018), an immersive art museum with organic architecture featuring no straight lines, and 40+ galleries distributed across 2 locations. The Tulum Art Club at Holistika offers an open-air museum on 2 hectares of jungle with murals and sculptures by international artists since 2016. Tulum's art scene fuses international contemporary art with indigenous Mayan, Wixarika (Huichol) and Mesoamerican traditions. The town concentrates street art murals by national and international artists, while the hotel zone and Aldea Zama house contemporary art galleries and design boutiques.

How Did Tulum Become a Contemporary Art Destination?#

Tulum's transformation from fishing village to art destination began with the arrival of international artists and creatives in the early 2010s. The convergence of accessible prices, an inspiring natural environment and a cosmopolitan community attracted sculptors, painters, musicians and architects from Europe, South America and North America.

The turning point was the opening of SFER IK Museion in 2018 by Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel (known as Roth), founder of the Azulik hotel. SFER IK introduced an immersive art and organic architecture concept that redefined Tulum's visual identity. The interwoven bejuco lianas forming organic structures without right angles became an icon of the local aesthetic.

Tulum Art Club opened in 2016 on the grounds of Holistika, establishing the region's first open-air museum. The combination of contemporary art in tropical jungle generated a model that Tulum exploited: galleries without walls, sculptures among trees and performances in cenotes. By 2024, Tulum had 15+ active galleries, 3 annual art festivals and a permanent community of 200+ resident artists.

SFER IK Museion: Tulum's Immersive Art Museum#

SFER IK Museion operates in 2 locations: the main complex at Azulik Tulum (hotel zone, km 5 Boca Paila road) and SFER IK Uh May (25 km from Tulum on the road to Coba, opened in 2022).

Azulik Tulum (main location):

40+ galleries within the bejuco and wood complex
Organic architecture: interwoven bejuco structures with no straight lines, no nails, no screws. All assembly is vegetal
Rotating exhibitions by international artists (sculpture, installation, video art, digital art)
International artist residencies with workshops in natural fibers, ceramics and digital art
IK LAB: main gallery with large-format immersive installations
Admission: varies by exhibition ($300-500 MXN). Check schedule

SFER IK Uh May (jungle location):

15-hectare space in tropical jungle 25 km from Tulum
Monumental outdoor sculptures among tropical vegetation
Event pavilion for performances, acoustic concerts and ceremonies
Combined access with Uh May: $400-600 MXN

SFER IK was founded in 2018 by Roth (Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel), an Argentine-Mexican entrepreneur who also created Azulik (hotel), Cheen Huaye (restaurant in a cenote) and the "wearable art" concept with the fashion brand of the same name.

Murals and Street Art: Tulum's Open-Air Gallery#

Tulum town functions as an open gallery of street murals. Street art appeared organically on shop walls, restaurant facades and empty lot walls starting in 2015, when national and international urban artists began painting during festivals like Art With Me.

Best areas to see murals:

Avenida Tulum (main street): 15+ murals on shop and restaurant facades. Themes: tropical fauna (jaguars, quetzals, turtles), Mayan culture (glyphs, pyramids), nature (cenotes, jungle)
Calle Centauro and perpendicular streets: Large-format murals (10-20 meters) by artists like Saner, Curiot and PichiAvo
Aldea Zama zone: Contemporary murals on residential and commercial buildings
Road to the hotel zone: Artistic interventions on boutique hotel walls

Notable artists who have painted in Tulum:

Saner (Mexico): Lucha libre masks fused with Mesoamerican iconography
PichiAvo (Spain): Renaissance classicism style with graffiti
Curiot (Mexico): Fantastic creatures with pre-Hispanic aesthetics
Local Mayan artists: Paintings with glyphs and contemporary Mayan cosmovision

The murals are accessible 24 hours, free and photographable. Best light for mural photography: 7:00-9:00 AM and 4:00-6:00 PM (soft lateral light).

Art Galleries in Tulum: The Best to Visit#

IK LAB (SFER IK): Immersive gallery within the Azulik complex. Large-format installations integrating nature, light and sound. Rotating exhibitions every 2-3 months. The most important gallery in southeastern Mexico.
Tulum Art Club (Holistika): Open-air museum on 2 hectares of jungle. 20+ permanent sculptures by artists from 10+ countries. Entrance included with Holistika access. Monumental murals on natural limestone rock walls. Open painting and sculpture workshops.
Galeria de Arte Sacbe: Contemporary gallery in the town center. Exhibits local and international artists with a focus on art inspired by Mayan culture and nature. Pieces from $5,000 MXN to $200,000 MXN. Open Monday to Saturday 10:00 AM-8:00 PM.
MIA Gallery: Gallery in Aldea Zama specializing in Latin American contemporary art. Photography, painting, sculpture and mixed media. Monthly exhibitions with openings open to the public (generally the first Friday of the month).
Mixik Artesanal: Huichol (Wixarika) art space with chaquira pieces (tiny colored beads glued onto wax figures). Wixarika art represents peyote visions and the cosmovision of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Pieces from $500 to $50,000 MXN depending on size and complexity. Non-Mayan indigenous art but widely present in Tulum.
Boutique hotel galleries: Nomade, Papaya Playa and Casa Malca (permanent collection of Banksy works) exhibit art as part of their hotel identity. Access for guests and visitors with a minimum consumption.

Workshops and Artistic Experiences for Visitors#

Mayan ceramics workshop: Creating pieces using the hand-molding technique (no wheel) and decoration with natural pigments. Duration: 2-3 hours. Price: $500-800 MXN. Includes materials and finished piece to take home.
Jungle painting workshop: Outdoor watercolor or acrylic sessions at Holistika or cenotes. Duration: 2 hours. Price: $400-700 MXN. Includes materials.
Cenote photography class: Underwater and nature photography workshop guided by a professional photographer. Duration: 3-4 hours. Price: $800-1,500 MXN.
Wixarika art workshop: Introduction to the chaquira technique (colored beads on wax) with a Wixarika artisan. Duration: 2 hours. Price: $600-1,000 MXN.
Artist residencies: SFER IK and other centers offer 2-8 week residency programs for professional artists. Includes studio, accommodation and access to local materials. Application required.

What More Does Tulum's Culture Offer?#

Tulum's art scene extends into material culture, living traditions and the region's architectural creativity.

The Mayan culture and living traditions connects contemporary art with the ancestral roots that inspire many resident artists.
The shopping and crafts in Tulum covers art shops, design boutiques and craft markets for acquiring original pieces.
The guide to cenote photography: the best spots details the best cenotes for artistic and nature photography.