For most travellers, 10 museums is far too many to visit in a week in Mexico City; however, I hope that this list gives you an idea of what spots might best suit your interests and are worth your time in this incredible city!

Table Of Contents

1. Museo de Arte Popular (Museum of Popular Art)
   • Tickets & Hours
2. National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropología)
   • Tickets & Hours
3. Frida Kahlo Museum (Museo Frida Kahlo / La Casa Azul)
   • Tickets & Hours
4. Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec)
   • Tickets & Hours
5. Museo Soumaya
   • Tickets & Hours
6. Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL)
   • Tickets & Hours
7. Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art)
   • Tickets & Hours
8. Palacio de Correos de México (Postal Palace)
   • Tickets & Hours
9. Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC)
   • Tickets & Hours
10. Palacio Nacional (National Palace)
    • Tickets & Hours
      • Happy Travels, Adventurers

Museo de Arte Popular (Museum of Popular Art)

If there’s one museum in Mexico City that captures the joyful, colourful essence of Mexican creativity, it’s the Museo de Arte Popular. Housed in a beautifully restored Art Deco building in the historic centre, this museum is dedicated to the rich traditions of Mexican folk art. From Day of the Dead altars and alebrijes to intricate textiles, ceramics, and piñatas, every gallery bursts with life, texture, and story. If I could only visit one museum in Mexico City, this would be the one. Obviously a personal choice, but I find this museum to be the most delightful, insightful and inspiring museum!

What makes this museum truly special is its celebration of everyday creativity. The pieces on display are crafted by artisans from all across Mexico, highlighting the country’s regional diversity and deep cultural roots.

National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropología)

Tucked inside Chapultepec Park, the National Museum of Anthropology is widely regarded as the crown jewel of Mexican museums. Its modernist architecture, especially the soaring concrete umbrella supported by a single pillar in the central courtyard, is an architectural marvel that sets the stage for what lies within. This museum isn’t just a collection of artifacts; it’s a cultural pilgrimage. Each gallery unfolds the story of Mexico’s Indigenous civilizations, from the Olmec to the Aztec and Maya, through masterfully curated displays of sculptures, jewellery, codices, and ceremonial relics.

The museum’s layout allows visitors to trace the evolution of pre-Hispanic societies, with detailed explanatory texts and interactive displays that provide depth and context. The Aztec Sun Stone, perhaps its most iconic piece, anchors the collection as a powerful symbol of Mexico’s past. If you’re curious about exploring the museum’s most impactful highlights with deeper context, be sure to check out our full guide to the must-see pieces right here.

Frida Kahlo Museum (Museo Frida Kahlo / La Casa Azul)

Nestled in the bohemian neighbourhood of Coyoacán, the Frida Kahlo Museum, affectionately known as La Casa Azul (The Blue House), is an intimate tribute to one of Mexico’s most beloved and iconic artists. This vibrant cobalt-blue home, where Kahlo was born and later lived with Diego Rivera, retains much of the original furniture, personal items, and studio materials. The atmosphere feels personal and reverent, as though you’re walking through the pages of her diary.

The museum offers a rare glimpse into Frida’s inner world. Her colourful traditional Tehuana dresses, medical corsets, and custom-designed prosthetics reflect the physical pain and political conviction that permeated her work. Original paintings, drawings, and photographs are on display, but perhaps more powerful are the everyday artifacts that shaped her reality. Tickets often sell out, so booking in advance is a must, but the experience is well worth the effort for any admirer of art, feminism, or Mexican cultural heritage. Check out our complete self-guided tour here!

Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec)

Perched atop a forested hill overlooking Mexico City, Chapultepec Castle is the only royal castle in North America and a breathtaking blend of imperial elegance and revolutionary history. Once the residence of Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota, the castle later became the presidential residence before transforming into the National Museum of History.

Inside, period rooms are preserved with ornate furnishings, grand staircases, and frescoed ceilings, evoking the opulence of 19th-century court life. The museum traces Mexico’s turbulent history, from Spanish conquest to independence and revolution. Monumental murals by artists such as Juan O’Gorman and Siqueiros grace its walls, offering a visual narrative of Mexico’s evolving identity. For tips on exploring Chapultepec Castle at your own pace, take a look at our self-guided tour post.

Museo Soumaya

In stark contrast to the colonial and classical façades of many museums, Museo Soumaya is a futuristic architectural icon located in the upscale neighbourhood of Polanco. Its shimmering, undulating exterior of 16,000 hexagonal aluminum tiles resembles a cloud or a seashell, drawing photographers and design lovers from around the world. Funded by billionaire Carlos Slim, admission is always free, making it one of the most accessible art museums in the city.

Inside, the museum houses a remarkably eclectic collection that spans centuries and continents. Highlights include European old masters like Rodin and Tintoretto, religious relics, Mexican silverware, and a surprisingly extensive selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Six floors spiral upwards in an airy helix, culminating in a top-floor gallery bathed in natural light. Soumaya is a treasure trove that surprises and delights, blending the grandeur of a European collection with a distinctly Mexican philanthropic vision.

Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL)

Located just steps from the bustling Zócalo, the Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL) is housed in a grand neoclassical palace that once served as the Ministry of Communications. Today, its sweeping staircases, stained-glass ceilings, and marble columns create a fittingly majestic setting for Mexico’s national collection of art from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The building itself is worth a visit, but the art within is what truly elevates the experience.

MUNAL’s galleries chart the evolution of Mexican visual culture, from colonial religious painting to the dawn of modernism. Highlights include works by José María Velasco, renowned for his epic landscapes, and Diego Rivera’s early academic paintings. Thoughtful curatorial choices highlight how Mexican artists absorbed and responded to European styles while forging a unique national identity.

Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art)

The Museum of Modern Art offers a thought-provoking space to explore Mexico’s 20th-century artistic innovations. The building itself, with its circular exhibition halls and incredibly peaceful sculpture garden, encourages a meditative approach to viewing art.

The permanent collection includes some of the country’s most influential artists, such as Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Rufino Tamayo. A highlight is the iconic “Las dos Fridas” by Frida Kahlo, though it is sometimes on loan (check in advance to avoid disappointment). Temporary exhibitions often showcase bold contemporary voices and explore themes such as identity, surrealism, and political resistance. The Museo de Arte Moderno is a must for visitors looking to go beyond the expected and engage with the avant-garde side of Mexican creativity.

Palacio de Correos de México (Postal Palace)

While technically still functioning as a post office, the Palacio de Correos museum is easily one of Mexico City’s most awe-inspiring buildings. Designed by Italian architect Adamo Boari (who also designed the Palacio de Bellas Artes), this early 20th-century masterpiece is an exuberant mix of Gothic, Renaissance, and Art Nouveau styles. Inside, its grand staircase, golden balconies, and ornate metalwork feel like something out of a European opera house. And the ornate interior of Palacio de Correos de México served as visual inspiration for the Department of Family Reunions in Pixar’s Coco.

The building also contains a small postal museum that showcases antique mailboxes, stamps, and historic postal equipment. To access the most fascinating parts of the building, you’ll need to enter through the museum. Even if you’re not particularly interested in postal history, the exclusive access to its architectural treasures makes the small admission fee well worth it.

Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC)

Situated within the strikingly modern architecture of UNAM’s campus, the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC) stands as one of the premier institutions for contemporary art in Latin America. Its clean lines and minimalist façade reflect the cutting-edge art held within. This isn’t a space for nostalgia; MUAC is forward-looking, intellectual, and unafraid to provoke.

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Inside, the rotating exhibitions tackle pressing social and political issues, often through multimedia and experimental formats. From video installations and soundscapes to digital art and performance pieces, MUAC champions the voices of contemporary artists working at the edge of innovation. But in my opinion, the best part of making your way out to the MUAC is exploring the campus of UNAM, which is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you stroll through its wide avenues and plazas, you’ll encounter murals by Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros adorning the walls of faculty buildings, alongside monumental examples of mid-century Mexican modernist architecture. The Central Library, with its iconic mosaic mural by Juan O’Gorman, is a highlight not to be missed. This sprawling university isn’t just a place of learning; it’s a living museum, blending education, activism, art, and architecture in a uniquely Mexican expression of national pride and intellectual life.

Palacio Nacional (National Palace)

Located on the eastern side of Mexico City’s Zócalo, the Palacio Nacional is not only the seat of the federal government but also home to one of Diego Rivera’s most monumental works: The History of Mexico mural. Painted between 1929 and 1951, the mural spans the interior walls of the main stairwell and vividly narrates the sweeping saga of Mexico’s past, from Aztec cosmology and Spanish conquest to revolutionary fervour. It’s a powerful, visual storytelling experience that immerses you in Rivera’s politically charged, vividly imaginative world.

Beyond the murals, the palace itself is an architectural landmark with colonial-era courtyards, grand balconies, and historic chambers. If you’re a fan of Rivera or Mexican history, this is one of the most rewarding and underrated stops in the Historic Centre.

I hope this post gives you some insights into which museums you want to visit with your presence on your next trip to Mexico City! Let me know in the comments if you would have added a different spot to the list or which was your favourite to explore.

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post 10 Best Museums in Mexico City You Shouldn’t Miss first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Although the area doesn’t have the draw of big tourist attractions like the Historic Centre, this is the place to come to see everyday life. A walk around this incredible neighbourhood with its gorgeous architecture, peaceful atmosphere and fantastic art and culture makes it even more extraordinary than the tourist centre! There is something so earnest about this place. So real and yet fantastically romantic. So while it might not jump out at you as a place you “need to visit,” I would absolutely say you do!

Outside of the busy market on Saturday, this neighbourhood feels almost untouched by time. Walking down the little side street and just letting curiosity lead you will bring you to the most incredible destinations. But if you’re looking for a guide to the best of what to see and do here in San Ángel, I’ve got you covered!

Table Of Contents

1. Location & Access
2. History
3. Walking Tour
4. Parque de la Bombilla
5. Restaurante El Cardenal
6. Mercado De Flores
7. Templo del Carmen de San Ángel
8. Museo de El Carmen
9. Plaza del Carmen
10. San Angel Art Market
11. Casa del Mayorazgo de Fagoaga
12. Bishop's House 
13. Plaza San Jacinto
14. Saturday Art Market
15. Handicraft Shops
16. Museo Casa del Risco
17. Antiques Fair
18. Bazaar Sábado
19. Villa San Jacinto
20. Parroquia San Jacinto
21. Plaza de Los Cielos
22. Plaza de los Arcángeles
23. Casa de Los Marqueses de Selva Nevada
24. Casa Blanca
25. Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo
26. San Angel Inn

Location & Access

San Ángel is located south of Mexico City, just west of the popular Coyoacán district. Pairing a visit to San Ángel with a trip to Coyoacán is the perfect way to spend an entire day. Away from the crowded city centre and up above all the hustle and bustle. I would advise getting up nice and early for your visit to San Ángel. Nothing starts the day better than brunch at restaurant El Cardenal. Plus an early start means you can get the most out of your day.

Uber

The best way to get to San Ángel is via Uber. Anywhere from the centre of the city, outside busy times of the day, it will only take about 25-30 minutes to arrive here. And generally, a ride will cost around $7 USD. Our first stop on the walking tour is in the beautiful Parque de la Bombilla, so you can put that down as your routed destination.

Metro

If you prefer to take the metro, you can arrive at Miguel Ángel de Quevedo Station. It is only a 10-minute walk from the station to our tour starting point. All metro stations in Mexico City have a different icon corresponding to their station. This was initially conceptualized to ensure that illiterate people could identify the other stations on a map.

The icon for Miguel Ángel de Quevedo is a large fruit tree. Miguel Ángel de Quevedo was a famous Mexican engineer who studied Mexican flora. He was nicked named the “tree apostle,” hence the station’s icon. But also considering this area was once rich with orchards, it also seems fitting. Just a little hint at the colonia’s history right from the get-go!

History

The neighbourhood, which is now San Ángel, was initially one of the wealthiest agricultural plots in ancient Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan was the capital of the great Aztec empire. Here there was an abundant source of water from the nearby Magdalena River. The area was called Tenanitla, or “walled in place,” in the Nahuatl language. The name was inspired by the volcanic rock bed that surrounded the area. It is also called Pedregal, formed by the eruption of the Xitle Volcano two thousand years ago. The volcanic bed formed a kind of wall around the land which helped retain the water from the river.

The Monasteries

When the Spanish invaded, they took the land in San Ángel for their own. It was here they established a series of monasteries. The most important of which was the San Jacinto monastery, which gave the area its first Spanish name; San Jacinto Tenanitla.

The next monastery to be built was the El Carmen monastery, built by the Carmelites in 1597. Inside the monastery, the monks opened a small school. But most of the land surrounding the church was used to plant a large expanse of orchards. The orchards flourished due to fertile soil and access to water. At one time, there were over 13,000 trees that sprouted up around the community. The school and orchards were named after San Ángel Mártir, the first members of the Order of Carmel. People would marvel at the orchards and their harvest would bring in a lot of money to the order and the area. The popularity was such that eventually, people would simply refer to the neighbourhood as San Ángel. And soon that become the de facto name for the area.

San Angel as Retreat

In the 18th century, wealthy farming families began to seek larger plots of land outside of the city center. These families began to build some of the most spectacular mansions. Many still stand today as exemplary models of 18th-century architecture in Mexico City.

In the 19th century, the orchards and many of the religious institutions of San Ángel were destroyed in the Mexican-American War. The remainder of the farming lands and orchards were removed to make room for the expanding railway system in 1891. This left the area barren of all its agricultural potential which had once defined the barrio. While the city centre was building industrial factories, San Ángel remained untouched by progress and left as a relatively rural suburb. But it was just peace and quiet that, in the 1940s made it a popular country retreat for wealthy Mexican families. These families continued to preserve the historic homes they found. And kept the area as this precious gem that we can visit today!

Walking Tour

Your experience in San Ángel will be defined by the day of the week you choose to visit. If you come to San Ángel on the weekend, especially on Saturday for the Art Market, the streets are bursting with people. Car surge into this part of town, as locals love to come here on the weekend in droves. It’s not just for the tourists, in fact, I would say the locals outweigh tourists three to one. But outside of the weekend, San Ángel is a tranquil oasis. And you’ll find you often have parts of the city all to yourself. But the peace means you’ll have to skip the popular pop-up art market. Either way, there are so many things to do here, no matter when you arrive. The only day I’d say to avoid is Mondays as all the museums are closed.

Parque de la Bombilla

The best place to start your tour of the neighbourhood is in San Ángel’s grandiose Parque de la Bombilla. Mexico City is, in my opinion, the best city in the world for public parks. Each of them brings a new surprise. Filled with beauty, drama and artistry. And Parque de La Bombilla is one that I feel doesn’t get its fair due. In the centre of the park is a giant monument to Álvaro Obregón. Álvaro Obregón was the 46th president of Mexico, inaugurated in 1920. Sadly, Obregón was assassinated in 1928 inside La Bombilla restaurant, which once stood on this very spot. After his death, the restaurant was demolished to make room for a park built in his honour. The park’s unveiling took place in 1935, on the seventh anniversary of Obregón’s assassination.

