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Museums of Tlaxcala

Tlaxcala has a wide array of cultural spaces; its museums curate varied and authentic collections. To visit them, head to the heart of the capital where Museo Vivo de Artes sits. This living art museum is located in a building that served as government offices from 1951 to 1985, but now lets you see artisans deep in their creative work. These artisans also serve as guides. The museum aims to spotlight the evolutionary process of Tlaxcala’s artisanal work. Close by is the Art Museum of Tlaxcala, housed in a 19th-century structure. Currently, it shows a valuable art collection that includes the early, little-known work of Frida Kahlo, created between 1923 and 1927.

Just a few feet away in a beautiful 16th-century mansion is the Museum of Memory, inaugurated in 1999. An interactive museum, it offers a trip through Tlaxcala’s history, from the pre-Hispanic era to the 19th century. Next is Miguel N. Lira Museum, set in what was once the Talleres Gráficos del Estado, the state’s print shop. A large part of its former printing press still lives here. The museum’s mission is to publicize, rescue, preserve, and research the life of Tlaxcalan writer, poet, playwright, and editor Miguel Nicolás Lira Álvarez, a good friend of Frida Kahlo.

Next to the cathedral stands the Regional Museum of Tlaxcala, exhibiting utilitarian and ceremonial pieces from Xochitécatl, Cacaxtla, Ocotelulco, and Tizatlán archeological sites. Farther north, appears the Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin Museum. Its three galleries display temporary exhibitions featuring artists from the state Tlaxcala.

Cultural

Family

Location

Plaza Xicohténcatl, Avenida Independencia, Centro, Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl, Tlax., México

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