The museum is located inside the Ex-Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán located in the Barrio del Cerrillo, one of the most traditional and representative of the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, and is attached to the Temple of Santo Domingo, whose cover is cataloged as one of the best examples of the Baroque in Latin America. Overall, it is one of the most representative examples of religious architecture in the country. In addition to its religious vocation, the colonial building was the headquarters of a military barracks in the government of Venustiano Carranza and an important setting during the Cristero era. As a museum space it was consolidated in 1988, with the support of the historian Jan de Vos and his wife Emma Cosío.

The enclosure has in its rooms a renewed museographic discourse. The curatorship is committed to showing the future of the region through archaeological, colonial and 19th century collections. Pre-Hispanic pieces, recovered in excavations carried out in the 20th century, objects that refer to the colonization and evangelization of the area, the founding of the city and the development of San Cristóbal de las Casas in New Spain, are part of the collection exhibited in Downstairs. Towards the end of the tour, the role that the Ex Convent of Santo Domingo has played in the life of the so-called coletos gentilicio of the inhabitants of San Cristóbal de las Casas from its foundation to its transformation into a cultural center and museum will be shown. The first floor encompasses a brief upper hall and unified to the temporary exhibition hall, interactive room, video room and a dry textile workshop. In the same way, it has a permanent room that exhibits three collections of textiles, where the one assembled by Francisco Pellizzi is notable; They also include the Collection of Contemporary Textiles and Objects, as well as the collection of Guatemalan textiles and other regions entitled Textile Center of the Mayan World. After two years of remodeling work and change of museography, the site was reopened on October 31, 2012.

This museum in San Cristóbal de las Casas exhibits more than 100 clothing that represent the different indigenous populations of Chiapas (Tzotziles, Tojolabales and Lacandones). Jewelry, musical instruments, clothing accessories, religious objects, hats, masks, statuettes and animal skins complement the exhibition.

Services

Temporary exhibitions
Audience
Library
Miniguide
Guided visits
Educational workshops
Summer courses and counseling for schoolchildren (by appointment)

 Foundation date November 1, 1998.