The Obregón monument dominates the park. Towering over you like a lighthouse, drawing you in. A huge reflecting pool sits just in front, allowing the sun to cast its reflection down into the water, creating a mirror-like surface. In addition to the central monument, the park also boasts seven beautiful fountains, artistic garden beds and even various chess and checkers tables awaiting their daily players.

Socialist style architecture

The Obregón Monument is a socialist-style tower. Socialist-style architecture became somewhat of a trend in Mexico City in the early 20th century. Mexico was encouraged by the Russian Revolution of 1917. They admired how the shift was leaning towards the boots on the ground workers and peasants while rejecting the bourgeoisie and upper classes. As such, they were inspired by the architecture of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin. The style is characterized by rigid, geometric shapes, sturdy columns and giant statues. Often built to commemorate great leaders of the country.

Obregón Monument

The Obregón Monument greets you with two statues, guarding either side of the giant steel doorway. These are the indigenous protectors, representing “Work” and “Fertility.” The monument’s centre features a large stairwell that climbs to the top of the tower. Inside was once the resting place of Obregón’s embalmed arm. The arm was since moved, but today, a marble copy stands in its place.

On either side of the monument, are two groups of sculptures. One represents the Allegory of the Sacrifice, the other the Allegory of Triumph; two defining characteristics of Obregón’s presidency. On the back of the memorial is the sculpture of the great Eagle of Mexico City. Its wings spread in front of a series of geometric Saguaro cacti.

Restaurante El Cardenal

Hopefully, the bright colours of the park have woken you up a bit and now it’s time for breakfast! Take a stroll up along Avenue de la Paz. This street leads you right into the historic heart of San Ángel. Here you’ll shortly arrive at our breakfast spot, Restaurante El Cardenal. Restaurante El Cardenal is an institution in Mexico City with multiple different locations. The San Ángel location is their newest expansion, opening in 2011. But it quickly became the go-to destination on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

El Cardenal History

El Cardenal was founded in 1969, the original location was just across the street from the Plaza de la Constitución. The founders were a large family who wanted to bring their love of traditional Mexican cuisine to an upscale setting. They saw that many households didn’t have time to make classic home-cooked dishes. But here in El Cardenal you can come and feel like you’re dining at your mother’s table.

One of the most luxurious parts of dining inside El Cardenal in San Ángel is the gorgeous architecture. The restaurant is set inside an old colonial mansion. The building was actually previous another restaurant but when it closed the house lay dormant for years. When El Cardenal bought the property they took great pains to restore the details of the home to their former glory. The stained glass windows and gleaming wood floors make just sitting inside such a joy to experience. The back of the restaurant features a glass window box that looks into the kitchen, so you can watch the chefs hard at work!

The El Cardenal Experience

Their breakfasts are among the most popular seatings, with wait times up to 40 minutes depending on the day. So the earlier you arrive, the better. This is because huge families come here all together on the weekend for a cheerful family brunch. Despite the wait, this amazing familial atmosphere is what makes this restaurant so special. Walking inside, we were treated like absolute royalty. White-shirt waiters greeted us and catered to our every need. It felt like we were dining at a Michelin star restaurant but at a fraction of the cost! 

The Food

To start the perfect breakfast, begin with hot chocolate, not coffee! Their unique hot chocolate is made with famous Doña Oliva chocolate and is like drinking a cup of history. Hot chocolate originated in Mexico and was an essential part of the Aztec culture from 1400 AD.

My favourite part about the experience of eating here was the pastry tray. When you come inside a waiter brings you over an enormous tray of sweet pastries. And you can choose, with your own eyes, which pastry you’d want to start off the meal right with. I went with the concha as I feel like it’s the perfect pairing with a hot chocolate.

Another traditional breakfast dish you’ll only find in Mexico is the Egg omelette with escamoles. Escamoles are colloquially called “Mexican caviar,” and are edible ant larvae. Escamoles have been consumed in Mexico since the age of the Aztecs and are high in nutritional value. It’s definitely one of the most unique and classic dishes on the menu. But if that’s not your thing they have many other traditional options for those who aren’t that adventurous.

While you might take a look at this elegant restaurant would be pretty pricey, El Cardenal is such a good value. They really price themselves as a family restaurant. Although there were some tourists here it was clear that most people gather here every week. And with food as good and cheap as this, I know why they do!

Mercado De Flores

To work off some of the big breakfast, walk down the street and turn north up Avenue Revolución towards the famous San Ángel Flower Market. This market dates back to the time of the Carmelite friars. When they lived in the area, their church was surrounded by extensive gardens. Here they grew fruit trees and flowers in large quantities.

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Walking up to the market, you can spot it from down the street, not only by the iconic white awnings but also by the brightly painted murals along the exterior. Public murals like this were famous in markets like this around Mexico City. Vendors are packed tightly along the thin strip of the sidewalk facing the Avenida Revolucion. In their white plastic buckets are a wide array of vibrant flowers for locals to bring home to their sweethearts with a smile.

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Templo del Carmen de San Ángel

After peaking around at the flowers in the market, head back south along Avenue Revolución. Crossing Avenue de la Paz, lead yourself towards the large domes that dominate the skyline guiding you into the old Carmelite Church of San Ángel. 

Courtyard

While most people go directly to the Museum of El Carmen, checking out the church itself is more than worth your time. Even just walking through the old stone walls into the quaint courtyard gives you so many things to look at and ponder. The church courtyard is home to one of the most amazing jacaranda trees. Hidden behind the stone walls it feels like a treasure that we found was all to ourselves! It hangs heavy over the fountain in the centre of the stone yard. Its branches also frame the gorgeous tiled domes off in the background.

History of the St. Carmen Church of San Ángel

The church was originally built in 1615 by the Carmelite friar Andrés de San Miguel. It took over 10 years to complete, and when it opened it housed the order of the Barefoot Carmelites. It was originally opened as a monastery but they also built a college nearby. Here they welcomed theology students and new priests of the order. The church flourished for years and its orchards formed the bedrock of the colonial we find today. Bringing both money and interest to this part of town.

After the Mexican Reformation War of 1858, the new secular governmental powers closed down many Catholic churches and schools. The area around San Ángel was occupied by US troops who sadly destroyed many parts of the old buildings. As well as looting many of the church’s precious assets. They even went so far as to destroy the beloved orchards.

The old school building went on to serve as a prison, barracks and even the location of the local town council. Eventually, in 1921, the church school was transformed into a museum. It was here they sought to preserve the history of the building, the treasure found hidden within and the stories from the neighbourhood’s past. But the actual church itself has stood here, in almost the exact same state, for hundreds of years. And walking inside feels like stepping back in time.

Architecture

The design of the church was made in Herrerian style. Herrerian style rose in popularity in Spain during the 16th century and came to Mexico City with the Spanish colonizers. The style features a more restrained use of ornamentation compared to other baroque styles of the time. The shape of the building is designed to spread horizontally and symmetrically. And yet unlike many other Herrerian buildings which have flat or plain roofs, the St. Carmen de San Ángel church features three incredible tiled domes. Brilliant blue and yellow-painted tiles from Puebla still glisten in the sunlight although much of the roofs have fallen into disrepair over the ages.

Walking into the church, the restrained architecture that surrounds you highlights the incredible golden altar. Light frames the altar from either side creating the most ethereal glow. While the rest of the building might be simpler in design, the altarpiece is pure baroque. Drama, glamour and gilding are everything that the baroque era brought and we can see it here in leaps and spurts!

One of my favourite parts about the churches in Mexico is the tile work. Every little side chapel or tiny niche is given the royal treatment by plastering them with gorgeous tiles. These minature tiles look like shining gems when the sunlight hits them just right. While some are just decorative others are painted to tell stories about the saints in whose chapels they sit. These tiles truly make Mexican churches feel so unique and gives you a sense of place when visiting.

Museo de El Carmen

Just outside the entrance to the church, you can find the Museo de El Carmen. The old monastery school and cloisters were transformed into a museum in the 1920s. Inside, the museum houses various objects that detail the history of the Carmelite order. When you enter through the lower cloisters you’re greeted by a small series of panels detailing the complete history of the convent and school. Throughout the rest of the museum, these histories are brought to life through a series of paintings, documents, sculptures and even the furniture which was used inside the monastery.

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As well as detailing life in the monastery, these historical paintings also depict what life was like in San Ángel in the 18th and 19th centuries. It features an amazing collection of Colonial religious art. The baroque artist Cristóbal de Villalpando has many paintings here on display. He is most famous for his painting which now hangs in the Metropolitan Cathedral. But inside this more intimate museum, you can view his pieces close up and see them in a more personal light.

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The Crypt

One of the most interesting, or for some, macabre parts of the museum is the old crypts. When the monastery was a working church, many people would pay to be buried in such a holy place. These were both members of the Carmelite Order as well as wealthy benefactors.

But over the years, and after the fall of the religious institutions, many of these bodies were forgotten. Only in the 20th century were they uncovered during the monastery’s restoration. The bodies left here were miraculously preserved because of the rich soil by which they were surrounded. They were essentially mummified. With no one to claim the bodies, the museum decided to leave them where they rested, and now visitors can give view their wrinkled flesh up close and personal. Preserved for the ages inside their velvet-lined wooden and glass caskets.

Hours & Admission: 52 pesos | Free on Sundays, closed on Mondays

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Plaza del Carmen

Head back to the main intersection at Madero and the Avenue de la Revolution to cross over to Plaza del Carmen. The brilliant-coloured buildings that surround the square blend in amongst the vibrant flowers in the garden beds in the middle of the plaza. While the Plaza de Jacinto might be the larger and most popular square in the city, Plaza del Carmen is by far my favourite. Its quaint and cramped quarters are so joyful, with locals sitting out on the benches, chatting with friends, in the early morning. Watching the artists set up their canvases as the sun rises.

San Angel Art Market

On Saturdays, this is where the start of the San Ángel art market can be found. One of the most wonderful things about the San Ángel art market is not just for tourists. Unlike some more touristy markets around the city, this market is meant for the locals. And many people come here, from far and wide, in search of the perfect art piece for their home. The atmosphere is intoxicating, everyone admiring the newest art pieces from their favourite local painters. Rainbow-coloured umbrellas dot the skyline, protecting fresh paint from the harsh rays of the sun.

Architecture around Plaza El Carmen

Even if you don’t come on a weekend, this small Plaza is a wonder to behold. It is surrounded on all sides by incredible historical buildings, important to the neighbourhood’s history. Even in just this one square, you can get a slice of the wonderfully preserved architecture that makes this neighbourhood such a gem to visit. Examples of baroque, neoclassical and neocolonial houses can be found right here. And many have been perfectly preserved since this part of town managed to escape the urbanization of the city’s centre.

House of Chucho el Roto

To the southeast, you’ll see a brilliant yellow building with bright red trim on the corner. This is the old House of Chucho el Roto or House of The Two Courtyards. This building is a wonderful example of Mexican neoclassical styles popular during the Protofio Diaz era. The house was named because it was designed with two courtyards, a lavish expense at this time. The main courtyard was built to entertain and house splendid gardens. The secondary courtyard where the carriages and stables were placed. This allowed the home to separate the working part of the house from the relaxing retreat these country homes aimed to create.

Chucho el Roto

The house was built in the 19th century for the philanthropist Francisco de Urquiaga. A popular legend about this home states that it was the hiding place for the famous bandit Jesús Arriaga. Arriaga was also nicknamed “Chucho el Roto,” hence the other name for the house. Arriaga was somewhat of a Robin Hood-type character, robbing from the wealthy and giving to the poor. This house was reported to be connected to the underground tunnels built by the Dominicans. The tunnels could be accessed through the basement and led to the nearby Plaza San Jacinto. Making it a perfect getaway for a legendary bandit.

Sadly, Arriaga was eventually captured and died in prison. But his legend lived on long past his death. And fictional stories became even more popular after his passing. Today it houses the Library of the Revolutions of Mexico. Very apt, considering it was the hideout of this legendary anti-establishment character who would have been a staunch supporter of the revolutions.

Mercado del Carmen

On the north side of the Plaza sits the popular Mercado del Carmen. This hip communal-style eatery and art gallery are housed in an old mansion dating back to the 18th century. It was also used as an English school for the upper classes of San Agnel during the 1960s and 70s. The gorgeous blue of the house blends in almost perfectly with the sky on a clear day, making it feel at one with heaven above.

Casa del Mayorazgo de Fagoaga

On the northwest corner of the plaza, along Calle de la Amargura is the Casa del Mayorazgo de Fagoaga. The brilliant burnt orange exteriors and 18-century facade welcome you onto one of the most luxurious streets in the city. It was designed in the neoclassical style with baroque-style balconies.

The home was originally built for Francisco de Fagoaga, the head of a powerful silver and gold merchant. His family was one of the first to start the trend of moving their mansions out of the central city and into the countryside. His house set the tone for other wealthy haciendas built in the era and unsurprisingly lots of future houses follow the same template. It was truly a trendsetter. The orange contrasts so well with the dense green foliage and pink flowers that bloom across the facade.

Bishop’s House 

Continue along Calle de la Amargura towards the end of the street, blocked by the corner of the old Bishop of Tenagra’s mansion. Joaquín Fernández de Madrid y Canal served as the Bishop’s adobe here in San Ángel. A Bishop was a highly regarded figure in the community. As such, the friars wanted to build a house that would impress! His house was built in 1631 (!) and is one of the best-preserved pieces of history in San Ángel. Long after the revolution, the house still stood as a well sought-after real estate piece. It was home to various famous Mexican like poet José Zorrilla, historian José María Agreda and politician and general Antonio López de Santa Anna. Today, the house serves as an art gallery hosting rotating exhibitions featuring incredible Mexican artists.

Plaza San Jacinto

Turn south past the Plaza Tenanitla (dedicated to the original name of the colonial) and make your way into the grand Plaza San Jacinto. The Plaza was named the Church of San Jacinto, located just on the west side of the square. But we’ll learn more about the church later when you go inside. The little town square popped up here as it was surrounded on all sides by the church, convent and orphanage. It quickly became the heart of the community in the 18th century and continues on as such today!

 St. Patrick Battalion

On the far west side of the Plaza, on the wall opposite, you’ll see a large plaque dedicated to the St. Patrick Battalion. “Why is there a dedication to Irish soldiers in Mexico City?” you might be wondering. In 1847, during the Mexican War for independence, Irish, German and even American immigrants came over to Mexico. They wanted to help fight for Mexico’s freedom, against the United States. The battalion was one of the fiercest and responsible for a huge majority of the deaths on the American side. So when they were caught, their punishments were brutal. They were executed right here in San Jacinto square, in front of the famous church. But their legend lives in on this plaque stands in their honour. The memory of their fighting vigour an inspiration to others who would continue the fight and win the freedom of the nation.

