Museo Vivo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares

East of Mexico City


This small, neglected arts museum has dusty displays on Tlaxcalan village life, agave, weaving and pulque-making, sometimes with demonstrations. Artisans serve as guides to the more than 3000 artifacts on display. The cafe and handicrafts next door at the affiliated Casa de Artesanías are also worth a look.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby East of Mexico City attractions

1. Casa de Artesanías

0.01 MILES

The handicrafts at this museum and store are collected from the Tlaxcala and Puebla region and focus on quality. Pieces include clay pottery and hand…

2. Parroquia de San José

0.2 MILES

Off the northwest corner of the zócalo is the orange-stucco and blue-tile Parroquia de San José, ringed with fountains. As elsewhere in the centro…

3. Palacio de Justicia

0.22 MILES

The 16th-century building on the plaza's northwest side is the Palacio de Justicia, the former Capilla Real de Indios, built for the use of indigenous…

4. Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

0.23 MILES

This fantastic small contemporary-art museum houses an excellent cache of early Frida Kahlo paintings that were returned to the museum after several years…

5. Palacio Municipal

0.26 MILES

The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain storehouse, occupies the north side of the zócalo.

6. Zócalo

0.28 MILES

It’s easy to pass an afternoon reading or just people-watching in Tlaxcala’s shady, spacious zócalo. The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain…

7. Palacio de Gobierno

0.3 MILES

Inside the Palacio de Gobierno there are color-rich murals of Tlaxcala's history by Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin. His style is vividly realistic and…

8. Museo de la Memoria Tlaxcala

0.33 MILES

This modern history museum looks at folklore through a multimedia lens and has well-presented exhibits on indigenous government, agriculture and…

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