The building itself is a striking piece of architecture designed by award-winning, Japanese architect Toyo Ito.
The city of Puebla, which in colonial times was the second most important city in New Spain, is filled with Baroque buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum, however, deals with much more than Baroque art and architecture in Puebla or even Mexico. It looks at the Baroque era internationally and deals with all of its aspects... painting, sculpture, architecture, decorative arts, clothing, literature, music and science. Don't expect to see any paintings by artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens or Velázquez. There are quite a few objects that are well-done replicas. Nevertheless, this is a very impressive and superbly organized, multi-media museum which presents two-centuries of Western culture.
Here are a few photos of objects from the museum...
Most of one room is filled with a model of what Puebla looked like in the 1700s.
A carved and painted alabaster figure of St. Michael the Archangel
Carved and gilded wooden pillars from a building in a former Portuguese colony in India
With Alejandro in front of it, you can appreciate the size of this painting which once stood in the stairwell of a religious institution in Puebla.
A monstrance from Mérida, Yucatán
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I of England by an unknown 16th century painter
Next to her is a portrait of her nemesis, King Phillip II of Spain.
A lacquered sewing case from Michoacán, Mexico
A landscape painting by an unknown European painter
An 18th century carving of St. Dominic from Guatemala
A wooden carving of Mary with the Apostles from 17th century Germany
A lady´s fan from Europe
A chest and armoire from 18th century Germany
A bedroom furnished with Portuguese antiques
All of the information and labels are written in English as well as Spanish. I recommend this unique museum to anyone with an interest in art or history.
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