A visitor’s guide to the enchanting Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City

Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as La Casa Azul (The Blue House) is one of the most visited museums in Mexico. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about visiting this famous museum in Mexico City.

I am not Mexican, but when I was young, my mother would always dress up like Frida and have Frida-themed parties with her friends.

I always wondered who this person was and why the world imitated her extremely strange outfits and flowers around their head.

Where I am from, this is a very popular Halloween costume. Even though people have no idea who Frida was, her portrait is famous in my country – an image of love, art, fear, suffering, and the joy of being alive.

Finally, I moved to Mexico and was able to visit the Frida Kahlo blue house. In this guide, I will share with you some of my experiences including Frida’s colorful life history.

If you are wondering where it is located, Frida’s Blue House is located in the Coyoacan neighborhood of Mexico City. [Open on Google Maps]

Is Frida Kahlo Museum worth visiting?

I enjoyed the whole tour and the only negative thing I can say about it is that the number of people seemed to be uncontrolled.

They say that they are monitoring the people entering every hour and that there’s a certain number per day but I still found it very crowded inside.

I even missed the inside of the house because the line was just really long. On the other hand, the museum is worth visiting because, well, this is Frida’s house. That’s enough reason to visit!

The only hassle of visiting Frida Kahlo Museum is that tickets are hard and more often than not, tourists are discouraged to get tickets.

But I tell you, if you have the time, you can’t skip this museum! It is one of the most visited museums in Mexico City and in the world!

Best Frida Kahlo Museum Tour

Our recommended Frida Kahlo Museum tour includes visiting the Coyoacan neighborhood and a churros experience in one of the best churros in town.

You can also opt to do this tour on foot or on a bicycle (the price is the same). Children are also welcome on this tour, and families enjoy this activity!

Prices for this tour start at $99 USD for adults and $39 USD for toddlers.

How to get Frida Kahlo Museum tickets?

The museum does not sell tickets in person. You must purchase them online or sign up for a tour to get access.

This online ticket portal is always sold out, so buying way in advance is best (1-3 months).

The website to buy tickets above is in Spanish, but you can also purchase them on an English website, which is slightly more expensive.

But the English booking platform, hosted on Viator, was reportedly canceling the reservations last minute.

Meaning, if even if you book months in advance, they can still cancel it. The best way is to go through the official platforms.

However, they only show 2 calendar months for booking so you must attentively check the website, which can be a pain.

Alternatively, if you are in Mexico City and find yourself without Frida Kahlo tickets, you can go to the restaurant in Coyoacan called Centenario 107.

The restaurant has a ticket vending machine, but I cannot assure you that you will get one. It’s worth trying though!

You don’t have to order food in Centenario to use the Frida Kahlo Museum ticket vending machine. However, it’s one of the best restaurants in Coyoacan so try it when you have the time!

It’s only a 4-minute walk from the museum!

Do Frida Kahlo Museum tickets sell out?

Frida Kahlo Museum tickets can sell out, especially during peak tourist seasons, weekends, or holidays.

The museum has a limited capacity, so purchase your tickets at least 1-3 months in advance.

You cannot visit Frida Kahlo Museum without a reservation and only tickets from official sellers are honored.

There is a walk-in line at the entrance of the Frida Kahlo Museum but it might take you hours to get through since you’re just taking a chance.

But try it – one of my friends managed to go from walking in!

How much does Frida Kahlo Museum cost?

Below are the prices for weekdays, Monday to Friday:

• 250 pesos ($15 USD): general admission/foreigners
• 110 pesos ($7 USD): Mexican citizens with an official ID

Weekend prices are different, so please refer to the list below:

• $270 MXN ($16 USD): general admission/foreigners
• 130 pesos ($8 USD): Mexican citizens with an official ID

Students and teachers who can present valid enrolment identification have different price ranges. High school, University, and teacher students pay 50 pesos ($3 USD) every day of the week.

All week, elementary students and seniors (with ID) are charged 25 pesos ($1.50 USD).

Please note that the age for seniors in Frida Kahlo Museum (and in most of Mexico) is 60 years old.

Frida Kahlo Museum offers free entrance to children ages 8 and below, persons with a disability, and even people who want to see the museum but don’t have money to pay as long as they request it in advance.

Other fees and tickets include:

• 50 pesos ($3 USD): tour guides and travel operators
• 30 pesos ($1.80 USD): permission to take photographs without a flash (indoor areas). Taking pictures outdoors is allowed and free of charge.

