Things to See and Do in Mexico City #4: Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo
Behind a wall of cacti, in the municipality of Alvaro Obregon, Mexico City, stands one of the most famous house museums in Mexico, the "Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo", the House-Studio Museum of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.
It was designed by Juan O'Gorman, one of the most prominent painters and architects of the 20th century.
Commissioned by Diego Rivera himself, O´Gorman designed one of Latin America's first functionalist architectural structures: a studio house for Diego and another for his wife, Frida Kahlo. Construction was completed in 1932, but it wasn't until 1934 that the couple moved in after returning from three years in the USA.
It was in this house that Frida Kahlo created her best works: Lo que el agua me dió (What the Water Gave Me), El ojo avizor (The Watchful Eye) and El difunto Dimas (The Dead Dimas).
Commissioned by Diego Rivera himself, O´Gorman designed one of Latin America's first functionalist architectural structures: a studio house for Diego and another for his wife, Frida Kahlo. Construction was completed in 1932, but it wasn't until 1934 that the couple moved in after returning from three years in the USA.
It was in this house that Frida Kahlo created her best works: Lo que el agua me dió (What the Water Gave Me), El ojo avizor (The Watchful Eye) and El difunto Dimas (The Dead Dimas).
Diego Rivera's bedroom:
I loved the enormous, light-filled studio of Diego's part of the house and the rooftop bridge that connected to Kahlo's part.
Miss CDMX on the rooftop of the House-Studio Museum of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo:
The original photography studio, now the bathrooms for visitors, and the rear of the blue house of Frida Kahlo showing the rooftop bridge linking the two houses and the external staircase:
They had a rocky relationship and Kahlo only lived there sporadically.
Following the death of her father Guillermo Kahlo, Frida Kahlo eventually moved back to her father's house, the now famous The Blue House in Coyoacán, in April 1941, where she remained until her death on July 14, 1954.
Diego Rivera, lived in this house until he died in November 1957. It is where he produced most of his easel work - around three thousand pieces - and also kept his collection of Judas and Calaveras, as well as part of his collection of pre-Hispanic art and Mexican crafts. After Rivera's death, in April 1981, the Federal Government assigned custody of the property to the INBA (National Institute of Fine Arts).
Model of the House-Studio Museum of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo:
Following the death of her father Guillermo Kahlo, Frida Kahlo eventually moved back to her father's house, the now famous The Blue House in Coyoacán, in April 1941, where she remained until her death on July 14, 1954.
Diego Rivera, lived in this house until he died in November 1957. It is where he produced most of his easel work - around three thousand pieces - and also kept his collection of Judas and Calaveras, as well as part of his collection of pre-Hispanic art and Mexican crafts. After Rivera's death, in April 1981, the Federal Government assigned custody of the property to the INBA (National Institute of Fine Arts).
Model of the House-Studio Museum of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo:
Model of the House-Studio Museum of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, showing the studio of Diego Rivera and, in the foreground, the Juan O'Gorman Studio, with the floor-to-ceiling windows
How to get to the Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo House-Studio Museum
The easiest way from the centre of Mexico City is to take the Metrobus, line 1 and get off at Metrobus Altavista and walk the last bit, which will take 15 minutes +/-.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5.30 pm
Entrance ticket: 45 pesos (cash only) - Sunday is free
Entrance ticket: 45 pesos (cash only) - Sunday is free
Check the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FINE ARTS AND LITERATURE and Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Studio Museum websites for more details.
