Michoacan Regional Museum, Dr. Nicolas Leon Calderon

🏛️ The Dean of History 📜

If you are one of those travelers who are not content with just seeing, but want to understand, this place is for you. Located in a stunning 18th-century Baroque mansion, the Michoacán Regional Museum Dr. Nicolás León Calderón has the honor of being the oldest in the INAH Museum Network throughout the country.

The building itself is a museum piece. Built in 1775, was known as the Isidro Huarte's Mansion. Experts say it's the perfect example of what wealthy homes in old Valladolid were like: spacious courtyards, elegant arches, and a stately atmosphere that envelops you from the entrance.

👨‍⚕️ The Legacy of a Genius The museum is named after Dr. Nicolás León, a man who was everything at once: doctor, historian, anthropologist, and naturalist. He founded this museum on January 30, 1886, although at first the collection wandered “nomadic” between the College of San Nicolás and the Government Palace, until in 1915 He found his forever home in this mansion.

💎 Tesoros que no puedes perderte After its restoration in 2011, its 12 rooms shine with more than 300 pieces. Here's what to look for to make the most of your visit:

• The Table of Freedom: The original table where the signing of the Constitution of Apatzingán took place is on display hereYou're looking at the piece of furniture where Mexico's legal independence was enshrined! 🇲🇽

• The “Google Maps” of the 18th Century: There is a very famous painting called “Transfer of the Catherine nuns to their new convent”. It is the most visited piece because it functions like an old aerial photograph: it describes in great detail what the city and its people were like in the viceroyalty.

• La Relación de Michoacán: You can see illustrations of this vital document for us in Pátzcuaro, as it narrates the history and traditions of our Purépecha ancestors before the conquest.

• Familiar Faces: Look for portraits of characters you already feel close to, like Don Vasco de Quiroga and Melchor Ocampo.

🎨 Walls Also Speak Don't just look at the display cases, look at the walls. The building houses impressive murals that have survived the test of time, works by masters such as Alfredo Zalce (with his Defenders of national integrity), Federico Cantú and international artists such as Grace Greenwood and Philip Guston. An art gallery integrated into the architecture.

📍 Why visit it from Pátzcuaro? Because here the circle is complete. In Pátzcuaro, you experience the legacy of Vasco de Quiroga and the Purépecha Empire; in this museum, you see the documents, maps, and artifacts that validate that history. It's the perfect intellectual complement to feeling like a Michoacán expert before returning to relax.