The Rafael Coronel Museum

Mask in the Rafael Coronel Museum

The Rafael Coronel Museum is located in the former convent of San Francisco in Zacatecas, Mexico. The convent was founded in 1567, and was burned in 1648. The structure gradually declined. Restoration began in 1949.

Rafael Coronel is a painter, and a son in law of Diego Rivera. The museum contains his collection of masks, Diego Rivera drawings, and pre-hispanic art. More than 16,000 pieces are contained in the museum.

The museum is often called the “Museum of Masks” as the majority of the collection is made up of masks. It costs $30 pesos to enter.

The masks and art are pretty interesting, but the building itself is also worth seeing.  You can enter the grounds and wander around without paying the entry fee.  The day we arrived, it was lightly raining so we spent some time both inside and outside.  I enjoyed the ruins of the building.  There are some more photos of the building and the exhibits below.  As always, click an image to see a larger version.

Ex-Convent of San Francisco, Zacatecas

Ex-Convent of San Francisco, Zacatecas

Ex-Convent of San Francisco, Zacatecas

Ex-Convent of San Francisco, Zacatecas

Ex-Convent of San Francisco, Zacatecas

Puppets in the Rafael Coronel Museum

Masks in the Rafael Coronel Museum

Masks in the Rafael Coronel Museum

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