He moved into the financial world at the age of 23 and by around 1908 he had already enrolled as an agent of an independent stock exchange, thus beginning a promising career.
During the Mexican Revolution, he left the country and went to the United States, where he lived for two years, returning to Mexico in 1913.
From the 1950s, Mayer had conceived the idea of donating his collection of fine and decorative arts to Mexico.
According to the wishes of Franz Mayer, the contract established that the trusteeship would create a library, organize exhibitions, competitions and conferences.
The museum carrying his name was opened in 1986 in the former flour-weighing building and hospital, specially renovated in order to house this collection.