You can easily spend a few hours perusing the exhibitions at Mérida’s Popular Art Museum. Admire the culturally diverse collection of traditional work from around the country and check out the current exhibitions.
Start with the revolving exhibitions in the gallery space on the ground level. Here you can see traditional techniques blended with the contemporary sensibility of local artists you never know what show you will stumble across. Enjoy themes such as “Alebrijes,” bright folk art sculptures of dream-like creatures. Mexico clearly has a wonderful way of keeping its culture alive.
Take your time to explore the museum’s permanent collection spread through the six rooms on the upper floor. These displays showcase some of the wonderful artistic practices from Yucatán and other Mexican states. See woven clothing and ceramics from places such as Chiapas and Michoacán and explore the legacy of local Mayan heritage. Read the accompanying signs to learn about the craftsmanship and technique that go into creating the colourfully embroidered clothing and clay pottery. The folk art pieces here range from exquisitely fine vases to humorous puppets. Each reflects the geography and character of its region.
Walk up to the elegant museum entry and you will notice the lovely architecture of this old lemon-yellow building. The Casa Molina is a stately neoclassical mansion that was designed by the Italian architect Enrico Deserti and completed in the early 1900s. According to local legend it was a rather generous wedding gift to Carmela Molina from her loving father. It has now been loaned to the Yucatán Cultural Institute and makes a fitting home for the artistry within. Pace the luxurious marble floors, admire the decorative doors and see the splendour that Yucatan’s nobility once enjoyed.
Check the opening times before you arrive at the museum, which is conveniently located in the historic centre of Mérida. Buy entry tickets at the door.
The Popular Art Museum is an excellent example of how the old and new are embraced in this exuberant country.
