“La Esquina”, Museum of Popular Mexican Toys, represents the Foundation for Conservation of “The Juguete Popular Mexicano AC”, located in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, it is one of the few museums in Latin America that specializes in permanently displaying approximately three thousand craft handmade toys in four permanent and one temporary galleries, highlighting its artistic qualities as an expression of creativity and cultural diversity.
Angélica Tijerina Collection
In order to spread its collection that features more than one thousand objects, this first in its genre country-wide museum was created to permanently-wise exhibit this rustic toy heritage acquired byAngélica Tijerina over the course of fifty years. The toys are considered samples of the artisans production history in México.
The collection showcases toys made out of a wide array of different materials, such as pottery, paper, wood, vegetable fibers, metalwork, textiles and other commodities and branches of national handicraft production that shows the cultural richness of Mexican toys all around Mexico, full of creativity, color, wit, identity and sense of fun and festive folk traditions.
Professor Angelica Tijerina of Perez Salinas, has a Master’s degree in Spanish Literature from the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, she is currently the President of the Foundation for the Conservation of “Juguete Popular Mexicano A.C.” and Director of “La Esquina” Museum of the Popular Mexican Toy. She is also author of the books: “Las aristas del sueño”, “Hojas de mas” and “Disolvencias”. As a full- time collector, she devotes all her energy to promoting artists’ work by spreading their art work and promoting public recognition for the Mexican toy.
The craftsmen that exhibit their work at the Museum have been specially selected by the quality of their toys, representatives of their regions and masters of the techniques and materials that give them identity.
Luis Acuña is a man who picks up cardboard in the streets, Rogelio Cruz makes miniature figures in openwork wood, Guillermo Trejo invents with ingenious mechanisms, wooden games for the delight of children and adults, Martin Estrada uses tin to create carts, tricycles or colored trumpets with aniline.
All these individuals have something in common, they strive everyday for the conservation of the cultural richness of the popular traditional Mexican toys.
Working Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday from 10 to 18 hrs.
Hours Sundays 11 to 16 hrs.
Admission:
General admissions: $100.00
Children 3 to 12 years old: $50.00
Students and teachers: $50.00
Discount applies for students and teachers with institutional credentials.
Discount applies for adults with INAPAM credentials.