Diego Rivera

Make your way to the centre of the Plaza and look across the elegant central fountain. There, you will see a bronze easel with the burst of Diego Rivera emblazoned into the cartouche. As Rivera was a resident of the San Angel for many years, local artists inspired by Rivera wanted to commemorate him for generations to come. There is something wonderful about Rivera’s face looking over at the artists in the square selling their works in the square. Continuing his passion for supporting Mexican artists, even from the great beyond.

Saturday Art Market

By far the most popular thing to see in the square is to peruse the incredible Saturday Art Market. The market was established here in the 1960s. Interestingly enough, the origins of the market were due to an American, Jim Tillet, who had moved to Mexico City. He brought the concept of a weekly artisan fair to Mexico City, and the idea immediately took off. The art is both meant for the locals to enjoy as well as the tourists, highlighting the beauty of the Mexican landscape and vibrant culture. There were so many amazing artists of all different styles and mediums. My favourites were the ones that were designed to look like Lotería cards.

In addition to paintings, this Plaza is also home to craftspeople. Here you can find artisan pottery, textiles and even clothing. While some of it is a bit touristy things there are also really unique designers and artists. Prices tend to be a little more expensive here in San Angel but the quality is there to match.

There are often musicians strolling around through the market, entertaining the crowds and creating a more inviting and charming atmosphere. Street food vendors pop up selling sweet treats and salty snacks to satisfy your cravings. Art hunting is hungry work!

Handicraft Shops

If you opt to visit San Angel outside of the weekend, you can still find lots of different handicraft shops open around the square throughout the week. Shops like the Bazar San Ángel, María Bonita and Local México all sell gorgeous handmade decor and art pieces for your home. The spirit of the art market lives on long past the weekend so don’t feel like you’ll have missed it all if you can only visit during the week.

Museo Casa del Risco

On the north side of the Plaza Jacinto, hidden behind the opulent trees, is an old terra-cotta-coloured building with ‘Museo Casa del Risco‘ emblazoned in brass along the fence. Inside you’ll find an old residence dating back to the 17th-century that has since been transformed into a museum. The museum recreates the look of a traditional San Angel house as it would have looked in the 18th century. Casa del Risco has a fascinating history as it served as a residence, a military barracks and a hospital.

Fuente del Risco

The house’s main feature that people come to see is the great porcelain fountain. The fountain, or “Fuente del Risco,” is located inside the main central courtyard. It was made in the late 18th century in the opulent Baroque or “ultra baroque” style popular in Mexico City during that period.

While it looks like it is merely decorative, the fountain’s design was actually an ingenious way to preserve broken porcelain. Back then, painted porcelains were extremely expensive and yet, just like today, accidents happen and you might end up breaking a plate that costs more than a used car does today. Turning them into an art sculpture like this was a way to preserve and display even the broken pieces.

Embedded within the fountain you can spot Chinese blue and white porcelain, plates from the Ming Dynasty, green porcelain from Japan, Spanish Talavera ceramics and, of course, the homegrown ceramics of Puebla. Entire bowls, plates, cups and sauces are also scattered together with broken pieces of pottery to create this magical-looking fountain. The niches are designed to look like pearlescent shells and conches and the piece is dotted with mermaid sculptures. Even here in the hill of San Angel do we find people dreaming of the ocean.

There is so much else to see inside the museum, from Baroque art, religious sculptures, antique stained glass and recreations of 18th-century living space. But if all you want to see is the fountains, it’s easy to do so as admission to the museum is free.

Admission: Free | Open Tuesday-Sunday 10 am – 5 pm

Antiques Fair

On the weekends, just outside the museum, you’ll find high-end vintage and antique sellers bringing out their wares. This was almost as incredible as the museum itself, it felt like just outside you could literally buy items you’d just seen inside the museum. Paintings from the 19th century, religious objects and gorgeous pieces of antique jewellery. The prices are pretty high but even I was almost swayed into buying a locket from 1898! There are some real treasures so if you have the money to spend you’ll discover some amazing pieces in this marketplace.

Bazaar Sábado

If you don’t like sifting through the pop-up stands outside in the plaza, you can head into the Bazaar Sábado. The Bazaar Sábado is located inside a 17th-century red-painted mansion and dates back to the 1960s. Here you can find the giant home filled with over 100 permanent artisan shops selling everything from textiles to jewellery, ceramics and metalwork. Many of these craftspeople are award winners, so their prices are going to reflect that status, but the work is unparalleled. Personally, I prefer the stuff found on the street, but if you’re looking for something more upmarket, this is the place for you.

Inside the central open-air courtyard is a wonderful eatery serving up traditional breakfast and lunch street food. It can get pretty busy right at 12 pm but if you prefer to eat a bit early or late you’ll find more tables open. The food here is wonderful and a great place to try some amazing street food like Tlacoyos, quesadillas and gorditas.

Villa San Jacinto

If the Bazaar Sabado courtyard is too busy you can hop across the Plaza and make your way to the stunning courtyards of the Villa San Jacinto. This 19th-century house has been preserved and transformed to be enjoyed by present-day visitors. The Cafe de las Artes is a gorgeous little eatery inspired by the architecture of the Porfiriato era. Walking up the stairs, you are greeted by this incredible grisaille style stained glass window, bohemian lamps and the Catalan vaults.

You can also study the amazing remodelled garden filled with beautiful sculptures. The cafe sells lots of different drinks and has homemade desserts and sandwiches if you’re feeling a bit peckish. Sitting outside you can get pretty hot but is a beautiful place to admire the rotating selection of art work on display.

Parroquia San Jacinto

Heading back onto Calle Benito Juárez, walk just a few meters where you’ll find an unassuming set of stairs which leads you into the green oasis outside of the Parroquia San Jacinto. The Parroquia San Jacinto or San Jacinto Parish was founded by the Dominicans in 1564. The Dominican order had discovered a small waterfall nearby and utilized the water to power their spinning and weaving equipment. This allowed them to produce lots of different kinds of textiles. They sold them off and used the funds to fund the building of the church and the plush gardens.

Walking inside the church, the thing that immediately catches your eyes is the ornate churrigueresco-style altar. The rest of the interior of the church is pretty austere but there is something so charming about the simplicity. Be sure to poke your head around the cloisters inside the church. This is the perfect place to escape the sun for a minute and walk through the shaded walkways and central fountain.

The Garden

The contrast between the rather subdued building and the incredibly bright colours of the gardens is a wonderful pairing. In the centre of the garden is a fountain with a huge cross in the centre. This was the first cross ever carved in Mexico. Looking closely at it you can see elements from both the Christian and Pagan faiths.

Surrounding the church are cedars, eucalyptus and pine trees. I always feel like this little hidden away yard is most reminiscent of the old orchards of San Angel.

Plaza de Los Cielos

Walking back outside, take a stroll down the Calle Benito Juárez towards the Plaza de los Cielos. This little corner is a gem of the colonial-era architecture that remains in this neighbourhood. Beautifully decorated in ancient jacaranda and vibrant bougainvilleas pour over the stone walls. The little Plaza de Los Cielos is surrounded on the two sides by the old walls of the former monastery.

Plaza de los Arcángeles

Continue north along Árbol street, turning left on Segunda Cda. de Frontera, where you’ll discover one of the most peaceful yet stunning streets anywhere in Mexico City. The walls here are covered in foliages, and when they bloom in bright purple and blue, it feels like walking through a tunnel of flowers.

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At the end of the street, you’ll find the secret Plaza de Los Arcángeles. A nook tucked into the neighbourhood’s corner features a series of benches under a series of stone arches. In the centre of the small gardenette is a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe tucked inside the hole of a tree. The name of the Plaza comes from three large sandstone benches named after the Archangels; Gabriel, Rafael and Michael. It’s a fantastically peaceful place and well worth the three-minute detour!

Casa de Los Marqueses de Selva Nevada

Walk back up Arbol and west along with Calle Hidalgo. On the northwest corner is one of the more historic homes of San Angel. Casa de los marqueses de Selva Nevada was owned by Ana Ortiz de Móxica in the end of the 18th century. It would later go on to the owned by María Josefa Rodríguez de Pinillos, the ambassador of Austria-Hungary in Mexico. Maria is responsible for the majority of the renovations we can see today. One of the most impressive parts of the building is the gorgeous wooden gates set between the beautiful white painted trim and ochre-coloured exterior. The door was designed with traditional elements of Mudejar decoration.

Casa Blanca

Continue along the Calle Hidalgo until you reach the large white house at #43. This is called the Casa Blanca, or “white house,” a 17th-century hacienda owned by the Oploca counts. Look closely at the coat of arms above the door to see the design of this family’s old shield. During its life in San Angel, the house was once home to the second-largest orchard in the neighbourhood. All hidden away behind the beautiful parapets of the white house. A small plaque on the front of the house honoured it as a place of historical significance. During the Second Franco-Mexican War, this house served as a bunker for French and American soldiers.

Legen of the Casa Blanca

But the most significant thing about this house is the legend that goes along with it. If you walk slightly further away from the front door, you’ll see a large wrought iron balcony towards the back of the house. The story goes that the woman who once lived here had the love of her life go off to war. She watched him leave from this balcony and would return to it every day, waiting for his return. But he never would come home, and she died an old woman, standing on the balcony, heartbroken. Eternally waiting for her true love to come home. Her ghost is said to still haunt the upper balcony so keep your eyes peeled for her wailing cries.

Licenciado | Leandro Valle

Continue down Hidalgo until you reach Licenciado street and walk north. This is another fantastic example of just how amazing even the ordinary homes in this neighbourhood are. Walls are dripping in ivy and each new facade is painted in a different vibrant colour. Rich wooden doorways and fantastical wrought iron gates protect entry from the street into the secretive homes inside.

Although there might not be any specific historical sights here, these are the streets that make visiting a neighbourhood like San Angel so worth it! The road curves to the right and turns into Leandro Valle. Eventually, popping you outright outside Avenue Altavista. Bringin you to the front steps of the famous Casa Estudio Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo

Standing from across the street is the best way to introduce yourself to this famous home. You can see the red and white building on the right, which served as Diego Rivera‘s studio contrasted by the bright periwinkle painted studio for Frida Kahlo. The two homes are connected via the large walkway on the top floor. The entire design of the homes is symbolic of their love. Two very different artists and lovers that are yet forever connected. This was Rivera’s dream home that he had commissioned by architect and friend Juan O’Gorman. O’Gorman is well known for many different famous buildings in Mexico City including the incredible designs inside the UNAM campus.

The museum leads you through both houses to see their studios, living spaces and a gorgeous rooftop view across the neighbourhood of San Angel. To get a complete guided tour of the Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo you can read our full guide here.

San Angel Inn

To end your day in San Angel, head back across the street and to the historic San Angel Inn. In my honest opinion, the food isn’t the best here. It was probably one of the most disappointing meals I’ve had in Mexico City. And for what you get, it’s overpriced. But that being said, nothing can compete with this restaurant’s history, decor, and architecture.

My recommendation is to arrive before or after their lunch or dinner rush. And opt for only a drink and perhaps a dessert or snack. This way you can still enjoy the incredible environments but don’t need to worry about spending too much on subpar food. Plus, our margaritas were some of the best we’ve ever had so there are some definite gems to be found!

History

The best way to describe this place is an institution. The building itself dates back to 1616! It was originally the Our Lady of Santa Ana Monastery, built by Hernando Aragonés. Surrounding the monastery was a series of superb orchards and rich agave gardens. They produced a large amount of pulque here over the years, an iconic drink found only in Mexico. Despite changing hands many times over the years, much of the original gardens have been preserved to enjoy today.

History of San Angel Inn

In 1777, the old monastery was purchased by Ramon Goicoechea, who converted it into his family mansion. The hotel was also owned by musician Carlos Prieto who hosted classical music concerts inside. Even today, this tradition continues with live music played throughout the restaurant. Many years later, in 1908, the property was transformed into a large hotel and restaurant. The new owners sold off the excess land, which turned into the neighbourhood of Altavista. The huge mansion was divided up to make all different spaces, from guest rooms to the various restaurants and event spaces we can visit today.

Walking through the hallways, courtyards, and different rooms feels like being inside a living museum. The walls are covered in artworks collected by all the different owners who called this place home over the years. Famously, this restaurant was so popular that it was even notable for hosting various Mexican revolutionaries from Emiliano Zapata to Pancho Villa and Zapata. They were even seen singing a unity pact right here in the restaurant!

This brings us to the end of this incredible tour of San Angel. I hope you’ve enjoyed the sights we’ve seen along the way. Let me know in the comments which stop was your favourite or other treasures you’ve discovered along the way!

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post The Ultimate Guide to the Artistic and Creative Corners of San Angel, Mexico City Walking Tour first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Now that we’ve been in this period of stay-at-home orders for a while, museums and art galleries around the world have all gotten their act together to put together content online for their would-be visitors. Some of the world’s best institutions are now providing guests visual visits to some of the world’s best exhibitions. If you are suffering from wanderlust, these are a great cure. Or maybe you have an older student at home who wants to use this as an at-home learning opportunity! Either way, these virtual galleries are a fantastic way to see the world all from the comfort of your couch! 

Table Of Contents

1. The Uffizi Gallery
2. The State Hermitage Museum
3. Frida Khalo Museum
4. The British Museum
5. Musée d'Orsay
6. Rijksmuseum
7. Vatican Museums
8. Van Gogh Museum
9. The Belvedere
10. MET

The Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery, located in Florence, Italy, is one of the world’s most famous museums. Inside its hallowed walls are some of the most important paintings from the Italian Renaissance. The collection of art was gifted to the city of Florence by the Medici family. The Medici’s were once Italy’s ruling dynasty and amassed some of the world’s greatest artists and artwork in their personal collection. The museum initially opened in 1765 to the general public. Today (or at least pre-covid), it saw more than four million people each year!

Uffizi 360°

Truthfully, visiting the Uffizi can be a bit of a pain. It is one of the most visited museums in the world. Honestly, sometimes I find it to be almost obnoxiously crowded. But for a good reason, I suppose as their collection is so renowned. I just find myself constantly yearning to have the gallery all to myself. Well, 2020 kind of made that happen! 10 of the museum’s most popular galleries are now on display on their website in 360°! You can virtually walk through the gallery and zoom into each painting along the wall.

Uffizi Google Stories

If you are interested in learning more about a specific painting, then head over to Google Art and Culture Galleries. Over here, you can click on any image that catches your eye. It will bring you into a detailed description of the piece and more information about the artists. They also have a few online exhibitions. One of these walks you through every last detail of Piero di Cosimo‘s famous panting “Perseus Freeing Andromeda.”

