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If you want a crash course on the Mexican Revolution, look no further than the Museo Nacional de la Revolución (National Museum of the Revolution). This small but mighty museum is tucked away in the basement of the Monument to the Revolution and pairs well with your Monument visit. That said, it is a completely separate entity, requiring different tickets.
The Museo Nacional de la Revolución first opened its doors in 1986, and was renovated in 2002 as part of the renovation of the Monument to the Revolution and Plaza de la República. The museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of the armed uprising that began in 1910 and became known as the Mexican Revolution.
I must point out that most of the information in this museum is in Spanish, which could impact your decision to visit. That said, there are plenty of artifacts worth a quick look. The museum is small, and the entrance fee is quite low, so if you are in the area you might still find it worth it.
Read on to learn more about what to expect in this museum and how to plan your visit.
The Mexican Revolution
Before we jump in, let me give you the highest of highlights of the Mexican Revolution to pique your interest. Having a basic understanding of the history and the characters will make it easier to appreciate the museum.
While the dates of the Mexican Revolution are generally 1910-1920, there were important events and conditions leading up to the revolution. These are certainly an important part of the story.
Like most revolutions, the movement was really powered by the relentless suffering of everyday people, both rural and urban. This suffering was brought on primarily by the elitist policies of Porfirio Diaz that favored the rich landowners and industry magnates at the expense of workers. It took ten years of revolution to finally end his 30-year dictatorship and establish a constitutional republic for the nation of Mexico.
Let’s break it down.
Pre-Revolutionary Period (1857-1910)
The fifty years leading up to the Mexican Revolution were fraught with progress and setbacks, and dominated by a 30-year dictatorship.
The Constitution of 1857
In 1857 Mexico adopted a liberal constitution that granted many individual rights and sought to limit the power of the Catholic Church, the military, and large landowners. Importantly, it also ended Catholicism as the official religion (aka separation of church and state), forced the sale of church property, and established secular education.
The Reform War or Civil War (1858-1860)
Naturally, this new constitution led to tensions between liberals (who supported the new constitution) and conservatives (who were concerned about the erosion of their power). This tension led to a short but bloody war, in which the liberals defeated the conservatives.
Benito Juarez Presidency (1858-1872)
Benito Juarez emerged from the Reform War as President of Mexico. As Chief Justice, he inherited the position when rival President Comonfort left the country in the face of increasing unrest. In 1861, Juarez handily won re-election and offered amnesty to many of his Conservative opponents from the Reform War. He went on to lead a still-turbulent country for ten more years, including fending off rival General Porfirio Diaz, until his death in 1971.
Juarez is famously Mexico’s first indigenous president, and remains an icon to this day (his birthday is a national holiday).
The “Porfiriato” or Porfirio Díaz Era (1876-1911)
Porfirio Díaz rose to power through a coup in 1876 and was duly elected in 1877. He stepped down from the presidency in 1880 on the principle of “no re-election”, but took it back in 1884. So much for principles.
He established a centralized, authoritarian regime known as the Porfiriato. While his regime brought stability and economic growth, it was marked by political repression, exploitation of labor, violence, and unequal land distribution. He also opened the country to foreign investors and gave them incentives to purchase important resources such as mines and oil fields.
During this time, in rural Mexico peasants and indigenous communities were starting to rise up in the face of corrupt land seizures and exploitation. In the cities, workers were starting to organize and strike in protest of harsh working conditions and lack of labor rights.
Outbreak of Revolution (1910)
The Mexican Revolution officially began on November 20, 1910 when Francisco Madero, a liberal reformer, called for a revolt against Diaz’s sham election earlier that year. Madero had run against Diaz in that election, but Diaz had Madero arrested and thrown in jail—and declared himself the winner.
Madero’s call for revolt did not have immediate results, but the seeds of revolution were sown. Movements started brewing in the south, with Emilio Zapata battling the local bosses, and in the north, with Pancho Villa mobilizing his army against government garrisons.
And so began decade of struggle for power and reform.
Revolutionary Period (1910-1920)
By the spring of 1911, revolutionary forces seized Ciudad Juarez (on the current Texas border), and forced Diaz to resign. The revolutionaries declared Madero president.
Madero’s Presidency (1911-1913)
Madero’s time as president wasn’t easy, and it turns out he wasn’t the greatest leader. His biggest failure was ignoring the need for economic changes. He faced opposition from conservative forces and rebel leaders.
Previous supporters like Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa turned against him, dissatisfied with his policies and slow progress on reforms. This dissatisfaction led to continued unrest and brewing of alternative revolutionary movements.
To top it off, the US government, prodded on by US Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson, did not support Madero, fearing for the impact of a revolution on US business interests (yay, Capitalism and US meddling).
