Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, Palacio de Cortés
Among the many stately homes of the Viceroyalty in Mexico is this home of the chief Conquistador, Hernán Cortés, in the capital of his vast domain. The history of the State of Morelos from the pre-Hispanic past up to the Revolution is shown through a varied collection of valuable objects and eloquent remains.
The building itself, as well as the heritage within it, describe the history of the state of Morelos from the Preclassic period to the Revolution. The Cuauhnáhuac Regional Museum occupies the imposing Palace of Cortés, one of the oldest government buildings preserved in Mexico (the first stage of its construction was completed in 1535).
An iconic monument in the city of Cuernavaca, Hernán Cortés had it built as a family residence and seat of the Marquisate of the Valley of Oaxaca. It has been put to different uses over the years, including that of jail and seat of the state government, until February 2, 1974, when it was converted into a museum and cultural center. Its interior preserves an important collection of paleontological, archeological, historical and artistic pieces. The rooms on the first floor are dedicated to the different periods of the pre-Hispanic past, while on the second floor we can appreciate the course of history from the arrival of the Spanish until the present day.
First floor: Rooms 1 and 2. Migration routes, the first inhabitants. Room 3. Chalcatzingo, the Olmecs. Room 4. The influence of Teotihuacan on the Classic period. Room 5. Xochicalco. Room 6. Pictographic writing, Tetecala, cave paintings. Room 7. Tepoztlán. Room 8. Tlahuica domains. Room 9. The Tlahuica and the Mexican conquest. Room 10. The Conquest.
Second floor: Room 1. Contributions of the Old World. Room 2. The encomienda, social and political power in New Spain. Room 3. The Marquisate. Room 4. Trade with the Orient. Room 5. Religious colonization and colonial painting. Room 6. Religious expansion in Morelos. Room 7. The textile industry. Room 8. The War of Independence and formation of the Republic. Room 9. The Porfiriato. Room 10. The Revolution and ethnography of Morelos.
There is an important mural by Diego Rivera in the second-floor terrace gallery.
Paisaje de un objeto
Room dedicated to exhibiting significant works from the museum's collections and the work behind their study and conservation. The space includes an 18th-century wood-carved sculpture of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception.
Paisaje de un objeto
Room dedicated to exhibiting significant works from the museum's collections and the work behind their study and conservation. The space includes an 18th-century wood-carved sculpture of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception.
Biodiversidad
Bioculturalidad
Pueblos de maíz y piedra
El fenómeno olmeca
Arqueología
Courtyard
The courtyard preserves evidence of four construction phases carried out by the Tlahuica people, documented through archaeological site plans and references. However, only the last two phases are visible to the public today.
Courtyard
The courtyard preserves evidence of four construction phases carried out by the Tlahuica people, documented through archaeological site plans and references. However, only the last two phases are visible to the public today.
Most of the visible Tlahuica construction corresponds to Phase III, which was later covered by Phase IV. This final stage was destroyed by Spanish conquistadors during their conquest and submission of the local ruler of Cuauhnáhuac.
Interior Courtyard
Features notable architectural remnants from Tlahuica construction phases III and IV, offering a glimpse into the region’s pre-Hispanic past.
Terrace Gallery of Diego Rivera’s Mural “History of Morelos: Conquest and Revolution”
This monumental mural visually narrates the history of the state of Morelos, highlighting regional heroes such as Emiliano Zapata and José María Morelos y Pavón. It is considered one of Diego Rivera’s most significant large-scale works. Painted between 1927 and 1930, it was commissioned by U.S.
Terrace Gallery of Diego Rivera’s Mural “History of Morelos: Conquest and Revolution”
This monumental mural visually narrates the history of the state of Morelos, highlighting regional heroes such as Emiliano Zapata and José María Morelos y Pavón. It is considered one of Diego Rivera’s most significant large-scale works. Painted between 1927 and 1930, it was commissioned by U.S. Ambassador Dwight D. Morrow.
Rivera skillfully integrated the mural into the architecture of the terrace, using arches and doorways as frames for his historical storytelling. The work is composed of vibrant color panels, each accompanied below by grisaille scenes that complement the main narrative. Rivera drew inspiration from codices such as the "Matrícula de Tributos" and the "Lienzo de Tlaxcala", from the writings of Friar Bernardino de Sahagún, and from pre-Hispanic artifacts now housed in the National Museum of Anthropology.
- DirecciónRodolfo Candelas Castañedarodolfo_candelas@inah.gob.mx+52 (777) 312 8171 ext. 258101AdministraciónLaura Elena Fuentes Ayalalaura_fuentes@inah.gob.mx+52 (777) 312 8171 ext. 258104
