Museo del Caracol

The “Snail Museum” is a spiral shaped building designed by the architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez.

It was made by the muralist José Chávez Morado and represents the fusion of two cultures (European and indigenous).

It is divided in four halls that are the final years of the viceroyalty, Miguel Hidalgo´s insurgency, Jose Maria Morelos participation, and the end of the Independence.

[5] The first part recreates scenes from Mexico with clay figures and scenographies made of wood and plastic.

This museum portrays how common life in New Spain was during the late years of the viceroyalty, when the first conspiracies against the crown took place.

It portrays the hard path that the country followed during the 19th century: interventionism, inside wars, territory loss.

It opened in 1960 by the president Adolfo López Mateos, with the objective of teach the modern history of Mexico, from the independence war to the Mexican Revolution.

When it was inaugurated, the secretary Torres Bodet explained that the museum had an education function that would be like “an open textbook” so that people would find it easy to understand.