💲 These prices include a courtesy visit to Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum.

Lastly, if you are not visiting the museum with a guide, you can pay for a video guide for 80 pesos ($4.78 USD). Students with valid IDs can get it for 50 pesos ($3 USD).

Note that this is limited and is subject to availability. You can pay for this at the museum.

Frida Kahlo Museum virtual tour

If you are not in Mexico City and want to see the blue house, the museum also offers virtual tours where you can freely navigate the museum on your own!

Click here to view Frida’s house from the comfort of your home. It’s FREE!

Things to do inside Frida Kahlo Museum

At the Frida Kahlo Museum, you can engage in a variety of activities to appreciate and learn about the life and work of the celebrated Mexican artist.

Some of the things you can do at the museum include:

Explore the Blue House

The museum is housed in La Casa Azul, the vibrant blue residence where Frida Kahlo was born, lived, and died.

You can walk through the rooms of the house, which are preserved to reflect the time when Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, lived there.

View artworks

The museum showcases a collection of Frida Kahlo’s paintings, including some of her most famous works as well as lesser-known pieces.

You can admire her art and learn about her unique style and themes.

Discover personal belongings

The museum exhibits a variety of Kahlo’s personal items, such as her clothing, jewelry, and wheelchair. These objects offer a glimpse into her life and the challenges she faced due to her physical disabilities.

Learn about Diego Rivera

As the home of both Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, the museum also features some of Rivera’s artwork and personal items, allowing visitors to learn about the couple’s life together and their impact on each other’s work.

Explore the garden

The Blue House is surrounded by a lush garden filled with native plants, sculptures, and a replica of the pyramid structure that Kahlo and Rivera had in their original garden.

You can spend time in the garden, appreciating the serene atmosphere and the connection to the artists’ lives.

Attend events or workshops

The museum occasionally hosts temporary exhibitions, workshops, lectures, or other events related to Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, or Mexican art and culture in general.

You can check the museum’s official website or social media channels for information on upcoming events during your visit.

Watch performances

You can watch the museum performance called “Feet, what do I need them for, if I have wings to fly,” a famous quote by Frida Kahlo brought to life by the Luna de Plata Theatre Association.

Get on the Fridabus

The Fridabus is an activity where you can visit the Frida Kahlo Museum and Diego Rivera Anahuacalli at the same time.

It costs 160 pesos ($10 USD) for adults and 80 pesos ($5 USD) for children below 8 years of age. Prices already include the tickets to both museums and transportation.

🎟️ You can only buy this ticket at the gates of the Frida Kahlo Museum and it only runs every weekend.

Coffee shop at the Frida Kahlo Museum

There is a souvenir shop inside the museum where you can buy souvenirs and order coffee while sitting at the garden.

The shop is open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 AM – 6 PM) and Wednesdays from 11 AM – 6 PM.

11 important rules when visiting the museum

These are some rules you should take note when visiting the museum:

1. Backpacks no larger than 35 x 20 cm (13¾ x 7⅞ inches) are allowed in the museum. If your backpack is larger, you can leave it at reception. The coat room is temporarily unavailable until further notice so travel light!
2. Once you exit, you cannot re-enter the museum.
3. You can take photos without a flash only in the outdoor areas. If you are taking photos inside the exhibits, you must pay for a permit for 30 pesos ($1.79 USD). Still, flash is not allowed indoors. Video recording is not allowed.
4. Do not touch anything in the museum.
5. Bring a face mask as it is still required in the museum.
6. Suitcases, sharp objects, chewing gum, and firearms are not allowed in the museum.
7. You can’t bring umbrellas, food, toys, liquids, selfie sticks, strollers, and baby carriers to the museum.
8. Only service animals that can provide a medical document/certification are allowed inside.
9. Don’t wear hats, caps, and sunglasses inside.
10. Do not cross barriers in restricted areas.
11. No running for children. Make sure your kids are supervised.

Why is Frida Kahlo Museum popular?

Frida Kahlo Museum is popular because it offers a unique and personal perspective on the life and work of a beloved artist, allowing visitors to connect with her in a way that may not be possible through her art alone.

Below are some reasons why Frida Kahlo Museum is popular:

Connection to Frida Kahlo

The museum was the birthplace and residence of Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico’s most celebrated artists. Kahlo is known for her powerful self-portraits and unique artistic style.

The museum offers a glimpse into her life and the environment in which she created her art.

Personal belongings and artwork

The museum displays a collection of Kahlo’s personal belongings, such as clothing, jewelry, and her wheelchair, providing an intimate look at her life.

