Leon Trotsky House Museum - Mexico City
Posted: January 13, 2025 | Tagged: Mexico, Mexico City
Lev Davidovich Bronstein, better known as Leon Trotsky, was a Soviet politician, revolutionary, and political theorist. He spent the final years of his life in exile in Mexico before being assassinated in his home, which was turned into a house museum: The Leon Trotsky House Museum.
Lev Davidovich Bronstein, better known as Leon Trotsky, was a Soviet politician, revolutionary, and political theorist. He played a notable part in the 1905 Revolution, the October Revolution of 1917, the Russian Civil War, and establishment of the Soviet Union. Trotsky was a Marxist and a Leninist, and his thought inspired a school of Marxism known as Trotskyism.
Leon Trotsky was born in Ukraine on November 7, 1879 then part of the Russian Empire. He joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1898 and was arrested for revolutionary activities and exiled to Siberia, but escaped to London in 1902, where he met Lenin.
During the failed 1905 Revolution, Trotsky returned to Russia and was elected chairman of the Saint Petersburg Soviet. He was again exiled to Siberia, but escaped in 1907 and spent time in London, Vienna, Switzerland, Paris, and New York. After the February Revolution of 1917 Trotsky returned to Russia and joined the Bolsheviks and played an important role in the October Revolution.
After Lenin's death in 1924, Trotsky emerged as the most prominent critic of Joseph Stalin, who had Trotsky expelled from the Politburo in 1926 and from the party in 1927, internally exiled to Alma Ata in 1928, and deported in 1929. He lived in Turkey, France, and Norway before settling in Mexico in 1937.
Leon Trotsky was born in Ukraine on November 7, 1879 then part of the Russian Empire. He joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1898 and was arrested for revolutionary activities and exiled to Siberia, but escaped to London in 1902, where he met Lenin.
During the failed 1905 Revolution, Trotsky returned to Russia and was elected chairman of the Saint Petersburg Soviet. He was again exiled to Siberia, but escaped in 1907 and spent time in London, Vienna, Switzerland, Paris, and New York. After the February Revolution of 1917 Trotsky returned to Russia and joined the Bolsheviks and played an important role in the October Revolution.
After Lenin's death in 1924, Trotsky emerged as the most prominent critic of Joseph Stalin, who had Trotsky expelled from the Politburo in 1926 and from the party in 1927, internally exiled to Alma Ata in 1928, and deported in 1929. He lived in Turkey, France, and Norway before settling in Mexico in 1937.
Leon Trotsky arrived in Mexico on January 9, 1937, with his wife Natalia Sedova. He had been granted asylum by then-president Lázaro Cárdenas at the request of fellow communist and renowned Mexican muralist: Diego Rivera.
The couple had lived at the family home of Rivera's wife, Frida Kahlo, the Casa Azul, until they moved out in April 1939 after Rivera criticised Trotsky's ideology and writings. Kahlo had also had a brief affair with Trotsky during his time there.
They moved to what is now known as the Trotsky House Museum (Museo Casa de León Trotsky) on Calle Viena, where Trotsky was assassinated in August 1940 by Stalinist agent Ramón Mercader.
In December 1940, the Mexican government purchased the house to provide Natalia Sedova with sufficient resources to live on and to allow her to stay there for as long as she wanted. The house remained her home until her death in France in 1962.
The study in which Trotsky was assassinated, remains exactly as it was, including the papers and the books in their exact positions:
The couple had lived at the family home of Rivera's wife, Frida Kahlo, the Casa Azul, until they moved out in April 1939 after Rivera criticised Trotsky's ideology and writings. Kahlo had also had a brief affair with Trotsky during his time there.
They moved to what is now known as the Trotsky House Museum (Museo Casa de León Trotsky) on Calle Viena, where Trotsky was assassinated in August 1940 by Stalinist agent Ramón Mercader.
In December 1940, the Mexican government purchased the house to provide Natalia Sedova with sufficient resources to live on and to allow her to stay there for as long as she wanted. The house remained her home until her death in France in 1962.
The study in which Trotsky was assassinated, remains exactly as it was, including the papers and the books in their exact positions:
The study where Trotsky worked 10 hours a day, with a bed where he took regular breaks from writing. On the desk is the manuscript of his biography on Stalin, which remained unfinished:
It was turned into a museum in 1990 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Leon Trotsky.
Troksy T-Shirts on sale at the Leon Trotsky House Museum:
The house has seven rooms: the kitchen, the dining room, a bathroom, Trotsky's study, Sedova's office, Trotsky and Sedova's bedroom and the bedroom of Esteban Volkov, Trotsky's grandson.
The garden is filled with tropical flowers and cacti that Trotsky collected, as well as his chicken coups and rabbit hatches. In the centre of the garden is a stone stele designed by Juan O’Gorman (the architecture behind the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo House/Studio Museum), containing Trotsky's ashes and those of his wife. Above the stele is a flagpole with the Soviet flag.
How to get to the Leon Trotsky's House Museum
The easiest way from the centre of Mexico City is to take the Metro Linea 3 to Coyoacán then walk the last bit, which will take you 20 minutes or so.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Entrance ticket: 70 pesos
Av. Río Churubusco 410
Del Carmen
Coyoacán
04100 Ciudad de México.
CDMX
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Entrance ticket: 70 pesos
Av. Río Churubusco 410
Del Carmen
Coyoacán
04100 Ciudad de México.
CDMX