The Anahuacalli Museum is a sanctuary created by Diego Rivera to safeguard the collection of pre-Hispanic archaeological pieces that the artist collected during his lifetime and made available to the Mexican people so that everyone could admire them.
Why visit the Anahuacalli Museum?
The main building of the Anahuacalli is a sculptural work in itself: inspired by the Aztec and Mayan pyramids, it is a representation of the pre-Hispanic worldview.
It has three levels alluding to the underworld, the earthly plane, and the celestial plane. In the underworld section, you will see pre-Hispanic pieces, a selection from the collection that Diego Rivera preserved as a cultural legacy for Mexicans.
On the earthly level, you can see sketches of Diego Rivera’s murals, including sketches of “Man at the Crossroads,” the iconic mural Rivera worked on under commission from Nelson Rockefeller before it was destroyed.
Photo: courtesy of the Anahuacalli Museum
In the upper world, you will appreciate beautiful mosaic murals and you will be able to access the terrace where you will see an incredible view of Pedregal and the south of Mexico City.
At the same time, each of the four corners is dedicated to one of the four elements and their deities: Chicomecóatl, the earth; Ehécatl for the wind; Tláloc has the corner of water; and Huehuetéotl for fire.
It is built with the same volcanic stone from Pedregal, but one of the most impressive parts are its mosaic ceilings. During its construction, Diego Rivera experimented with making mosaics with stones. When the artist died, his friend and architect Juan O’Gorman and his daughter Ruth Rivera continued the construction of this space. We owe O’Gorman the Mexican stone mosaic in the Central Library of the UNAM.
Photo: courtesy of the Anahuacalli Museum
The history of Anahuacalli
Diego Rivera began the Anahuacalli project in 1942, hoping to create a city of the arts on land that he and Frida owned in Coyoacán. It would consist of seven buildings, but Rivera died before the first one was even completed.
The museum opened its doors in 1964, and in 2021, the new collection storage facility, workshop spaces, and terraces were opened, giving rise to the project to revive the idea of the City of Arts. This allowed Anahuacalli to open its doors to many more people through workshops, classes, and even its café and store.
Calendar of activities 2026
- Liberating dance— the first Sunday of every month.
- Poetics of touch: improvisational dance— every Saturday from February 7 to 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Cardboard crafts: Between Bones and Paper— every Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Anahuacalli Choir— every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., free admission.
- Introductory class to meditation and mindfulness— February 28 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., free admission.
- Anahuacalli Ceramics School: Fire Workshop – every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Prices, opening hours, and location of Anahuacalli
The Anahuacalli Museum is located at Calle Museo 150, San Pablo Tepetlapa. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
General admission is $130 pesos. However, if you have Mexican identification, the ticket will cost $100, or students and teachers will pay $40. For seniors and children under 12, the ticket costs $25. You can purchase tickets in advance on this page.