Magnate Carlos Slim Helú inaugurated a new art museum in Mexico

Mexico - One of the richest men in the world, Carlos Slim Helú, hosted a ceremonial inauguration of his new museum in Mexico City on Tuesday evening. The exhibition includes a wide range of artworks from pre-Hispanic artifacts to sculptures by French masters.
    The pompous event was moderated by Larry King, and among the 1500 guests were Mexican President Felipe Calderón and Colombian Nobel Prize laureate Gabriel García Márquez. The museum will be open to the public on March 29, and admission will be free, reported AP today.
    The Soumaya Museum, named after Slim's late wife, is located in one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in Mexico City, and the magnate has placed around 60,000 exhibits in its six exhibition halls, making it one of the largest in Latin America.
    Slim, whose fortune is estimated by Forbes at 53.5 billion dollars, made his wealth in telecommunications, and his empire now includes stores, mining, and oil companies. He credits his late wife Soumaya, who passed away in 1999, for sparking his interest in art.