Armando Duvalier Lacquer Museum
Art that blooms between the fingers
In the picturesque town of Chiapa de Corzo, where history breathes in every corner, there is a space that preserves centuries of tradition and creativity: the Lacquer Museum. Founded in 1952 by the National Indigenous Institute, this museum celebrates one of Mexico’s most delicate and symbolic crafts: lacquerwork.
It bears the name of this illustrious artist because he founded both a museum and a workshop-school dedicated to promoting the revival of lacquer art in Chiapa de Corzo.
Here, the works are created not only with brushes but also with fingertips, the patience of time, and natural dyes extracted from the earth. The lacquer technique—ancient and unique—combines creativity, intuition, and craftsmanship. Each piece is the result of a meticulous process where resins, pigments, and soul blend; where color becomes story and form becomes memory.
The museum’s collection includes pieces dating back to 1921, coming from Chiapas, Michoacán, and Guerrero, showcasing the evolution of this art that has survived generations thanks to the passion of its creators. Through its galleries, visitors discover not just objects, but stories of identity, resistance, and imagination.
The museum is housed within the majestic Ex Convento de Santo Domingo, an architectural gem built in 1554. Its Mudejar style—a fusion of Arab and Gothic art—and its intricately carved coffered ceilings, created between 1681 and 1722, offer an exceptional setting for the experience. On its walls, ajaracas, doves, eagles, and floral urns reveal religious symbols and traces of the cultural mestizaje that shaped this region.
Visiting the Lacquer Museum is an invitation to marvel at the talent flowing from artisan hands, to feel the living past in every stroke, and to discover how popular art continues to bring color and life to Chiapas. A must-see for those who seek to travel with their senses and heart.
