The New Basilica, dedicated in 1976, is a round building with the altar at one side; the image is visible from every seat, but the close view is from below. A ramp leads to a lower level behind the sanctuary, where moving walkways carry pilgrims past the tilma a few feet beneath it. Riding across takes under a minute; most people walk back around and ride again, which is normal. A quiet moment is possible early on a weekday, not on a Sunday or the 12th of any month. The official site publishes the Mass and opening schedule but not separate walkway hours.
The image itself is a cactus-fiber cloak kept behind protective glass. Claims about the eyes of the image, the figures said to be reflected in them and the star pattern of the mantle are presented by devotional writers and some researchers as evidence of its origin; they are claims, discussed and disputed, not findings the Church has defined. The basilica's historical documents page sets out what the Church does hold: the apparitions of December 1531 and the Nican Mopohua account.
The rest of the layout: the Old Basilica (Templo Expiatorio) next door, where the tilma hung until 1976; the Capilla del Pocito; the Capilla de Indios; and the Capilla del Cerrito on Tepeyac Hill, open 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with Mass at noon. The crypt beneath the New Basilica can be visited 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The page on the best day and time to visit explains the quiet hours.