Mexico, 3 March 2011

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú inaugurated the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City. It houses his collection of European and pre-Mexican art. The museum will open on 29 March 2011 and will be one of the greatest in Latin America.

The museum was named after the business man’s wife who died a few years ago. It brings together 66, 000 works and is part of urbanization plan Plaza Carso, a program of 800 M$ aiming to build houses and a luxury hotel in a rich neighbourhood of the city.

Architect Fernando Romero designed the museum, which was inspired by sculptor Auguste Rodin. The collections feature pieces by Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, Léonard de Vinci and Diego Rivera, as well as coins and pre-Hispanic colonial documents dating from the conquest of Mexico by the Spanish invaders in the sixteenth century. The key collection of the museum is Rodin’s sculptures.

Forbes magazine declared Carlos Slim Helú was the richest man in the world in 2010. His fortune is said to be 53, 5 G$. He made his money in telecommunications, and now runs retail stores, mines as well as oil-drilling companies. With the museum, which will charge no entry fee, he wishes to increase “human development” in his country.