Mexico: Guadalajara – Hospicio Cabañas

It was one of those mornings that seem to vanish without warning. By the time we’d gathered ourselves and left Hotel Plaza Dalí, it was already well into the afternoon—2:30, to be exact. Still, it seemed worth salvaging the day with something purposeful, so we made for the Hospicio Cabañas. I’d had my eye on it since we arrived in Guadalajara. Luckily, it was just a 20-minute walk from the hotel, and even better, we found out on arrival that entrance was free on Tuesdays. The weather was warm, but not uncomfortable—ideal for a walk and a few hours indoors.

The Hospicio Cabañas is more than just a museum. Originally established in 1810 by the Bishop of Guadalajara, it was conceived as an enormous charitable institution—a place that would function simultaneously as a hospital, an orphanage, a workhouse and an almshouse. It was named after Juan Ruiz de Cabañas, who commissioned the celebrated architect Manuel Tolsá from Mexico City to design the complex. Tolsá took inspiration from the grand institutional structures of Europe, namely Les Invalides in Paris and El Escorial near Madrid. The architecture reflects this lineage, with its formal symmetry and sober elegance. Although it continued to house orphans well into the late 20th century, today it serves as a cultural centre, housing galleries that range from classical works to modern installations.

Our visit began with an exhibition on José Clemente Orozco, the acclaimed Mexican muralist. Alongside his oil paintings was a scientific analysis of his techniques—perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea, but I found the combination of art and research quietly fascinating. Nearby was a digital exhibition on Roman mosaics. The mosaics themselves hadn’t been transported, but through thoughtful projections, the exhibit captured their essence rather well. As we wandered deeper into the vast, echoing halls, we came across smaller galleries tucked into corners and courtyards. Many displayed modern works, including an excellent photographic series featuring 200 images taken across Jalisco. From local festivals to remote landscapes, it offered a strong sense of place. Eventually, we returned to the main chapel for what is undoubtedly the museum’s centrepiece—Orozco’s murals.

Orozco’s Murals and the Language of Art

We arrived just as an English-language tour began, led by a young but knowledgeable guide named Esteban. We joined a modest group in the main chapel beneath the immense dome. The murals, 57 in all, were painted by Orozco between 1937 and 1939 while the building still housed orphans. They are powerful and unflinching depictions of Mexican history and ideology. Scenes include ritual sacrifice, the brutality of colonisation, the Spanish Inquisition, and the relentless advance of industrialisation. It’s sobering to consider that children once lived among these harrowing images.

The most famous of these is El Hombre en Llamas (Man on Fire), painted directly onto the chapel’s dome. Viewed from below, it seems to flicker and move, a trick of perspective that gives the impression of motion and heat. Interpretations vary—some see it as a symbolic act of rebirth, others suggest it references Prometheus or pays homage to Mexico’s tradition of muralism. Regardless of meaning, it’s a striking piece of work, executed with technical brilliance and deep feeling.

Before leaving, we discovered a final exhibit entirely centred on language and words. A dark room filled with multicoloured illuminated text led into a series of conceptual installations. One featured the repeated word “silence” across a giant panel, another showed a man at his typewriter, surrounded by plastic balls resembling discarded pages. A looping film of typewriter keys added a soundtrack of relentless clacking. The ideas behind the works were sometimes curious, sometimes amusing, although the security guard assigned to that room looked less than entertained by the constant racket. We ended with a mosaic of Spanish phrases about books and libraries—a tidy thematic conclusion to an afternoon devoted to creativity and memory.