Additionally, some of her most iconic paintings and lesser-known works are exhibited, offering visitors a chance to see her art up close.

Diego Rivera’s influence

Frida Kahlo’s husband, Diego Rivera, was a renowned Mexican muralist. The couple’s shared life and creative partnership are evident in the museum, showcasing some of Rivera’s artwork and belongings.

Cultural and historical significance

The museum not only celebrates the life and work of Frida Kahlo but also provides insight into Mexican culture and history during her time.

The architecture, furniture, and artifacts on display help visitors understand the social and cultural context in which Kahlo and Rivera lived.

Beautiful setting

The Blue House is known for its vibrant blue walls and lush garden, which create a serene and inspiring atmosphere.

You can have the opportunity to explore the house and garden, which provide a lovely backdrop for understanding and appreciating Kahlo’s work.

Frida Kahlo Museum history

Born in 1907 in La Casa Azul in Mexico City, Frida is considered one of Mexico’s greatest artists. The blue house was built by his father Guillermo Kahlo in 1904 and this is where Frida grew up and died.

During the Mexican Revolution, the Kahlo family was financially challenged and they were not able to pay the mortgage, including Frida’s medical care.

This is when Frida’s husband, Diego Rivera came into the picture. He purchased the home which paid off the mortgage and debt that Frida’s father accumulated, both in building the house and paying for Frida’s accident.

At age 6, Frida contracted polio which crippled her right leg. It grew shorter than her left leg which made her limp.

When Frida was 18, the bus she was riding collided with a trolley car, making her paralyzed for most of her life.

As she experienced poor health at a very young age, Frida’s revolutionary work inspired many of us today – that one’s life should not stop because of these ‘pains.’

Frida continued to live the life she always imagined by doing what she loved most: art. Little did she know that one day, she will be a big icon not just in Mexico but all over the world.

Inside the Frida Kahlo house

Frida Kahlo’s house is exaggeratedly blue, an iconic color in Mexico. There is a massive courtyard with a souvenir shop with seating areas surrounded by plants.

But part of this visit that I enjoyed the most was Frida’s collection of clothes. You’ve seen how Frida expressed herself through her clothing.

This is called Tehuana traditional clothing, a fascinating matriarchal society based in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca State, Mexico.

The name Tehuantepec was given by the Aztecs. It signifies the corridor of land on which the people reside.

For Frida Kahlo, the Tehuana traditional dress is not only an object that she adopted to her body to hide her imperfections but something she fused with and wore like a second skin.

The Tehuana matriarchal society is administrated and dominated by women, and as such, their traditional attire is a strong symbol of female power and independence.

It has been said that Frida adopted this image to please her husband, Diego Rivera who was fond of the powerful Zapotec women from this region of Mexico.

Nonetheless, this exhibition of Frida’s dresses proposes that far from being a simple act of love, her use of a hybrid dress was a calculated stylization.

Frida Kahlo was able to perceive the semiotic quality of clothing, which lies within its role as a metaphorical vehicle, and is also easily understood by the eye of the onlooker.

Frida’s use of this traditional dress to strengthen her identity, reaffirm her political beliefs, and conceal her imperfections also built on her own sense of heritage and personal history.

These wardrobes were only discovered in La Casa Azul in April 2004. It was hidden in the upper part of the house, in a tiled bathroom adjacent to Frida’s room.

Her clothes were kept for more than 50 years at the request of her husband, muralist Diego Rivera. Around 300 dresses and jewelry, including her orthopedic wardrobes were discovered.

Another interesting thing is the display of her orthopedic devices in the Frida Kahlo Museum. Below is a text by author Hayden Herrera, published Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo.

Disability: a body less than perfect

Frida started identifying clothes as tools to create her own identity and conceal her physical imperfections at a very early age.

Two tragedies that were to befall Frida, even before she reached what is today considered the age of adulthood, would inform her wardrobe as much as they were to later form the bedrock of her existence and her art.

At the age of 6, Kahlo contracted polio: “it all started with a terrible pain at the upper part of my right leg.” As a result, she was left with a withered and shorter leg for life

How long does it take to go through the Frida Kahlo Museum?

On average, you can spend around 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the museum. Personally, I have spent 4 hours here because there is a coffee shop in the garden where you can hang out.

During one of my visits, there were also big traffic jams in the rooms of the house so I had to wait my turn. Unfortunately, this takes time. But enjoy it since no one will really tell you to leave!