The State Hermitage Museum

I have long dreamt of visiting the Hermitage Museum, of delving into the dark Russian winter only to wander the halls of this incredible fortress of beauty. The State Hermitage Museum is located in Saint Petersburg, Russia and is the second-largest art museum in the world! The largest museum in the world is, of course, the Louvre. The museum has a deep connection with the Russian empire. The collection was founded by Empress Catherine the Great and contains over three million items! And while you might not be able to view each one of those items in person, they have an AMAZING virtual tour! So you can spend every wake hour exploring this massive treasure trove!

The online tour is at 360°, so you can look up down and all around just as you would if you were really there. The best thing about their online gallery is their information icons. You can click the “i” buttons to get details on the space or various particular objects on display. Many other online galleries make you work a little harder to get information about what you’re seeing. So the fact that this is all right there in the application is fantastic!

Frida Khalo Museum

I have an entire post all about walking (virtually) in the steps of Frida Kahlo. If you’re looking for a quick intro into the life and work of this fantastic artist, then the Frida Khalo Museum has the thing for you! The Casa Azul was Frida’s childhood home where she lived in Mexico City. After going off to school and living independently, she returned to this home in her adulthood. It was there that she would live until her death, inside her beloved Casa Azul. Today, you can explore her family home, which has been transformed into a museum dedicated to the artist. Inside, you can explore her most intimate spaces precisely as they were when she lived there. You can see some of her earliest works of art, sketches and folk creations.

Google Arts and Culture has created a wonderful online gallery of a special exhibit entitled “Appearances Can Be Deceiving“. This exhibit is a collection of Frida’s personal wardrobe, jewllery, prostetics and more. It also contains a series of personal photograph taken by Frida. The exhibition was a travelling collection which was halted in 2020 after the pandemic hit. But now you can explore the entire thing online.

The British Museum

The British Museum, located in London, England was established in 1753! It started off as nothing more than a collection of Irish physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. Sloane has a collection of 71,000 items which he bequeathed to the British people upon his death. The museum opened to the public in 1759 and, over the years, added to its collection. But most of the growth of the collection was a result of expanding British colonization. Which is to this day one of the most contentious parts of the museum’s collection.

A Journey Through Time

The British Museum has one of the most unique online virtual museums. Instead of taking you through the museums, gallery by gallery exploring in 360°, you are taken on a journey through time. A giant timeline is presented in front of you, separated into 5 different areas of the continent. You can even sort the timeline by a thematic elements from art and design to power, identity, religion, and belief.

Throughout the timeline, there are colour-coded dots that you can click to draw you into that point in time and space. From there you are presented with an object from the museum’s collection. The detailed synopsis of the item is present in both text and audio, so you can get a lovely little story told to you as you explore!

Musée d’Orsay

Ok, I’m going to say it…I like the Musée d’Orsay better than the Louvre. I know, I know! That’s sacrilege. And for the record, I do love the Louvre, but I’ve never been a great fan of those supersized museums. I find them a bit overwhelming and would much prefer a smaller, more curated collection. And it’s also all about location, location, location. And let me tell you, the Musée d’Orsay certainly has a beautiful location, set inside an old 19th-century train station. In fact, one of the online exhibits that you can explore through Google Arts and Culture is all about the location! An old Beaux-arts style railways station was transformed and saved from demolition in the 1970s to become the great Musée d’Orsay.

Musée d’Orsay Google Collection

Today this impressive building holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including the most extensive collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces. Through the Google online galleries, you can see works from Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. Zoom right in to see the tiny textures of the brush strokes. You can study the gentle expressions on even the background characters’ faces! Getting this close to these famous paintings is something you can only experience online, as those velvet ropes always keep you at a little bit of a distance.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum, located in Amsterdam, is the Dutch National Museum. Inside its great walls are pieces dedicated to the arts and history of Amsterdam. The original Rijksmuseum opened in 1798 in the Hague (a neighbouring city to Amsterdam and the seat of the Netherlands’ government). In 1806, Napoleon Bonapart had established the Kingdom of Holland. Under his rule, he had the museum moved from its current home in the Hague to the new metropolis of Amsterdam. When the museum moved to Amsterdam, it was housed inside an existing palace. But this was deemed not large or regal enough to hold all their masterpieces. Eventually, a new design was a commission, and Pierre Cuypers, with his richly decorative gothic and Renaissance, inspired structure, won over the competition.

The museum is home to over 8,000 objects. But the most visited art works are their precious collection of masterpieces by Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer. Today you can see the interiors of their treasured museum online. The beautiful video gallery opens up as you enter the webpage. The video depicts the interior of the museum as the light each come on one by one as if opening up just for you!

Audio Guide

When you click on a painting, you will be entered into a video and audio guide through the details and history of the piece. At the beginning and end of the track, you can hear the sound of whispering echoing throughout the room. This is meant to replicate the quiet rabble of the voice inside the gallery when it would have been filled with people.

Video Series

The Rijksmuseum also has a video series online where you can listen to curators speaking about some of their favourite pieces in the gallery. These experts are so passionate about the works. It’s so exciting to get this opportunity for a 1:1 guide through the Rijksmuseum.

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums were founded in the early 16th century by Pope Julius II. He wanted the public to be able to view the immense art collection amassed by the Catholic Church. This included letting visitors enter the incredible Sistine Chapel that is famously decorated with frescoes by Michelangelo. The museum’s collections contain over 70,000 items, but only 20,000 of them are on display for the public. One can only imagine their storage rooms and the hidden treasure you can find in there!

Walking through the halls of the Vatican Museum feels like being allowed to enter a truly holy place. But the hoards of tourists surrounding you kind of ruin the moment. You are only allowed to be inside the Sistine Chapel for a limited amount of time, and they ask you to remain silent (which, of course, too many people ignore). For this reason, getting to explore the galleries in the privacy of your home is a really unique opportunity!

Vatican in VR

Italy was hit the hardest during the first wave of the Coronavirus. Almost immediately their whole country had to be shut down. In order to allow people to continue to experience the wonders of the Vatican Museum, they created an online environment to explore. Inside Vatican 360 you can virtually explore all the great rooms of the museum. Some of the building’s most famous rooms are now yours alone. You can spend as long as you’d like studying the details of the fantastically frescoed walls and ceilings. If you have a VR headset, some of the rooms are also available to be viewed with the headset. I get a little sick using these but honestly it was so beautiful and cool I pushed through it to enjoy the experience.

If you are interested in learning more about the most essential items from the collection, then watch Get Your Guide‘s online tour. This video (embedded below for you) is under 30 minutes long and acts as a primer for your first-time visit. The video explores the most important works of art and architecture locked away inside the museum.

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is a museum dedicated solely to the works of Vincent van Gogh. Famously, Vincent van Gogh only ever sold one painting during his lifetime, ‘The Red Vineyard.’ Today he is one of the world’s most notable painters, with his works selling for millions upon millions of dollars. But you don’t need to spend a dime to get to stare upon his wonderfully rich and brilliant works of art! The Van Gogh Museum, opened in 1973 and contains more Van Gogh paintings and drawings than anywhere else in the world.

Unravel Van Gogh

The museum has long been at the forefront of digital technology and launched the website ‘Unravel Van Gogh‘ to allow visitors worldwide to experience Van Gogh’s paintings and understand themes in his life that influenced the work. Launching the site, you can explore various of his most famous paintings. Each image has a different interactive experience. Some can be explored from sketch to final artwork. Others have been retouched to appear closer to their original colouring (after years and years of discolouration). The paintings are blended with text and audio, which provide insights into the painting’s smallest details.

Van Gogh exchanged hundreds of letters with his brother, and this correspondence is used in the interactives as clues into the artist’s mind. I spent hours on this site. While not everything is entirely user-friendly, you’ll find the more time you explore, the more things you will uncover. Making the experience more like an investigation. We see Van Gogh’s painting as being some of the most vibrant ones ever made, but getting to see them as they would have appeared when first painted was an absolute shock! I couldn’t believe that they would be even more colourful than they are now, but seeing the digital reconstructions was mesmerizing!

4k Video Tour

If you’d like to see what the museum’s interiors look like, the museum has 4K Video Tours online that you can watch. If you are still clamouring for more Van Gogh, you can also look into the artists’ tragic love life through a little online exhibition through Google Arts and Culture. The exhibit features a series of his paintings and old photographs that tell the story of Vincent’s love affairs.

The Belvedere

The Belvedere was one of the highlights of my trip to Vienna. In the center of town are two ornate Baroque palaces, that play host to a great art gallery and museum. The palaces were once the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 17th century. Today, the Belvedere houses the most extraordinary Austrian art collection dating from the Middle Ages to the present day. The most infamous artists featured inside are undoubtedly Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. 

Augmented Reality

One of the most unique features of Belvedere’s online gallery is its use of augmented reality. You can visit their website and use an app on your phone to study a series of Egon Schiele‘s paintings in greater detail. When you use your phone to scan the image on the screen, it will trigger an audio track that guides you through the work of art. You can also use your phone as a scanner, using infrared technology to uncover hidden secrets beneath the finished painting.

Google’s Arts and Culture website contains Belvedere’s complete collection of digitized artwork for you to view and read about. They also have an excellent digital exhibition on one of the world’s most romantic paintings, Gustav Klimt‘s ‘The Kiss.‘ I was lucky enough to see this work of art in person and was absolutely mesmerized by it. Getting the chance to learn a little bit more about the painting was a great way to recall some of those treasured memories.

MET

The MET or Metropolitan Museum of Art is America’s most famous art gallery. Located in the heart of New York City, the collection is home to over two million works of art! To help organize millions of objects are 17 different curatorial departments. These departments range from everything from the American Wing, Arms and Armour, the Costume Institute, Egyptian Art, European Art, Islamic art, the Medieval Collection at the Cloisters and more.

MET Primer

On the MET’s website, they have a great collection of editorial content called their “Primers.” These ‘Primers’ give you a quick and immersive look at select exhibitions. This fantastically designed website feels like reading an editorial magazine. If you never had the chance to visit the MET Cloisters, which contains the collections of medieval works of art, their online visit is the next best thing!

Their current exhibition features pieces from the newly designed ‘British Galleries’. This reimagined space is meant to provide a fresh perspective on British decorative arts. You can even head over to Soundcloud and listen to the exhibition’s audio guide as you browse the collection online.

Costume Institute Online

The MET’s most famous exhibits are undoubtedly the Costume Institute Collections. The celebrity-rich MET Gala, which raises money for the museum, has brought a ton of new visitors through the doors of the museum over the years. Although this year’s Gala had to be cancelled due to covid, you can view some of their old exhibitions online! I found this access to be amazing as I was only able to make it out there to see a few of them in real life. Getting to go back in time and study some of their older exhibitions is a beautiful opportunity.

Andrew Bolton, the curator of these exhibits, is one of my heroes, and I loved being lead through the displays by his comforting voice. Many of the items on display in the Costume Insitute are so delicately sewn and contain a myriad of complex textures. Getting the chance to zoom in and see these features in such microscopic detail is something you could only experience online.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to my favourite online museums and galleries. I think visiting one of these will really help make you feel like you’ve had a little adventure, even if you never left the house. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my other virtual travel content. Let me know in the comments where you’d want to explore virtually that hasn’t been created just yet!

Happy (Virtual) Travels, Adventurers

The post 10 Best Art Galleries You Can Still Visit Virtually first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Since we can’t travel right now due to covid restrictions, I wanted to find new ways to ignite that wanderlust. Even from the comfort and safety of our home! So what better way to kick this series off than with my favourite artist: Frida Kahlo. Not only are these virtual tours a great way to entertain yourself at home, but they are also an excellent resource for future trips.

Explore Casa Azul

Truly one of my favourite places I have ever visited is the Casa Azul, in Mexico City. This gorgeous blue house, in the cozy neighbourhood of Coyoacan, is where Frida Kahlo lived as a child. It is also where she spent the better part of the end of her life. In Mexican culture, it is good luck to be born and die and in the same place. The Casa Azul is absolutely teeming with memories, influences, and the real spirit, which was Frida Kahlo. There is genuinely no better place to give you a more intimate exploration into your life than inside the Casa Azul.

During the summer of 2020, the Casa Azul Museum took it upon themselves to capture the Casa Azul in 360 degrees. With this new technology visitors from all over the world could explore the house room by room from their own home!

You can explore the entirety of the house, peeking into her kitchen, bedroom, studio and her absolutely magical garden. The virtual tour doesn’t come with any detailed information, so you can use our self-guided tour and follow along for a complete understanding of the significance of every object, painting and plant inside.

Virtual Walking Tour of Coyoacan

One of the most important places to study Frida Kahlo is in her home town neighbourhood of Coyoacán. Outside the heart of Mexico City, this little village was where Frida was born, grew up, lived, and eventually died. These streets were her playground, her studio and her home. It’s here you can get a glimpse into the life of the great artist. You can read more about Coyoacan here or take a virtual tour online.

Stream ‘Frida’

If you have never seen the 2002 biographical drama ‘Frida‘, starring Salma Hayek and directed by Julie Taymor, I would HIGHLY recommend giving it a watch! While the movie takes some liberties with her life, Julie Taymor went to great lengths to make the film look like it was plucked right out of the mind of Kahlo. Scenes contain such visually evocative sets and effects that they seem more like a moving painting than a film. Since the majority of her life was spent in Mexico, this movie takes you on a journey to the street of Mexico in the 1920s and 30s.

Watch the PBS Documentary

Suppose you are more interested in a documentary about Kahlo rather than a movie? In that case, you can watch this PBS special ‘The life and times of Frida Kahlo‘. While the special is a bit old, the fantastic personal photos they include are an intimate peek into her life and the information is unparalleled.

Explore the Appearances Can Be Deceiving Exhibit

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco hosted an exhibition called ‘Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving‘ in 2020. When the lockdown made it impossible for visitors to see it, they created a virtual tour of the exhibition. This allowed visitors from all over to the world to view the exhibition online.

In 2004, inside the Casa Azul, curators discovered a never before seen collection of Frida’s personal effects. Hidden inside a locked trunk were treasured items from her wardrobe, prosthetics, handmade jewellery, accessories, and also Frida’s personal photographs. The online video was directed by Benjamin Michel, an award-winning filmmaker specializing in cinematography. Because such care was taken in filming the exhibit, you really get an incredible experience of what it would be like to view it yourself.

Since many items found in the trunk were pieces of clothing, the close-up filming lets you see the smallest details and textures of the objects. Frida used clothing and accessories to create her image, which was also her armour. Her image is one of the most iconic things people associate with Frida. Even those who might not know what a painting of Frida’s might look like can easily describe her quintessential appearance.

