A photo of Frida Kahlo, taken by Mexican photographer Wallace Marly, is now on display at the new Casa Kahlo Museum in Mexico City. The house once belonged to Frida’s father, who bought it after giving her the famous Casa Azul as a wedding present. The photo is part of the museum’s collection, shared with the public on September 10, 2025. AP Photo
The Kahlo family is opening the doors to the Casa Kahlo Museum this weekend. The house once belonged to Frida Kahlo’s parents and lies very close to the famed Casa Azul in Coyoacán. Visitors will now have a fresh look into Frida’s personal world—beyond her art and fame.
Though the home shares ties to Casa Azul, it has its own history. Frida’s parents sold her the Casa Azul as a wedding gift, and then bought this house. Over time, family members lived there—including Frida herself.
An Intimate Portrait of Family Life
Inside, visitors will find a traditional kitchen, a garden, and relics of family life. Yet the deeper value lies in stories about Frida’s roots. We see her childhood challenges, her bond with her father Guillermo, and the devotion of her sister Cristina.
Museum director Adán García says, “You can find a more humane approach to her story, to her origins. … you’ll see that behind the great artist was a child who struggled with polio and who was fond of her father and her mother.”
That perspective frames Frida as more than an icon—she was a daughter, sister, and a person shaped by family.
The Quiet Refuge: The Basement
The basement of Casa Kahlo holds treasures and lived history. As a child, Frida loved insects and used a microscope—arguably here. When her relationship with Diego Rivera became stormy, she used the basement as a refuge.
“When she fought with Diego, she would come here to the basement for refuge,” said Mara Romeo Kahlo, Frida’s great-niece. “It was like her place of peace; this was her home.”
Frida Kahlo’s great-niece, Mara Romeo Kahlo, spoke during an interview at the newly opened Casa Kahlo Museum in Mexico City on September 10, 2025. She shared insights as visitors explore Frida’s personal items, including her well-known embroidered dresses and traditional pre-Hispanic jewellery that she often wore in photographs, now displayed for the public to see. AP Photo
This space now showcases votive offerings painted by Frida, and Asian dolls she collected in San Francisco. It carries a sense of intimacy rarely seen in public.
Murals, Kitchens, and Memories
The kitchen holds murals of flowers and fruit trees painted by Frida herself. Though they were once painted over, the renovation helped preserve them. Now, visitors can view them in full glory.
One mural includes a phrase—and a pun—“the inn of the sparrows.” It hints at hospitality: no matter who came to the home, all had a place at the table.
“Anyone who came, whether invited or not, could always find a place at this table,” says García.
Photography, Family Bonds, and Legacy
The museum includes Frida’s father’s photography studio. Visitors can try a virtual darkroom experience, learning how images were developed in old times. The space also shares stories of Guillermo’s life—his journey from Germany to Mexico, his marriages, and how he met Frida’s mother.
Cristina Kahlo, Frida’s sister, features prominently. She cared for Frida through illness and helped many women as a charity founder. She was often called “the other half of her heart,” says García.
Family letters, dresses, pre‑Hispanic jewelry, and even Frida’s mirror are now on display. The bathroom remains exactly as it was—echoing her 1938 painting “What the Water Gave Me.” A corridor shows a mirror she made for a New York exhibit.
Restoring with Respect
Architect David Rockwell helped transform the house into a museum. They rebuilt parts like the courtyard steps to match original designs. Local artists crafted decorative pots and tiles. Rockwell admired the house’s warmth. He said ceilings, tiles, and wood all bring out varying moods through careful restoration.
The museum sits at Aguayo 54 in the Carmen neighborhood, Coyoacán, Mexico City.
