The Museo del Estanquillo ("Museum of the Little Shop") is located in the

Historic Center of Mexico City The historic center of Mexico City (), also known as the Centro or Centro Histórico, is the central neighborhood in Mexico City, Mexico, focused on the Zócalo (or main plaza) and extending in all directions for a number of blocks, with its fart ...

, Mexico. The museum houses the personal collection of the writer

Carlos Monsivais Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...

, encompassing paintings, photography, toys, albums, calendars, advertising and books.

History of the Museum

For more than 30 years, Carlos Monsivais was dedicated to collecting about 20,000 objects, which have been grouped into photography, miniature models; drawings and cartoons; engravings and everyday life. Overall, the collection is centered on the life of Mexico and folk art. RiusEstanquillo

The idea for a museum was supported by

Rafael Barajas Rafael may refer to: * Rafael (given name) or Raphael, a name of Hebrew origin * Rafael, California Fiction * ''Rafael'' (TV series), a Mexican telenovela * ''Rafaël'' (film), a 2018 Dutch film People * Rafael (footballer, born 1978) ( ...

, Carlos Payan,

Carlos Slim Carlos Slim Helú (; born 28 January 1940) is a Mexican business oligarch, investor, and philanthropist. From 2010 to 2013, Slim was ranked as the richest person in the world by ''Forbes'' business magazine. He derived his fortune from his e ...

and the then mayor,

Andrés Manuel López Obrador Andrés Manuel López Obrador (; born 13 November 1953), also known by his initials AMLO, is a Mexican former politician, political scientist, public administrator and writer who served as the 65th president of Mexico from 2018 to 2024. He se ...

. The name was coined by Carlos Monsivais himself, since his collection includes various, diverse objects, like a small sundries shop, or ''estanquillo''. The museum opened on November 23, 2006, with the exhibition, ''En orden de aparición'' about the identity of the capital from Colonial times to the present day. It is supported by municipal funds.

History of the Building

The museum is located in the La Esmeralda building on the corner of Isabel La Católica Street and

Madero Street Francisco I. Madero Avenue, commonly known as simply Madero Street, is a geographically and historically significant pedestrian street of Mexico City and a major thoroughfare of the Historic center of Mexico City, historic city center. It has an e ...

. It was home to the late nineteenth century jeweler La Esmeralda Hauser-Zivy and company. Throughout the twentieth century the building had several twists, from jewelry shop to government office, then to a bank; and even hosted the nightclub ''La Opulencia''. Today, it also houses a record store.

References

{{Authority control Historic center of Mexico City Landmarks in Mexico City Museums in Mexico City National Monuments of Mexico