Dive into the Faces of Frida

Google’s Arts and Culture department has gone to great lengths to create an online resource for art lovers. Although they have been working on these exhibits prior to lockdown, they amped up their curations to allow art lovers to get their gallery fix! Their collection of Frida Kahlo artwork, ephemera, personal objects and more is unmatched! Over 25 different museums collaborated to create this online museum collection. Their website allows the viewer to explore the myths and legends about Frida’s life and zoom in to every inch of her incredible works of art.

One of the exhibits collects both found photographs, sketches and works of art to tell her life’s story. One of my favourite online exhibitions explores Frida’s complicated and painful yet also beautiful, relationship with her body. Frida suffered from polio as a young girl. She then experienced a life-altering bus accident later in her teens, which left her permanently disabled. And yet all this fueled her love of painting as a means to express herself from the confines of a bed. Her pain and suffering throughout her life are one of the central themes of her artwork. Understanding the context of these works is a beautiful way to learn more about art and the artist.

If you have ever been interested in an in-depth guide to her thematic paintings, then check out the stories featured in the online gallery. These do a deep dive into the significance of the smallest aspects of her works of art. Her powerful and somewhat disturbing painting entitled ‘Henry Ford Hospital‘ has long been one of my favourites, and studying every last piece of imagery included gave me some beautiful insights I had never considered before!

Read a Book

Suppose you are interested in learning more about the artist but don’t want to commit to reading a lengthy biography. In that case, I cannot recommend picking up the book ‘Frida Kahlo: The Story of Her Life‘ by Vanna Vinci more! This gorgeously illustrated novel blends facts and history with dreamlike and surreal sequences. Vinci creates Frida’s dramatic, romantic, tragic and painful journey to life on the page unlike ever before. I cried reading this book and was amazed at how powerful it was. The illustrations inside are so evocative you’ll want to read it over and over again. The Mexican imagery makes you feel transported and is an excellent resource for your wanderlust!

Make Frida’s Food

Another great way to allow yourself to feel like you’re somewhere else other than inside your home is through food. If you’re like me, one of your favourite parts of travelling is getting to try traditional cultural cuisine. Frida Kahlo LOVED to cook. She portrayed food consistently throughout her paintings. Her friends and family love to talk about how she adored holding raucous dinner parties inside the Casa Azul. We actually have a lot of knowledge about the kinds of foods Frida cooked. In the book ‘Frida’s Fiestas‘, her stepdaughter created a storylike cookbook. It was made from her memories as well as personal accounts from friends and mementos from Frida’s scrapbooks. This book will take you on a journey through Mexican cuisine and is bound to ignite your inner chef!

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The Art Assignment by PBS Digital Studios has a beautiful video online all about Frida’s cooking. It even takes you through making some of her iconic recipes and explains why food was so important to Frida.

Experience the Wonders of Xochimilco

A place that was sacred to Frida was Xochimilco. Xochimilco and the surrounding Aztec waterways were where Frida and her friends would go to escape the city. A famous photo of Frida on a boat along the Xochimilco canals shows her dipping her hand into the water. She felt at home here, a place to run away from her dramatic marriage, her pain and even perhaps, herself.

Today it’s a vibrant neighbourhood where you can experience the same journey Frida would have taken. There are so many videos online which take you through these wonderfully colourful canals. With a Mezcal in hand at home, you’ll feel like you’re really there!

I hope all these resources gave you a great start to exploring the world of Frida Kahlo from the comfort of your own home. And even if we can’t get out there and travel right now, we can still ignite the spirit of adventure.

Happy At-Home-Travels, Adventurers

The post 9 Amazing At Home Frida Kahlo Travel Experiences first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

You’ll visit not only her famous residence, Casa Azul, but also explore a multitude of other significant places. These spots were essential in the formation of her identity and connection to her Mexican heritage. If this is your first time visiting Mexico City, this tour is an excellent method of discovery. Many of her famous locations are located in the heart of neighbourhoods with a variety of other popular attractions.

Tour Itinerary

This tour is divided up into four different sections, each one focusing on a particular area of Mexico City. While it might not be the most chronological journey, it allows you to explore different neighbourhoods around Mexico city cohesively. While a chronological life tour would be better in terms of following her journey, it requires bouncing all over the city. Especially for those who are on a tight schedule, that’s not the best use of your time.

The three different neighbourhoods are the Coyoacán, Historic City Centre, and Xochimilco’t. You can easily add these spots to your existing itinerary. I would advise to only tackle one neighbourhood at a time. Don’t try to fit it all in one go. The last section is a list of museums. These museums will help you get a deeper understanding of Mexican culture, insights about Frida, and art in Mexico. Since these places were not locations Frida really visited they are not part of the essential tour. Although they do add a lot of contextual information if you’re interested in that kind of thing.

Below is a map of the entire walking tour. I have broken up the neighbourhoods into separate maps for easy-to-follow directions.

Frida Kahlo in Coyoacan

1. Tour Itinerary
2. Frida Kahlo Museum
3. Coyoacan Market
4. The Casa de Cortes, Casa Municipal
5. Cantina La Guadalupana
6. Parroquia San Juan Bautista
7. Frida Kahlo Park
8. La Escuela de Pintura y Escultura
9. Jardín Centenario
10. Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles
11. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's House-Studio
12. Former College of San Ildefonso
13. Biblioteca Pública 
14. Secretaría De Educación Pública
15. Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
16. The Palacio Nacional
17. Avenue 5 de Mayo
18. Garibaldi Square
19. Palacio de Bellas Artes
20. Alameda Central
21. Museo Mural Diego Rivera
22. La Ciudadela
23. Xochimilco Canals
24. Museo Dolores Olmedo
25. Templo Mayor Museum
26. Museum of Modern Art
27. Museo Nacional de Antropología
28. Mexican Art Gallery | GAM
29. Museo Franz Mayer
30. Museo Anahuacalli

Frida Kahlo Museum

La Casa Azul or “the blue house“, located on Londres Street in Coyoacán once belonged to Frida’s father, Guillermo Kahlo. It was here where she was born. She grew up inside these walls. It was the place where she suffered from illness but also flourished as an artist. Eventually, Frida bought the house from her parents and lived with her husband, Diego. They got divorced and remarried all within these blue walls. And ultimately, it was the place where she would pass away. It was her sanctuary but also her cage. She spent more years inside these walls than perhaps anywhere else in the world. As such, it is one of the most intimate looks into her life that you can experience.

The museum is less of a simple art gallery and more like an inside look at her private world. Although there are a few paintings from both artists, the main focus of the Casa Azul is the couple’s Mexican folk art. They collected pre-Hispanic artifacts, photographs, memorabilia, personal items, and more which is still on display. You feel a deep connection with Frida by literally walking in her footsteps. You get to see her inner sanctum and looking at the precious treasures she collected, which represented her passions, her wishes and her dreams. To learn more about the Casa Azul take my self guided tour!

Coyoacan Market

South of Frida’s house is the Coyoacán Market. This market has stood here for decades, and if you look at the roofline, you’ll see that it’s actually more than one building, pieced together. Both Frida and Diego Rivera would come to shop for their famous dinner parties held at the Casa Azul. Frida loved to cook, and there are countless recipe books out there that details her favourite recipes. At one time, she was quoted as saying,

“We could not have a child, and I cried inconsolably, but I distracted myself by cooking, dusting the house, sometimes by painting…”

Frida’s Shopping List

Frida would come to these brightly coloured corners of the marketplace to shop for her favourite ingredients, chat with her local shopkeepers and wander around to get inspired for her next creation. This marketplace feels a little more laid back and less modern than some of the ones in the inner city. Exploring it feels like more of an authentic experience to the one Frida would have had herself. Make sure you ask about the mole paste they sell here. Mole was one of Frida’s favourite things to cook and eat, and there are countless varieties here you can buy and taste! See which one if your favourite and bring some of the powdered version home with you to make in your own kitchen!

The Casa de Cortes, Casa Municipal

The Casa de Cortes, on the north side, of the Plaza Hidalgo was where the seat of government was held for many years. And it was here that Frida and Diego were married. Frida’s parents were not a fan of Diego…to say the least. Diego had already been married twice, and his reputation as an unfaithful husband wasn’t a big secret around town. He was also 21 years older than 22-year-old Frida. Her parents protested and begged Diego not to marry her, but the love birds could not be swayed. Her parents referred to the union as a “marriage between an elephant and a dove” since Diego was over 300 pounds, and due to her illnesses, Frida was only a petite 98 pounds.

Frida and Diego’s Marriage

The two were married on August 21st, 1929. Their marriage in city hall was presided by the mayor of Coyaocan, and their witnesses were a hairdresser and homeopathic doctor. Frida wore only a long skirt and simple blouse with a rebozo (shawl) wrapped around her shoulder. She would often wear these in the same way that female revolutionaries wore them during the 1910 revolution when women used the scarves to smuggle guns past government checkpoints. Diego was dressed in a plain grey suit, accessorized with a Stetson hat and a Colt revolver. After their short ceremony, they retreated to their good friend Tina Modotti’s house where the raucous reception was held.

It was recorded that after the wedding, during their reception, Diego took the colt revolver and shot it off aimlessly in a drunken stupor. Frida was none too pleased at this childish behaviour, and it would be the first signs of trouble in paradise for the couple.

Cantina La Guadalupana

Just down the street from the Casa Municipal, you’ll find Frida’s old watering hole, Cantina La Guadalupana. Although the original cantina is now closed, you can still see the old signage out front marking the spot. The building is much unchanged from the days when you’d catch a glimpse of Frida’s richly coloured skirts in the window. The Cantina La Guadalupana was the couple’s bar of choice for drinking tequila under the dim lights and surrounded by bullfighting decor. Frida was quite the prolific drinker for her small size and other than tequila, she would love to drink pulque. Pulque is made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, native to Mexico. It was a beverage which the ancients Aztecs invented and drinking it made her feel closer to those old gods.

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Parroquia San Juan Bautista

Across the park, stands the imposing shadow of the baroque church that Frida Kahlo attended while she was growing up, Parroquia San Juan Bautista. It is also called the Iglesia de Coyoacán as the church has become the central place of worship in Coyoacán. It was built between 1520 and 1552 and run by an old Dominican order. Over the years the church has changed its appearance from its original form. Renovations and fires continued to shape its evolution, but the current church is no less beautiful than all its predecessors. But surprisingly the choir, the Rosario Chapel and the main altar are still all entirely preserved from the original construction. The facade is a classical herrerian design with geometric rigour and an overall absence of decorations.

The interior, however, is covered in baroque gilded decorations, and mindblowing ceiling frescos of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a fantastical work of Juan de Fabregat. The interior feels grand and yet, at the same time, very intimate. Frida would have come here as a child and prayed with her parents. You can only imagine how such a richly artistic place would have inspired young Frida’s mind.

Frida Kahlo Park

Seeing as the city is the place of her birth, it seems only right that Frida would have a park dedicated after her. Frida loved the outdoor, and although not everyone can afford to go into the Casa Azul’s garden daily, they can wake their way to Frida Kahlo Park to celebrate the great artistic legacy…or at the very least, walk their dog in a lovely setting. In the centre of the park, you’ll find two large, bronze sculptures of Frida and Diego. Frida is dressed in her classic Tehuana outfit, gazing over at Diego. This park has a very structured layout, the bushes around it perfectly pruned into geometric shapes, slightly resembling Aztec pyramids popping out in the background.

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La Escuela de Pintura y Escultura

Located on the east end of Coyoacán, is La Escuela de Pintura y Escultura. Frida began teaching here in 1942. She hoped that its close proximity to her house would mean she could easily commute to and from and continue to educate Mexico City’s artistic youth. She loved her students and teaching, but her leg was bothering her more and more and eventually, she couldn’t leave the house. Luckily, the students loved her as well, and the dedicated pupils would come to the Casa Azul, where Frida could continue to instruct them. She would always inspire her students to look to Mexican culture for inspiration, instead of being influenced by European trends. While Frida might not have taught here for a long time, the school grounds are a beautiful and inspiring place to explore.

Jardín Centenario

The Jardin del Centenario is the central greenspace in Coyoacan. It is marked by a gorgeous double archway which they call the ‘Arcadas Atrial’ or the ‘Arcos del Jardín del Centenario‘. The gardens were once part of the entrance to the old 16th century Parish Church of San Juan Bautista built during the colonial period. Stone pieces from the original building were woven onto either side of the archway. Take a closer look to see how decorative motifs from that period depict both European and indigenous influence.

This beautiful garden is also where you’ll find a fountain which contains a bronze sculpture of two coyotes, which refer to the borough’s name. The name Coyoacán comes from the Nahuatland word meaning “place of coyotes.” Today you’ll see the symbol of the coyote everywhere you look; on park benches, on street corners and even in flower gardens! On either side of the garden are lush Indian laurel trees which spread out to form a canopy over the walkway below.

Frida in the Park

This delightful park is where a place Frida would frequently come to stroll or celebrate during her life in Coyoacan. It was here where the city would hold parades, festivals and fairs. Diego Rivera’s daughters have written extensively about their time living with Diego and Frida in Coyoacán. They lived with them inside the Casa Azul for two years while they completed college. The Jardín CentenarioIn is featured heavily in their accounts as Frida loved to come there to ride carnival rides and march in parades on any day of festivity and would always bring Diego’s daughters with her. Although Frida could never have children herself, she mothered so many young people along the way, acting as a parental figure any time she got the chance.

Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles

The Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles is a cultural centre, free to enter and explore. The “House of Culture” was named in honour of the distinguished historian and political scientist, Jesús Reyes Heroles. The building was originally located on the property of an Izotitlán, meaning “izotes” which is a type of wild palm. Those palm trees still grow like wild all over the property. Just inside the entrance to the Casa is a sculpture of Frida and Diego sitting on a park bench, cast in bronze. You can take a seat alongside and get your picture taken with the famous couple. The house has existed here since 1780, occupied by a variety of different families. It’s no stretch to imagine that the previous owners would have welcomed the famous couple into their garden for a visit or a dinner party from time to time.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s House-Studio

Farther west, just outside of Coyoacán in the neighbouring district of San Angel is Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s House-Studio. Frida and Diego had this building custom designed by their friend Juan O’Gorman. The studio was intended to be two separate buildings, connected by a bridge. A way of physically showing the differences between these two artists, who despite all odds, still manage to come together. Diego’s studio is painted off-white and rust-red. Simple, natural colours. Frida’s studio, on the other hand, is painted the same ethereal cobalt blue as her home in Coyoacán. Diego’s house features thin windows along the top of the walls. Frida’s features almost floor to ceiling windows, giving the interior space that indoor/outdoor feeling. The house is separated from the street by a perimeter fence which instead of being made from wood or wrought-iron, is made from stacking rows of tall cacti along the roadside.

Studio-House

The couple lived here from 1934 to 1939. In 1939, they got divorced, and Frida moved home to Casa Azul, leaving Diego to live full time, alone in the studio-house. Even after getting back together, only 9-months later, Frida and Diego kept the studio to use as more workspace. Today the interior of the studio features a lot of Diego Rivera’s work and decor, especially his collection of papier-mâché figures.

