An old orphanage turned into an art museum – Instituto Cultural Cabanas, Guadalajara, Mexico

Many people would not normally describe a building as particularly “special” (unless you build it!) However; There is a very special building in the cosmopolitan city of Guadalajara, Mexico that is certainly worthy of the title.

As you enter the Cabañas Cultural Institute, you will find this to be true because of the building’s rich history and also because the Institute houses some of the most fascinating Mexican murals by the late and brilliant muralist José Clemente Orozco.

The building is named after its founder and financial sponsor, Bishop Juan Ruiz de Cabañas.

Something so endearing about this wonderful treasure in Guadalajara is that it was originally built to provide a home for the orphans, the poor, the disabled, and the elderly.

It’s no wonder it became a World Heritage Site in 1997 and many may describe it as “just stunning!”

The Cabañas Cultural Institute is affectionately known to many of Guadalajara’s elders by its former name of Hospicio Cabañas (Cabañas Orphanage). If you ask many of them, one or two may fondly recall passing by and seeing young children playing happily.

The construction of this special building began in the early 19th century under the supervision of the architect Manuel Tulsa and its doors were opened in 1810 to the first orphans while they were still under construction. Unfortunately, construction had to be temporarily stopped due to the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821) and was not finished until around 1845.

In 1937, the government invited José Clemente Orozco (a native of Jalisco) to paint the Institute’s chapel, which he later completed in 1939.

The Cabañas Cultural Institute is now used as a cultural promotion center and offers classes and tours of Orozco’s impressive large-scale murals, including his world-famous El Hombre de Fuego (Fire Man) mural.