Discover the Magic of the Frida Kahlo Museum: A Must-Visit in Mexico City

When I first arrived in Mexico City in 2013, I was a tourist who quickly became a lover of all Mexican things and later became a resident of this country that enchanted me. One of the main attractions to see (besides the central Zócalo, the Teotihuacan Pyramids, etc.—I will talk about them in another blog entry) was Coyoacán. This little town in the south of the city still retains its old-town charm with cobblestone streets, a 15th-century main church, hacienda-like houses instead of tall modern buildings, and beautiful Spanish-era architecture. It is most famous for being Frida Kahlo’s neighborhood.

Main entrance at Frida Kahlo Museum

When I arrived, I took a bus to Coyoacán and went straight to the Frida Kahlo Museum, known as the Blue House (you’ll understand the name as soon as you see it). At the entrance, I bought my ticket and a photo permit (yes, you have to pay extra if you want to take pictures inside) and immersed myself in the museum.

I won’t say much about the museum to avoid spoiling it. In these times where you can know everything before experiencing it, surprises are rare but much needed. I will just say that it is a different kind of museum because it was the house of Frida Kahlo’s family. Besides seeing her artwork, you can feel how she lived, understand what a Mexican house was like in those days, appreciate the colors, the pre-Hispanic influence, and walk through the different moments of her life.

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It is not a big museum, but if you research Frida before coming, you will have a much deeper understanding of the many details hidden within. Today, 11 years later, the Frida Kahlo Museum has become so famous that it is the second most visited museum in Mexico, after the National Museum of Anthropology (don’t miss this one!). This has led to many restrictions on visiting, which can frustrate your plans if you do not organize your visit in advance.

Tickets can no longer be bought at the museum; you must buy them online with a specific time of visit. There is a fixed number of visitors allowed at each time to avoid crowds and make the visit enjoyable, but this also means many people cannot visit. Tickets generally sell out from one day to the next and are mostly sold out days in advance on weekends and during peak seasons and holidays. So, I strongly recommend organizing your visit in advance.

IMPORTANT FACT THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW: With your Entrance ticket you can visit Anahauacalli Museum for free. It is Diego Rivera’s private colletion of prehispanic pieces. An amazing place to go!!!

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Nowadays, everyone is crazy about the Frida Kahlo Museum, maybe because of the Salma Hayek movie or this new era in which a female icon like Frida has gained a lot of strength and respect. Her life story is indeed impressive: she overcame many health issues, married a world-famous womanizer artist, and constantly pushed the boundaries for women of her time. So, yes, a visit to her museum is a must-see when you come to Mexico City. But do not forget to explore the Coyoacán area more deeply. There are many spots to visit, like the old, beautiful little churches telling the story of pre-Hispanics living in Coyoacán (which is actually a Nahuatl word that means “Place of Coyotes”) when the Spaniards arrived. You can also find statues of Frida and Diego to take pictures with, try delicious quesadillas in the local market, and get lost in its little cobblestone alleys. There are so many things to discover in Coyoacán.

Inside Frida Kahlo Museum

A good option to discover these hidden places in Coyoacán is to book a tour that includes the Frida Kahlo Museum ticket (which, as you have read, is somewhat complicated) and a visit to Coyoacán with a local guide who will show you around and explain why Coyoacán is such an unmissable and picturesque place to visit.

You can BUY YOUR FRIDA KAHLO TICKETS HERE

You can BOOK A BIKE TOUR that is an awesome way to do a complete discovering Coyoacan&Frida Kahlo museum day

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FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUM Special Edition entrance

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