The Frida side of the house is pretty bare since most of her treasures moved over to the Casa Azul, but it is still interesting to view the architectural designs from inside. The best part of her studio to explore is her bathroom. It was in here that she was inspired to paint ‘What the Water Gave Me’ while staring down at her feet in the bathtub in one of her fits of depression. The very tub which is portrayed in the painting can be still seen today inside the studio. Frida also painted such iconic images as ‘The eye of the eye‘ and ‘The deceased Dimas’ while she lived at the studio-house.

Former College of San Ildefonso

We begin this part of the tour at the Former College of San Ildefonso. It seems very fitting to start the journey here since it was a place of so many firsts for Frida. This was where Frida first went to college in 1922. There she met some of her best friends, her first boyfriend and, most importantly, first met the love of her life; Diego Rivera. Frida’s father had the utmost confidence in his daughter.

Even after she had spent a good deal of her adolescence homeschooled, due to her polio, he still thought she was a genius. Her father decided to send her to this former Jesuit college, at much expense to the family. She was one of only 35 girls, out of 2000 students who went to the school. But she had always gotten along with boys almost more than she did with girls, so she flourished there. Frida would even be seen wearing men’s clothes to the college from time to time and embraced her more masculine side.

The Creation

At the same time, Frida was at school here, Diego Rivera has been commissioned to paint an enormous mural on the lecture room walls. The painting, called ‘The Creation‘ was Rivera’s first gigantic mural of this kind. It was commissioned by the Mexican government to educate the masses of people who couldn’t read but wanted to learn about history. The mural covers more than a thousand square feet and portrays mythological and religious motifs.

It was here when painting the mural that Frida first laid eyes on Diego. She would sneak in to watch him paint his nude models anytime she could. Diego, although married to Lupe Marin at the time, would frequently be found by Frida in the midst of making love to one of his models. She took it upon herself to even warn the artists if she saw his wife coming. Frida would mock and tease him as he worked, but he saw her as a charming little pest. She would go on and on about him to her friends, and despite their age difference, and would proclaim that one day, she would be his wife and have a child by him. Although the latter would never come to pass, who knew how right she would be about the rest.

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Biblioteca Pública 

Down the street from her college, we find the Biblioteca Pública where Frida would come to study. She would come here to meet up with her schoolmates the ‘Los Cachuchas‘. It was here they would discuss at length the politics of the day and plan their communist rallies. But the library was not just a place of learning for Frida. The library was also where she would spend hours falling in love with her first boyfriend, Alex Gómez Arias. In addition to Alex, she also met a gorgeous female librarian and had her first affair with a woman amongst these books. This relationship caused quite the scandal in the community but was her first foray into exploring her bisexuality.

Secretaría De Educación Pública

Just to the north of the school, is the spot of another one of Diego Rivera’s masterpieces. There are 235 panels in the Secretaría de Educación Pública featuring Diego’s favourite themes of blue-collar workers, and the glorification of all things Mexican. It was here while painting these murals in 1928 that Frida Kahlo would come to see Rivera once more. After her injury from the bus accident, she needed to find a way of making money for her family and art was always something which had interested her.

But Frida didn’t know if her artwork was skilled enough to become an accomplished artist. So she went to ask the one man she admired above all others and whom she knew would tell her the truth. She marched right up to him, her work under her arms, and asked him for an honest critique. He was flabbergasted at her brash attitude and charmed by her confidence. It looks him some time to recognize her as the little pest from years before, but it was here that perhaps Diego first fell in love with Frida.

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Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral

Frida’s mother was a fiercely religious woman. The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral was right beside where Frida would walk to school every day and as such a part of her daily life. Even though many of Frida’s paintings contain a wide variety of indigenous imagery, she was raised in a Catholic household. Elements of religious iconography can be seen in her pictures, especially in her studies of ex-votos. This church is a beautiful place to explore and discover different references you might compare to some of Frida’s famous portraits. The church itself was built after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.

The Spaniards decided to build their first church on the site of the Templo Mayor of the Aztec in the city of Tenochtitlan. Stones from the destroyed temple of the Aztecs were used to create the church. And although we now look upon the destruction of that ancient temple as something to morn, it is incredible to stare up at this church and see stones stuck throughout from over 1000 years ago. The construction of the Cathedral began in 1573 and took until 1813 to complete! The enormous cathedral is over 350 feet long and 200 feet wide. This makes it Latin America’s largest and oldest temple.

The Palacio Nacional

The Palacio Nacional or National Palace is an enormous building which stretches out across the Zocalo. While some of the Palace is still used for governmental purposes, the rest of the building is open to the public and filled with incredible gardens, murals, fountains and works of art. But the most meaningful Frida related piece in the palace is the mural by Diego Rivera entitled, ‘The History of Mexico’.

The mural features the history of Mexico from pre-Columbian ancient times to the 1930s. Rivera painted the mural between 1929 and 1935. Key events in the mural feature stories like the Spanish conquest, the colonial period, the Independence movement, and the 1910 Revolution. The right side of the mural is a chronological study of the indigenous Aztecs before colonization.

The left side of the painting is less chronological, featuring smaller groups of stories about Mexico’s Independence. Along the bottom of the mural on the left is the portrait of Frida Kahlo, her iconic monobrow making her easily distinguishable from the others. She looks over a young boys shoulder at his book and is seen wearing a necklace with the communist star. In front of her, dressed in a red, is Cristina, Frida’s sister, holding open a copy of the Communist Manifesto. Years later, Diego would have an affair with Cristina, so seeing the two women here together, years before these dramatic events would unfold feels slightly foreboding.

Avenue 5 de Mayo

Walk along Avenue 5 de Mayo, towards our next destination. While the pedestrian street Avenue Francisco Madero is more popular, I always find it’d packed with tourists and people hawking flyers. In addition to this, the stores are all American brands which don’t feel as authentic to Mexico City. Walking along the street, you’ll see that many of these shops are incredibly old.

There are dozens of stores along the way that Frida herself might have popped her head in while she worked in the city. During her adolescence, she would come into the historic centre to work both in her father’s studio or at other artists’ workshops. Frida worked as an artist apprentice in the city, where she had her first affair with a married man. All of this before the age of 18. These streets filled her life with passion, and that can be seen in her escapades.

Garibaldi Square

Plaza Garibaldi is known as the home of mariachi music. Throughout the day, you’ll find mariachi bands playing all over the square. Frida herself loved coming here. She would bring her friends and family here anytime there was a celebration or holiday. She adored dancing to the music and often took part singing songs with the band members.

NOTE: Due to it’s proximity to the dangerous neighbourhood of Tepito, this area should be visited with caution, during the daylight hours. In recent years the city has taken many precautions to help with the safety concerns including increased police presence and the creation of the Bellas Artes-Garibaldi Tourism Corridor. This corridor has improved street lighting as well as the addition of beautiful gardens and sidewalks in the neighbouring streets to help improve the appearance of the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Palacio de Bellas Artes

Palacio de Bellas Artes and its iconic rainbow stained glass roof are one of the most iconic images of Mexico City. The Palacio de Bellas Artes hosts events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and is therefore aptly named the “Cathedral of Art in Mexico”. The exterior of the building is primarily Neoclassical, but inside you’ll discover a plethora of Art Deco and Art Nouveau stylings. On the 3rd floor is Diego Rivera’s famous ‘El hombre en el cruce de caminos‘ (Man at the Crossroads).

This mural was initially painted for New York City’s Rockefeller Center in 1933 but torn down by Rockefeller when Diego refused to paint out the image of Lenin he had sneakily included. Frida’s life in New York City, following Diego around from commission to commission, was such a significant point in her life. Gazing upon this mural, albeit the second version of it, is still such a powerful connection to the couple.

Frida’s Funeral

When Frida Kahlo died, Diego arranged for her body to be laid in state at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The government agreed, only if they would make it an entirely non-political event. Diego agreed, but unbeknownst to him, one of her students came to pay their respects and after he did, threw a huge communist flag over her casket. The government threated to have her body removed, but Diego refused to let them. He said if they tried, he would carry her dead body in his arm and sit with her on the steps of the palace. Before she died, the last words she wrote in her diary read:

“I hope the exit is joyful – and I hope never to return”.

Alameda Central

One of Rivera’s most famous paintings is the fifty-foot fresco ‘Sunday walk through Alameda Park‘. The picture is currently in the Diego Rivera mural museum, but visiting Alameda Park is an excellent opportunity to take a walk inside of the painting itself. Alameda Park was Mexico City’s first city park and was built on the grounds of an ancient Aztec marketplace. Frida is painted into the mural, wearing the traditional Tehuana dress. She is holding in her left hand the Yin-Yang symbol, which represents duality. Perhaps this is the duality of life, or maybe Diego painted it as a reference to Frida’s dual personality.

Frida is resting her hand on young Diego’s should, like a mother protecting her young one. You can imagine how many times Diego and Frida would have come to this park together, to paint and to relax. Take some time to walk around and even buy some street food snacks to enjoy under the Jacaranda trees which bloom bright purple in the springtime.

Museo Mural Diego Rivera

If you’ve visited the real Alameda Park, then it’s a treat to then see the mural of, ‘Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central’. Look how closely Diego captured its likeness and the personalities of the people in the park. Despite being called a museum, the Museo Mural Diego Rivera is more of a housing spot for the mural, but the admission is just over a dollar. Originally the mural it was located at Hotel Del Prado. After the devastating 1985 earthquake, the hotel was condemned. Luckily, the mural was saved (in pieces) and moved the museum where it was reassembled.

La Ciudadela

Another iconic destination on the tour of Frida’s Mexico City is to the La Ciudadela marketplace. While this market only opened up in 1968, Frida would have frequented markets like this many times throughout her life in Mexico City. Places like this would have been where she came to purchase folk art, traditional textiles and elaborate, locally-made jewellery. So many of the old Tehuana patterns and dresses which Frida was known for can still be found in marketplaces like this.

Because this market is so large, you’ll have the largest selection and artisans comes from all over the country. Oaxaca is the best place to buy textiles from so if you see signage saying the products are from there you know they’ll be top-notch. If you’ve visited the Casa Azul already, you can even buy replicas of her favourite objects since many of those folk pieces are still made in the same way today. It’s like shopping in a Frida Kahlo-themed store!

Xochimilco Canals

Xochimilco is the Venice of Mexico. In the southern district of Mexico City, you’ll find is over 170 km of waterways which spread out in all different directions. Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico City, the indigenous people had created an incredible network of canals. They used these channels for transportation and to supply water throughout the country. Xochimilco means “Floating Gardens” as it refers to the Aztecs creation of the chinampas. Chinampas are artificial agricultural plots, rich in minerals, that are grown in shallow lake beds. In Xochimilco, they were used to produce thousands of flowers which looked like they were floating in the water. After the Spanish invasion, they dried up many of the canals in the centre of Mexico City to make room for modern roads. But the channels in Xochimilco remained.

Frida adored her Mexican heritage and the colourful culture which Mexico is all about. Today, Xochimilco is the best place to bask in that colour and energy. Along the canals, you can listen to mariachi bands, call over boats with mobile kitchens to serve up fresh tacos or delicious elote. Paddling along the stream are artisans selling flower crowns that resemble the flowers that Frida herself would wear in her hair. Even here, her iconic image is prevalent. To learn more about Xochimilco read my full guide here >> 

Museo Dolores Olmedo

While in Xochimilco, make sure you make a stop at the Museo Dolores Olmedo Museum. The museum is located inside the grounds of an old 16th-century residence. In 1962, Dolores Olmedo bought the house. Dolores was a fierce collector of art as well as a lover of Mexican culture. It is no surprise to learn then that she old became the largest collector of private works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. In 1994, her collection was transformed into the museum we now find today. Luckily, Dolores lived until 2002, so she was able to see this fantastic house converted into an art gallery for the public.

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Today you can explore gardens filled with exotic Mexican plants, magical peacocks and Xoloitzcuintles. Xoloitzcuintles are a dog breed which was once only thought it exists in mythical stories of the afterlife but is actually an ancient Aztec dog. Frida herself loved these dogs and owned multiple throughout her lifetime. Inside the museum, you can find such famous Frida Kahlo’s as ‘The Broken Column’, ‘Henry Ford Hospital’, ‘Self-portrait with Changuito’, ‘A few Piquetitos‘ and ‘Mi nana Nand Me‘. If there is a particular painting, you wish to see be SURE to check online as so often her pictures are out on loan, being shown around the world.

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Templo Mayor Museum

Mexican culture and history were so essential to Frida’s life. Although Templo Mayor wasn’t discovered until after her death in 1978, Frida would have loved to have seen this relic from the past unveiled. Today, you can visit the museum and see what archaeologists discovered; the remains of the Aztec temple which the Spanish destroyed on their conquest into Mexico. The 10-foot carving of the Mexican goddess Coyolxauhqui and the over 7,000 Mexica artefacts is an entire half days worth of discovery!

Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City has a stunning collection of 20th-century Mexican art. The most important being Frida Kahlo’s “The Two Fridas“. This painting is one of the most essential pieces in her oeuvre. It was painted after she divorced Diego and depicts what she saw as her two different personalities. The one on the left is dressed in traditional Tehuana costume, with a broken heart, her blood spilling out on the white of her dress. This Frida’s makeup is done, her lips painted deep red and rouge on her cheeks.

The Frida on the right is dressed in a more modern outfit. She is the independent Frida, whose heart is not broken and who can take on the world without Diego. But the two exist together, shattered and complete, heartbroken and confident. I love this painting as I feel it is so poignant to all of our lives and how we can be all things at once. Strong and weak, shy and loud, brave and scared. You don’t need to commit to one thing alone, we are complex beings, and this painting is a beautiful interpretation of that.

NOTE: Before visiting, be sure to check the website to see if the painting is on loan to another museum. Since this is the only piece of Kahlo’s inside the museum if you’re going expecting to see that and it’s on loan I know how disappointing that might be. So checking in advance is super important!

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Museo Nacional de Antropología

Throughout her life, Frida would often refer to “being the daughter and Mexico“. Her mother was unable to breastfeed young Frida, and so she was breastfed by her indigenous wetnurse. This is an image Frida has painted in a myriad of artworks. Frida always thought that by feeding on the milk of her country, she absorbed the cultural roots of her heritage from the minute she was born. Visiting the National Anthropology Museum is a window into the pre-colonial history of Mexico and those roots Frida so often referred to. The museum is also filled with many indigenous artworks as well as some of Frida and Diego’s student’s artwork they helped inspire.

