Museo Regional de Guadalajara
Presents the capital city of Jalisco state and its long history in a splendid baroque setting. From the first settlers in the region to the most famous artists of the twentieth century, the daily life of contemporary ethnic groups, the "tiro" tombs (with air shafts), Western pre-history, and the highest forms of art from the vice-regal period.
The Regional Museum of Guadalajara can be found in the heart of the city, at number 60 Liceo Street. It is located in the former San José Tridentine Seminary, built towards the end of the eighteenth century, which stands out with its Baroque facade, central courtyard and beautiful staircase.
The building has seen a range of uses over time, including a prison and barracks during the Mexican War of Independence, and a boys’ high school at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1918, it was used for the first time as a museum, in 1939 it became part of the National Institute of Anthropology and History, and in 1976 it reopened with a new exhibition layout.
It presents both temporary and permanent, national and international, exhibits. Its collection is vast and comprises paleontological and archeological objects, a large art gallery and two collections, one historical and the other ethnographic. It is currently being redesigned in order to celebrate its centenary in 2018, for which a new outline and museography are being planned.
The San José Tridentine Seminary building is emblematic of the capital of Guadalajara. Its origins date back to 1743, when the bishop of Guadalajara, Juan Gómez de Parada, ordered its construction and by 1758 it was already in operation. The spacious and noble building, with its Baroque façade, occupies the block located immediately to the north-east of the Cathedral. It has a quadrangular floor and two levels. Isolated Tuscan-order columns are found in the main courtyard, surrounding the splendid cloisters. The main facade incorporates a niche with a sculpture of Saint Joseph, which is flanked by semi-circular pilasters whose shafts show coiling vines. A carving of Mexico’s National Eagle is found in the upper part, an emblem that was brought from the former University of Guadalajara in 1939. The second courtyard has a magnificent chapel with a single nave, an altar in the Neo-classical style and a small chancel with an entrance on the upper floor.
Towards the end of 1810, the college felt the effects of the Independence movement initiated by Miguel Hidalgo. With the aim of using rebel troops, commanded by José Antonio “the Master” Torres, to occupy Guadalajara’s central square, it was employed as a barracks. Classes were suspended from November 26, 1810 to January 14, 1811, during which time Father Hidalgo stayed in the city. At some point it was also used as a prison for the Spaniards, who it is said were later killed. Subsequently, when Hidalgo left, the building was converted into a warehouse and military barracks for the royalist troops.
The museum originates from 1914-1915, when Professor Ixca Farías took an interest in preserving the surviving works and objects of artistic merit from the churches and convents of Guadalajara. After the Constitutionalist army entered Guadalajara (July 8, 1914), Ixca Farías recognized the need to gather the works of arts from the occupied churches and houses to avoid their destruction or loss. He recalled that people from the town removed books and missals from the Cathedral of Guadalajara and took them to their homes, but at that time he did not have any authority to prevent these actions.
In his role as inspector of works of art in Guadalajara, between 1917 and 1918 Ixca Farías carried out an inventory of the religious works and objects from the city’s churches, with the purpose of assembling them at a given time and in a space suitable for their preservation. This goal was achieved on November 10, 1918, with the establishment of the Museum of Fine Art, today the Regional Museum of Guadalajara. The collection was enriched within a few months with an important collection of coins donated by General Manuel M. Diéguez, as well as some banknotes issued by the Constitutionalist governments during the years 1915-1917.
During the long period spanning from 1916 to 1980, Ixca Farías and José Guadalupe Zuno were central figures who, as directors, gave the museum its identity as a cultural establishment. Farías promoted fine art and the preservation of representations of popular culture, including Indigenous groups. Zuno, as well as being one of the founders of the University of Guadalajara, was involved in the nationalist movement in the arts, promoting the work of modern artists from Jalisco. Among his publications, “The Visual Arts in Jalisco” and “Don José María Estrada, Father of the Independence of Mexican Painting” are of interest.