Ten Tragic Days (February 1913)
Madero’s term as president did not last long. Rebel forces led by Diaz’s nephew and Victoriana Huerta mounted an offensive against government troops in Mexico City. They battled for ten (tragic) days until they signed the “Pact of the Embassy” with the US, agreeing to get rid of Madero and install Huerta as president.
Days later, Madero was assassinated while being transferred to prison.
Constitutionalist Revolution (1913-1917)
Huerta was also not super popular. And the people still hungered for a constitutional government. Revolutionary movements continued to brew. Zapata continued to fight for land reform in the south. The US refused to recognize Huerta and helped arm the constitutionalists. There were battles in Mexico City, and ultimately Huerta fled into exile in 1914.
Venustiano Carranza declared himself president. Pancho Villa was not pleased. There was a period of anarchy and negotiations where Carranza was on-again, off-again president, partly with US support. He ultimately presided over the writing of the Constitution of 1917. Over years of infighting, however, his support had eroded, and he was ultimately killed in 1920.
Constitution of 1917
The Constitution of 1917 enshrined many revolutionary ideals, including land reform, labor rights, and separation of church and state. This is the Constitution still in place in Mexico today.
Post-Revolutionary Period (1920-onward)
It wasn’t all peace and quiet once the Constitution of 1917 was in place, but the revolution was starting to wind down. Revolutionaries were being assassinated left and right. Zapata, Carranza, Villa—all assassinated.
Bouts of violence continued as the government was slow to implement the policies outlined in the new constitution. They say that things didn’t really settle down until Lázaro Cárdenas became president in 1934 and started to implement the grand socioeconomic reforms promised by the constitution, including redistributing land and nationalizing the oil companies.
The Mexican Revolution resulted in significant social, political, and economic changes, including land redistribution, labor reforms, and increased rights for marginalized groups. It was a critical turning point in Mexican history, shaping the country’s politics and society into the modern era.
Want to learn more about the Mexican Revolution? Check out John Mason Hart’s book Revolutionary Mexico: The Coming and Process of the Mexican Revolution.
What to Expect at the National Museum of the Revolution
One of the first exhibits on display at the museum is some interesting information on the Monument to the Revolution. Displays include a model of the original plan for a Legislative Palace. (It looks a lot like the US Congress.) They have surprisingly more information on the French and Mexican architects than the Monument does. For that alone, it’s worth the visit.
The remaining museum exhibits are divided into eight chronological theme areas, each representing a different phase of the Revolution, from its early beginnings in 1857 to 1920:
- Consolidation of the Mexican State
- The Porfiriato (under the rule of Porfirio Díaz)
- The democratic Revolution
- The political Revolution
- The popular Revolution
- The Civil War and the Constitution
- The foundations of the new Mexican state
- The Cardenismo (under the rule of Lázaro Cárdenas)
In each of these exhibits, they showcase documents, photographs, flags, maps, sculptures, money, and other interesting objects related to that period.
The museum also has a library, but I did not take advantage of it, so cannot report on it.
Planning Your Visit
The museum is quite small but has quite a lot to see and read. Unless you plan to read EVERYTHING, I would expect to spend no more than 45 minutes to 1 hour in the museum.
Photographs
You can take photographs of the exhibits without a permit.
Information
The information panels are mostly in Spanish. If you are not a Spanish-speaker, you might not get the full benefit of this museum. However, if you come in with a solid understanding of the Mexican Revolution, the artifacts should still be of significant interest.
Accessibility
The museum is wheelchair accessible. The exhibits are all on one level, and there are ramps. The museum also provides tactile exhibits for the use of people with disabilities (their words).
Cost
At MX$40 (MX$20 for students and seniors), popping into this museum is a very low-risk investment. And on Sunday they offer free entry to the general public. Go for it!
Hours
This museum has pretty standard hours:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday to Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
- Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am – 6:30pm
Just note that if you are pairing your visit with a trip up the Monument to the Revolution, that attraction does not open until noon every day except Sunday (when it opens at 10am).
Getting There
The Plaza de la República stop on Metrobus Linea 1 is the closest public transit to the Museo de la Revolución.
There are also several Metro stops nearby, in order of proximity:
- Revolución (blue Linea 2)
- Juarez (mustard Linea 3)
The Museo de la Revolución is a 30-minute walk west of the Zocalo, or 15 minutes (4 stops) on Metro Linea 2.
Reflections
While I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit the Museo de la Revolución, it makes for a great pairing with the Monumento de la Revolución. The Mexican Revolution is such a pivotal period in this country’s history that it is important to understand and reflect on the events.
This little museum displays a well-thought out timeline of events and presents some important artifacts that help bring history to life.