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Mexican Art Gallery | GAM

Inés Amor founded the original Mexican Art Gallery in Mexico’s City in 1935. This was where Frida’s first art show in Mexico would take place. She exhibited her artworks during the inaugural International Surrealist Exhibition in 1940 with her painting ‘Las Fridas‘ (The Two Fridas, which is now at the Modern Art Gallery of Mexico). Even though there are no longer any of her pictures hanging on the walls, this is still an extraordinary place to visit. The gallery was the first to recognize the talents of Frida Kahlo professionally, and they are doing the same thing with current, contemporary Mexican artists today.

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Museo Franz Mayer

The Franz Mayer Museum is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in Mexico City. It also houses a wonderful personal art collection from collector Franz Mayer. Here you can find over six centuries of objects he took great care in collecting throughout his lifetime. These collections feature ceramics, furniture, silver, sculpture, paintings and engravings.

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But there is also a room, called the Marguerite Rostan gallery, which highlights traditional Mexican textiles and costumes. The collection contains clothing from 14 different ethnicities such as Amusgos, Triquis, Chinantecos, Mazatecos, Nahuas from various places across Mexico. This acquisition represents and embodies an important contribution to the knowledge of traditional Mexican costumes. Many of these dresses are so similar to the ones Frida wore throughout her life. If you’re interested in learning more about traditional Mexican fashion, this is a great place to visit.

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Museo Anahuacalli

On your way to Xochimilco, you should stop by the Museo Anahuacalli. Your ticket into the Casa Azul actually also covers your entry into this museum as well, so you kinda get a two for one! The Museo Anahuacalli was another one of Diego Rivera’s homes. Diego and Frida were both fierce nationalists who loved their home country and wanted to preserve its history. Diego and Frida dreamed of opening their own museum dedicated to these objects. Sadly, in their lifetime, this dream never came to fruition. But after Diego’s death, his daughter took up the project and created what is now the Museo Anahuacalli. Architect, Juan O’Gorman who designed their studio, also designed this house as well.

The exterior of the house was made using black volcanic stone, taken from an old volcano in Mexico and the texture is something truly unique. There are over 50,000 pre-Hispanic pieces inside the museum. Some of these Diego would collect while he and Frida would travel to ancient Aztec pyramids outside of Mexico City. Each one of them was a piece of Mexico’s heritage, a heritage that inspired the work of Frida Kahlo and I know she would be proud to have helped in the creation of this museum which stands today.

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If you’ve made it all the way through this post, I commend you! There is so much in Mexico City to see in the footsteps of Frida Kahlo. You can easily adapt this tour to your personal interests or locations you’re already planning on visiting. Frida is one of the most exciting artists I’ve ever studied, and I loved writing and researching this tour, so I hope you have as much fun following it as I did in creating it!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Following the Colorful Life of Frida Kahlo in Mexico City first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

It was her sanctuary but also her cage since for most of her life she was bedridden from injury and sickness. She spent more years inside these blue walls than perhaps anywhere else in the world. As such, it is one of the most intimate looks into her life that you can experience.

Self-Guided Tour of Casa Azul

1. Access
2. Hours
3. Tickets & How to Avoid the Lines
4. Frida's Neighbourhood of Coyoacán
5. Biography of Frida Kahlo
6. Frida and Diego
7. Start of the Self-Guided Tour of the Casa Azul
8. Touring the Exterior
9. Entry
10. Gardens
11. The Pyramid
12. Looks are Deceiving Exhibition
13. Sitting Room / Gallery
14. Dining Room
15. Diego's Bedroom
16. The Kitchen
17. Stairwell
18. Frida's Studio
19. Day Bedroom
20. Night Bedroom

Tickets & How to Avoid the Lines

Everyone seems to go on and on about the lines at Casa Azul. And yes, there are lines. But there are also lines at the Louvre, the MET and other famous museums around the world. There are lines wherever you find places which inflame the public’s imagination and curiosity to see what’s inside. So don’t be surprised, just be prepared. The best way to do this is by purchasing your tickets in advance. You select the date and time you want to arrive. When you get to Casa Azul you hop into pre-purchased ticket line (which is much shorter). Sometimes with your pre-purchased admission, you can just walk right inside.

Tickets cost 230 pesos ($12 US) on weekdays and 250 pesos ($13 US) on weekends. If you want to take pictures and some videos, you need to pay an extra 30 pesos ($1.50 US). Videos are not allowed inside but are ok in the outdoor areas.

Frida’s Neighbourhood of Coyoacán

Coyoacán is a small, quiet neighbourhood on the southern end of the city. It was once nothing more than a humble village but as Mexico City expanded, Coyoacán was absorbed into the megacity. The name comes from the Aztec word, which means “place of coyotes.” The streets are some of the oldest in Mexico City, full of colourful colonial architecture which gives it that bohemian feeling it became synonymous for. Frida’s father, an artist and famous photographer, found this quirky neighbourhood appealing. For more on Coyoacán check out my self guided walking tour!

Biography of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is one of the best-known female artists of the 20th-century. Her art is most notable for being full of ideas about sex, death, the body, gender, postcolonialism, class and race. All these ideas culminate in some of the most fantastic surrealist paintings which are anything but ordinary. Frida was born in 1907 inside the Casa Azul. The house was built by her father in 1904 and would be an emotional touchstone for young Frida. Both her mother and father had had some horrible events in their lives before Frida was born. Her father’s previous wife died in childbirth. And her mother’s ex-lover killed himself in front of her to profess his undying love. It’s impossible not to wonder how these powerful moments imprinted themselves into the family. Perhaps resulting in Frida’s ill-fated, yet extraordinary life.

Frida’s Early Health Issues

At a young age, Frida developed polio which resulted in her being bedridden for many months. It also left her with a severe limp and one of her legs being slightly shorter than the other. Being home all the time as a child meant she was around her father. She followed him around his studio, where she learned all about the creative process and how to compose a painting. She began painting and drawing under his watchful eye. Without any sons of his own, Frida became his creative successor.

He enrolled her in an art school in 1922, where she initially met Diego Rivera who was at the time, was painting a mural in the university’s auditorium. She was enthralled with him as soon as she laid eye on him and his art. She was so sure of him being one of her conquests that and would tell her friends she was going to marry him, even before speaking one word to the artist.

The Accident

One the way home from school one day, Frida’s was caught in a severe bus accident. A train crashed into the bus she was on, and it practically exploded on impact. Various people died instantly, and a few died in the hospital. Frida was left for dead, the ambulance refused to take her to the hospital as they assumed she would be dead before they arrived. But Frida was a fighter although her injuries would leave her disabled for the rest of her life.

She underwent over 30 different significant operations. The hospital staff thought she would never be able to get out of bed again. But by the end of the month, she was taking her first steps outside. Years of surgeries and recovery meant being confined to her bed once more. Her father made her a custom easel where she could paint in bed while lying down. She used this time to paint portraits of herself, as a way to comprehend the reality of what had happened to her. As her painting improved, and she was able to walk freely, she knew she had to help her family financially. Her operations had cost them greatly, and she needed to find out if she could make a career out of her art.

Frida and Diego

Frida went with various pieces of her artwork to get a critique from the famous Diego Rivera. When she met inside him, she claimed it wasn’t to flirt or get his attention. She wanted harsh criticism from the iconic artist and learn how she could improve. Diego was quite impressed by her artwork and was immediately taken with Frida’s bold personality. Frida was not your typical beauty. She embraced her more masculine characteristics. Frida had a monobrow and a bit of a moustache, but instead of hiding it or trying to remove it, she flaunted it. Some people said that she was one of the great beauties others found her almost hideous. It was this juxtaposition of opinions that Frida loved, using her sexuality as the great divider.

Frida and Diego’s Marriage

After only a short period of knowing Rivera, the two were married in 1929. Her mother and father roundly objected to the marriage, and so the two of them had a small, civil ceremony, presided over by only by a hairdresser and homeopathic doctors. Their relationship was fiery and passionate — each one is inflaming the creativity of the other. Diego encouraged Frida’s penchant for wearing traditional Tehuana dresses they both viewed them as the most authentic part of Mexican heritage. They became a kind of uniform for her, which she would wear for the rest of his life.

Frida and Diego moved into the family home, the Casa Azul, as her father was no longer able to afford to live there due to his declining career. Diego was at this point, a wealthy and well-known painter and could easily afford to keep the home in the family. Before they moved into the house, the house was painted s a rather dull colour. Frida and Diego made it their mission to repaint the entirety of the house bright blue, making their mark on this space.

Love Affairs

Diego was a womanizer, and despite Frida’s acceptance to their open relationship, she found herself overcome with jealously when Diego had an affair with her sister, Cristina. The news of their affair devastated her. Frida suffered numerous miscarriages and eventually was told by doctors due to her injuries from the bus crash she would never bear children. Painting became everything to her, and it was like her artworks became her children. Frida explored more and more images from her Mexican heritage. She said that Mexico was her great mother who raised her. As she became a painter in her own right, she was less affected by Diego’s affairs. In fact, she began having her own set of relationships with men and women alike.

The longest of her affairs was with famed photographer Nickolas Muray, with whom Diego was furiously jealous. Although Frida ended up divorcing Diego in 1939, they got remarried only a year later. It seemed that no matter what happened between these two, they could not be without each other. While it certainly was an alternative lover story, I found that to be the real charm of their relationship. It’s not perfect, it’s not a fairytale, but it’s real and laid bare for us to witness in her artworks.

Frida’s Death

Despite her blossoming career, Frida’s health began to decline. Eventually, her old injuries only worsened to the point where she had to have her right leg amputated. Her pain was almost unbearable, and she attempted suicide multiple times to escape it. Diego built for her a second floor to the Casa Azul where she could paint and work without having to leave the house.

She eventually was bound to her bed along and passed away on July 13th, 1954, at the age of 47 in that very bed. Her body was brought to the Palacio de Belles Artes in the historic centre of Mexico City where hundreds of mourners came to pay their respects. During her lifetime she was known as the wife of famed painter Diego Rivera. But today it is HER who has become a part of popular culture and art history. Diego gave the Casa Azul over to the government of Mexico City and it was opened up as a museum in 1958.

Start of the Self-Guided Tour of the Casa Azul

Touring the Exterior

If you have to wait outside before heading into the centre courtyard, take a minute to observe the outer exterior architecture.

“The house, painted blue inside and out, seems to shelter a bit of sky.”

Diego and Frida painted the house this bright blue colour when they moved in. Colour was of the utmost importance to Frida in her life and in her art. This vibrant azure was a hue associated with the feeling of freedom and expansiveness, like looking out on the eternal sea. And for a woman who was often unable to leave her own four walls, a feeling of freedom was the difference between sanity and madness. The house, built-in 1904 by her father, was built in a typical Spanish style of the age with a central courtyard surrounded by various rooms all on one level. The original exterior had a bit of French flair, but Frida removed all these gaudy elements in exchange for the primitive and simplistic decorations inspired by the indigenous people of Mexico.

Entry

As you walk in the main gates, under the giant floral ofrenda to Frida, you’ll pass under various of Frida’s papier-mâché alebrijes. Alebrijes are brightly coloured Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures. They were originally created in 1930 by the artist Pedro Linares. Linares fell gravely ill and during his fever-induced hallucinations found himself dreaming of a strange forest full of wild and colourful creatures. He saw donkeys with butterfly wings, a rooster with horns and lions with the heads of eagles, all shouting the word, “Alebrijes“. When he recovered, he set to making the creatures out of wood to bring his visions into his reality. He was good friends with Diego and Frida, and she was inspired by his story and made some for herself. These somewhat terrifying creatures, now greet all guests who come through the doors.

Gardens

The first space you’ll enter is the lush gardens. Walking in here is literally a breath of fresh air! You can smell the blossoming flowers everywhere you walk, like a scented canopy. Frida made her gardens an almost sacred space. She took care of each and every plant very seriously, almost as if they were her children. She adored watching them bloom and grow. All the plants were harvested from all across Mexico, so it’s like a tiny snowglobe of Mexican horticulture in one place. You’ll find yuccas, bougainvilleas, cacti, jasmine and agave blooming throughout the year.

Across the walls of the courtyard are various pre-Columbian idols, as Diego loved collecting these treasures of Mexican heritage. He would go to the old ruins of Teotihuacan almost every weekend in his early life looking for artefacts he could bring home with him. The walls which supported the new second story, made by Diego and Frida, were created from lava rocks and embedded shells the couple found on the shores of the beaches of Mexico.

Frida’s Teaching Career

In this garden, Frida held classes for her students. She began teaching in 1943 at Las Esmeralda Art School, but she found it too hard on her disabled body to come to classes at the school in the centre of town. Her dedicated student, dubbed “Los Fridos” would come to La Caza Azul where she could mentor them under the shade of these great palm trees. Their time with the great artist in her intimate home was something that imprinted greatly on them.

The Pyramid

In the middle of the garden is a minature, red and yellow painted replica of an Aztec pyramid. This was built by Juan O’Gorman for Diego Rivera in 1946. The artist used materials like volcanic stones and basal to build the structure. Along the base of the pyramid are various replica ceremonial statues from places like Teotihuacan or Tulum.

Looks are Deceiving Exhibition

At the back of the courtyard is an exhibition room which contains some of the most personal items of Frida Kahlo. This exhibition is entitled, ‘Las apariencias engañan‘ or Looks are Deceiving. This exhibition features a treasure trove of Frida’s clothing, corsets, makeup and jewellery. All of these items were only discovered in 2004. When Diego handed the house over to the Mexican people for use as museum he asked that several bathrooms (which has been locked) were not to be opened until many years after his death. When they opened the doors, they were shocked to find all these iconic dresses which featured in many of the most famous portraits of the painter. 

Frida’s Dresses

Her Tehuana dresses have become the iconic image of the painter. And even I wished I could have taken a few copies of them for myself! Tehuana dresses come from the Tehuantepec Isthmus located in the southeastern part of Mexico in the region of Oaxaca. Oaxaca is known the world over as being the heart of the textile industry in Mexico. The woman of the area are seen as the dominant sex, and it is mainly a matriarchal society. As such, their dresses needed to reflect this power.

Frida wanted to be seen as Diego’s artistic equal and adopting these dresses, and their accessories made her feel closer to that powerful matriarch. The clothing also helped to cover up her legs which were affected dramatically by the polio and the right left which had to be eventually amputated. The white petticoats which peek out from underneath the dresses were not only beautiful but practical as they could be detached from the rest of the gown to be washed. Since these long dresses would drag on the ground, the ability to only wash this portion of the dress was very inventive.

The Corsets

The corsets are one of the rawest and most eye-opening portions of the exhibition. They show us just how much pain this beautiful artist must have been suffering through every day, even though she forced a smile. But Frida did not only hurt physically, she also suffered emotionally. Frida’s once said of her husband’s infidelity,

“I suffered two grave accidents in my life. One in which a streetcar knocked me down. The other accident is Diego.“

She used her clothing as a defence against feeling weak and small. Instead, these clothes were loud and powerful. And wearing them made her feel this way even if underneath she did not.