Archaeology – Arqlo. Otto Schondübe
This is the second room of the tour. It displays archaeological collections from western Mexico.
Paleontology – Eng. Federico Solórzano
This is the first room and the starting point of the museum tour. It houses a collection of prehistoric animal bones.
17th-Century Painting
This gallery features a permanent collection of paintings created in Mexico during the three centuries of Spanish rule. These works were influenced by European schools and artists such as Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, among others.
José de Ibarra
This room houses a permanent display of works by José de Ibarra, one of the most prominent Mexican painters of the 18th century.
This room houses a permanent display of works by José de Ibarra, one of the most prominent Mexican painters of the 18th century.
Born in Guadalajara in 1685, José de Ibarra moved to Mexico City at the age of 16, where he trained in the workshop of Juan Correa. There he learned to prepare canvases, sketch compositions, and combine colors. He completed his artistic education with the Rodríguez Juárez brothers and passed his master’s exam before the Guild of Painters. During the first half of the 18th century, his workshop produced dozens of religious images for churches throughout Central and South America, earning him recognition as one of the master painters of New Spain.
Ethnography III
This gallery presents the complementary economic activities of the rural population. Since peasant households are not always self-sufficient, they often rely on temporary work such as fishing, gathering, and artisan crafts to support their livelihoods.
This gallery presents the complementary economic activities of the rural population. Since peasant households are not always self-sufficient, they often rely on temporary work such as fishing, gathering, and artisan crafts to support their livelihoods.
The land cultivated by Mexican peasants is subject not only to natural conditions but also to recurring debt through loans, technological dependencies, and market fluctuations. Under these circumstances, a family’s agricultural production rarely meets basic needs or offsets accumulated debt. As a result, peasants must take on additional work dictated by their region’s geography to supplement their income—without abandoning their agricultural responsibilities.
Ethnography IV
This exhibit offers a close look at the rich culture of the Wixárika people. The objects on display reflect both the simplicity of rural life and the depth of their spiritual knowledge.
This exhibit offers a close look at the rich culture of the Wixárika people. The objects on display reflect both the simplicity of rural life and the depth of their spiritual knowledge. The Wixárika are among the few Indigenous groups in Mexico that have preserved their ancestral traditions, maintaining a profound respect for life and the natural world. Their enduring way of life and strong sense of identity have kept their community united over time.
History of Jalisco II
This gallery presents a permanent display of objects that illustrate the historical development of the region during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Highlights include documents, paintings, and photographs.
This gallery presents a permanent display of objects that illustrate the historical development of the region during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Highlights include documents, paintings, and photographs.
This period includes Jalisco’s independent life as a state, the Reform War, the Porfiriato, and the Mexican Revolution. Jalisco played a central role in each of these events and was instrumental in shaping the liberal course of the country. The era was marked by national consolidation, the strict application of law, and ongoing political crises, as well as a flourishing of the arts, sciences, and educational reform.
18th-Century Painting
This room features a permanent exhibition of paintings from the so-called “New Spanish Baroque,” a mestizo art form that blends Indigenous and European traditions with remarkable originality and value.
This room features a permanent exhibition of paintings from the so-called “New Spanish Baroque,” a mestizo art form that blends Indigenous and European traditions with remarkable originality and value.
During the 18th century, New Spain’s economy flourished, which was reflected in the significant output of Mexican art. The high demand for religious paintings in New Spain and throughout the Americas led to collective work in the studios of renowned artists such as Miguel Cabrera, Diego de Cuentas, and José de Alzibar. Painters of this period fought to protect their professional rights and to offer formal artistic instruction, founding an association called La Maravilla Americana, inspired by similar European organizations. Later, they petitioned the Spanish crown to establish a Mexican painting academy.
a visitor’s book from the Regional Museum of Guadalajara
- DirecciónBeatriz Domínguez Plazamrguadalajaradireccion@inah.gob.mx+52 (33) 3613 27 03Comunicación EducativaEdith Márquez Ruelasmrguadalajaravisitas@inah.gob.mx+52 (333) 613 27 03