Frida not only had some of the most gorgeous dresses but she also adorned her body in lush jewellery, highly embroidered footwear, and expensive perfume. When she was recovering from her multiple surgeries her wounds would fester and to cover up the smell she relied on flower headpieces and perfume to mask the smell. Even in bed, she would always be seen wearing dozens of pieces of jewellery.

Sitting Room / Gallery

Entering into the house, you first pass through what was once the old sitting room, or living room as we call it today. Here Frida and Diego would entertain their famous guests such as Nelson Rockefeller, George Gershwin, caricaturist Miguel Covarrubias, and actresses Dolores del Río and María Félix. Today, this area is used as an introduction to Frida’s life through her work. Some people have been disappointed not to see more of her artwork in the house, but you just need to set your expectations. I came in not expecting to see any at all, so I was pleasantly surprised to be able to get up close to these pieces.

Portrait of My Father, 1951 

One of the paintings Frida made in 1952, just two years before her death, was a gorgeous dedication to her father. Her father also had his fair share of suffering throughout his life. He was an epileptic who had to leave behind his family fortune in his home country to escape the Nazis as he was a Hungarian-born Jew. 

Frida and the Cesarean, Unfinished 1931

This painting depicts Frida in the hospital in Detroit after her second miscarriage. In this vision, Frida is attempting to deal with the trauma of her second failed pregnancy. This is a dream which portrays what would have happened if she had been able to carry the baby to full term and deliver it by cesarean. The child lays beside her on the bed, the image of Diego looking down on her. She was never able to finish this painting. It was nothing but a lie and she prided herself on painting what she perceived as reality. Days later, she would go on to paint “Henry Ford Hospital” which depicted the real horror of the miscarriage as it truly was.

Still Life, 1942 

Frida was a woman who embraced her sexuality, and as such her paintings are full of sexual references and illusions. This still life was painted for the Mexican presidential residence but was returned to the artist most likely due to it being a little too vulgar for the upper class. The open papaya resembles the shape of a womb. To the left, we see coral fungus resembling the ovaries, and to the right, we have an open cherimoya fruit which resembles female genitalia. While some onlookers will see nothing but a bowl of fruit, Frida was tempting her audience to open their minds and their six senses.

My Family, Unfinished 1949

This painting feels like the most appropriate piece for the setting inside their family home. It’s a family tree with her grandparents at the very top. Underneath them are Frida’s parents and herself and her siblings on the bottom. A fetus is seen in the centre of the four children. This is her brother who died only a few days after his birth. But to Frida, he is still very much a part of their family even after all these years. Three figures are unfinished to the right of the frame. These are thought to be the children of her youngest sister Cristina with whom Frida had a tumultuous relationship with after Cristina’s affair with Diego. Perhaps the fraught relationship was the cause of Frida’s inability to complete their images on the family tree. Frida being too jealous of her sister’s ability to bear children when she could not.

Viva la Vida, 1954

This was the last painting which Frida would complete before she died. It is a still life of watermelon’s, which are a popular image in Mexican art. Watermelons are seen around Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) when the fruits are eaten by the dead who return to the land of the living. Although the melons are bright and colourful, there is a thread of ominousness in their use as it feels Frida is predicting her own demise. Eights days before she died she wrote these words upon the watermelons “VIVA LA VIDA – Coyoacán 1954 Mexico” (Long Live Life!). In her diary a few days before she died she would write,

“I hope that the exit is joyful, and I hope never to return”

Retablos

One of my favourite parts of the exhibition of her artworks were her retablos. These tiny votive images were created when Frida was living in Detroit. While Diego worked on his large Detroit Industry Murals, Frida occupied herself with these creations. During the time huge, political murals were all the rage, and yet Frida was creating small, religious images. Each one of these were painted onto small metal sheets. When the society as a whole was all about grandeur, Frida was creating miniature worlds you had to get close up to really understand. In a way, you needed to become more intimate with them, unlike the murals which you could understand from afar.

Judas Figures

Inside the next room are two towering figures in papier-mâché. These are mujeres bonitos or Judas figures from Tlatilco, Mexico. These “Judas” figures would usually be made of papier-mâché and filled with firecrackers that would explode on the Saturday before Easter. This tradition was thought to cleanse ones sins by burning effigies of that which represented evil. For Frida, she collected these effigies unburnt, perhaps as a symbol of sin unburdened.

Frida’s Diary

In the last room are letters, newspaper clippings and selections of Frida’s diary, all found in the house when it was turned over to the city. Reading these lines from her journal is like sitting down with the woman herself. So often we lean on interpretations to understand what an artist was thinking or feeling, but here we have the words right from her own mouth. Her life was so fraught with sadness, and yet there is a hypnotic magic to her scribblings. Even if you can’t read Spanish, looking at the furious way in which she wrote is a way of understanding her emotional state at the time. Critiques wrote of her diary,

“The diary is the most important work Kahlo ever did…it contains energy, poetry, magic. They reveal a more universal Frida…In Kahlo’s paintings, you see only the mask. In the diary, you see her unmasked. She pulls you into her world. And it’s a mad universe.”

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Dining Room

From the large sitting room, you step into the part of the house which has been preserved with all the old furnishings and decor that Frida had collected. The first room you enter is the dining room. The floors are painted bright yellow, almost neon! Most of the tables and chairs are painted the same colour to match, making them looks as if they grew out of the floor. Despite yellow often being associated with joy and cheer, Frida had a much different interpretation. She wrote in her diary, “yellow is associated with madness, sickness and, fear. It is part of the sun and of happiness.” To see this yellow spread all over her house feels like she was attempting to invite others to share in her madness.

On the walls of the room are various, bright yellow shelves displaying Frida’s precious collections. In the 20th century, Mexican folk art was very under-appreciated in fine art collections. But Frida and Diego always saw its value and cherished collecting these items to preserve, even if just for themselves, elements of their Mexican heritage.

Guests in the Casa Azul

Around this dining table the couple entertained guests such as André Breton (French writer, poet and anti-fascist), Tina Modotti (Italian photographer, model, actress, and revolutionary political activist), Edward Weston (American photographer), Leon Trotsky (Russian revolutionary, Marxist theorist, and Soviet politician), Juan O’Gorman (Mexican painter and architect), Nickolas Muray (Hungarian-born American photographer and Frida’s lover), and many others.

On the shelves, in the dining room, we find two ceramic clocks. The hands of the clock do not move but are fixed on two different moments in time. The one on the left bears the date on which Frida decided to divorce Diego after discovering he was having an affair with her sister Christina. The other has the time when Frida and Diego decided to get remarried. By having this out in the open it proves how honest they both were about the problems inside their marriage. Their issues weren’t a secret and yet, in the end, their love for each other, especially inside these walls, feels eternal.

Diego’s Bedroom

On the other side of the dining room, is Diego’s bedroom. This small guest room was also used by Leon Trotsky when he stayed in Mexico City after fleeing the Soviet Union. After he and Frida had an affair, he was quickly removed from the house by Diego. On the walls of the room, hang Diego’s painting overalls along with his iconic hats he was always seen wearing.

On the antique chair near the window is a small embroidered pillow with the words “Despierta Corazon Dormido” (Wake Up, Sleeping Heart) sewn in with rainbow thread. Words I’m sure Frida would whisper to her husband every morning upon waking him up for breakfast. Sitting on the dresser along the wall are various ancient Aztec sculptures along with Diego’s death mask. Around the room are multiple paintings, most of a highly sexualized nature, to reflect Diego’s passionate character.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most elaborately decorated rooms in the house. The kitchen floor is painted the same bright yellow with Azul and yellow tiles trimming the walls. Along the walls are hung a variety of utensils, and tableware Frida used when she cooked. Frida learned how to cook from, of all people, Diego’s ex-wife. Lupe (his ex-wife) knew all of Diego’s favourite recipes and how important food was to him. Despite Lupe’s relationship not working out, she found deep affection for Frida and wanted the best for their marriage. Along the wall are dozens of miniature clay mugs which spell out “Frida + Diego” over the old stovetop. The old stove was never modernized from its original design and Frida still cooked using the woodfire while she lived there.

On either side of the window are these same clay pots used to form the shape of two doves, tying a lover’s knot. It seems everywhere you look here there are symbols of love. They often say, a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Often we see the kitchen as a more utilitarian space but Frida made it a room which bursts with romance and love.

On her kitchen table are several vegetable-shaped clay tureens and terra cotta painted plates and pots. Nothing Frida used in her kitchen was mass-produced or “out of the box”. Everything was handmade and embellished with images of animals or traditional Mexican designs.

Stairwell

Moving from the first floor into the newly built second storey you pass through a small stairwell with sitting areas at the bottom. This tiny courtyard-like space is bursting with folk art objects, large paintings which crawl up the walls, taxidermied animals and some charming hand-painted pieces of furniture.

Frida’s Studio

Frida’s studio was built here because of her ever-worsening illnesses and disability. After the surgery to remove her leg, she found leaving her house to be very difficult. As such, Diego built this extension for her so that she could continue to work. The steel-framed windows are wrapped around the rooms to allow for light to pour in from the outside freely. From here, Frida could also look down into the garden, almost as if she was standing right in the middle of it. The blue of the walls on the exterior are so bright they reflects right into these rooms.

Painting Studio

Along the window is where Frida would work. She had a writing desk and an area for her easel where she would paint in her wheelchairs towards the end of her life. Today, her paints, brushes and pigments are all still laid out, as if awaiting her return. A mirror sits beside her workspaces, as she would frequently need it to paint the self-portraits she was famous for. She once said,

“I paint self-portraits because I am the person I know best. I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to and I paint whatever passes through my head without any consideration.”

Sitting on the easel in front of her wheelchair is a painting she never finished, entitled “Still Life With Flag“. Towards the end of her life, she didn’t have the same control over the brush as she once used did. Her refined techniques were not quite there but her craving to paint was unabated. The easel was actually a gift to Frida from Nelson Rockefeller who came to visit them in Mexico City before asking Diego to paint a mural for him in New York.

Book Collection

Along the walls of her studio are her collection of books. As a bibliophile, I spent way too long peering against the glass, trying to make out every single book cover and title. Kahlo, as expected, was obsessed with collecting antique books about Mexican culture and old atlas detailing the topography of the country. Inside the cabinets are also several precious items and souvenirs. When she was unable to walk, her friends would all come to visit her in bed. She would always ask them to bring something with them to remind her of the outside world. It helped with her connection to the world despite being so removed from it.

Cabinets of Curiosity

Hidden away in a cabinet are boxes and boxes of all the medications she had to take to deal with the pain she suffered from. In the cabinet are also dozens of bandages and other medical equipment. Here in her own house, it seemed like she had a mobile hospital of sorts. It’s truly incredible that in all this pain she could make so many beautiful things. I know when I’m ill I find it impossible to do almost anything. Truthfully, Frida has always been an inspiration to me during some of my more serious illnesses.

Thinking of all she managed to accomplish while suffering like she did would give me the strength I needed. On her walls of the studio is also a sizeable anatomical print of the “intra-uterine life of a fetus”. After Frida’s multiple miscarriages, she became obsessed with these images. Perhaps it was a way of processing what had happened to her. Like she was desperate to find meaning for her loss and that she wasn’t simply damned.

On the floor of this space, you’ll see several large colour trunks. These were what Frida’s clothing had been stashed away inside in those locked bathrooms.

Day Bedroom

Frida actually had two different bedrooms built for her in this space. A daytime bed and a night time bed. As the names suggest, one was made for sleeping, the other, for her to lie in while she convalesced. Frida’s bedroom was left much as it was the day she died. Her tiny, four-poster bed was installed with a mirror on top so she could still paint her own self-portraits without needing even to lift her head. You can see this mirror for yourself and picture her lying there, looking up at herself, wishing to be anywhere be there. On the walls at the foot of the bed, are a series of portraits of Lenin, Stalin, and Mao Tsetung. In the corner of the room are a pair of her old crutches.

As this was the bedroom where she would do her painting, there is still a side table with various paints and brushes at hands for her if inspiration would strike. On the wall, there is a small bookshelf with some of the books she was reading before she died. Above them a grouping of photos, one of which is a picture of herself taken by her lover photographer Nickolas Muray. Above her bed is a painting of what we can only assume is a dead child with a garland of purple poppies around the frame. Photo of children who past away were popular in the Victorian era, as a means of memorializing them. We can only assume who this child was to Frida. Perhaps it was a protector or the image of what she imagined one of her children to be if she had grown up even a little.

Death Mask

Sitting on her little daybed, wrapped in one of her favourite shawls, is Frida’s death mask. They change the shawls out throughout the year depending on the season, just as Frida herself would have changed her outfits up based on the time of year.

Night Bedroom

Her night bedroom feels a little more whimsical and, appropriately, dreamlike. Above the bed, looking down at her, instead of her own visage was a frame full of butterfly specimens given to her by Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. When asked about her disabilities Frida would often respond, “Feet, what do I need them for? If I have wings to fly.” Up with the butterflies were also a series of hanging dolls. Perhaps Frida saw herself in these dolls, flying above the world with the butterflies.

On her bed is a pillow, embroidered like the one in Diego’s room, with the words “Do not forget me, my love.”

Across from her bed, on a laced-topped table, is a headless pre-Columbian urn which contains her ashes. The urn is in the shape of a toad, which was her nickname for Diego. Even in death, she is literally inside of him.

In her night bedroom is a large green cabinet containing an extensive collection of her childhood toys. Green to Frida represented “good, warm light” and perhaps her childhood (before her polio) was one of the most cherished times of her life. Against the wall is a tiny bench with Frida’s name and the year 1910 written upon it. It is one of the only pieces of furniture from the previous household which remains.

In the corner of the room is a green and white coat rack, with little flowers dotting the surround. Upon it is one of Frida’s extra headscarves. You can imagine Frida standing here in the natural light of the morning, putting on layer up layer of clothing, jewellery and perfume, her mask to face the day.

Stairs down to the Garden

The stairs which lead back down to the garden are located opposite her daybed. The large doorway to the garden allowed for so much natural light to flood into Frida’s room so she could better see what she was painting. The stairs lead down to the reflecting pool where I imagine Frida would have come to sit and contemplate, the sound of nothing but the birds and the wind in the trees surrounding her. The truest peace she could find.

Visiting the Casa Azul, I genuinely think is as important as anything else you’ll do in Mexico City. Even if you don’t know of Frida or even perhaps aren’t interested in her artwork, this museum is so much more than a gallery. It’s a glimpse into the life of a woman who changed the future of females artists forever. She took it upon herself to preserve and share her love of Mexican indigenous cultures. And today, the image of Frida, in her traditional colourful dress and floral headpiece, is as iconic as the Mona Lisa.

Me and my Diego

The post The Ultimate Self-Guided Tour of Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul Museum first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.