Museo Casa Chihuahua facts for kids
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The Casa Chihuahua Cultural Heritage Center is an old building in the city of Chihuahua, Mexico. It was built in the early 1900s. This building used to be the main office for the Mexican federal government in the city.
In 2004, it was changed into a museum. Now, it shows different exhibits that travel from place to place. In its basement, you can find the jail cell of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. He is known as the Father of the Nation because he led the fight for Mexico's independence from Spain. Hidalgo was captured in 1811 and later executed. His jail cell is now a special place that people visit.
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History of Casa Chihuahua
From College to Hospital
The land where Casa Chihuahua stands today was once home to a college. This college belonged to the Jesuit order, a group of priests. It was called "Jesuit College of Our Lady of Loreto."
However, in 1767, King Charles III ordered all Jesuits to leave Spanish lands. So, the college building became empty. Later, it was turned into a 'Royal Military Hospital.' It was during this time that Father Hidalgo was held prisoner there.
From Mint to Federal Palace
In 1878, most of the old college building was torn down. Only the tower where Father Hidalgo was held was saved. This was because President Benito Juárez wanted it preserved. The tower is now in the basement, but it was originally at ground level.
A new building called the Casa de Moneda was built on the site. This was a branch mint where Chihuahua made its own money for a while. In 1908, the mint building was also taken down. A new, grander building, the Federal Palace, was built in its place. It opened in 1910, celebrating 100 years of Mexico's independence.
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A Center for Government and Culture
The Federal Palace was built to bring all federal government offices together. During the Mexican Revolution, an important leader named Abraham González was imprisoned here. He was the governor of Chihuahua and a mentor to Pancho Villa.
The Palace also served as the main office for the Federal Postal Service in Chihuahua. In 2004, the postal service moved out. The building was then renovated to become the Casa Chihuahua Cultural Heritage Center. It reopened in 2006. Today, it is a very famous landmark and a key cultural center in the city.
Architecture of the Building
The building's style was popular when President Porfirio Diaz was in power. It mixes elements of neoclassicism and French Beaux Artes styles. Neoclassicism means it has simple, grand features, like the two large columns at the main entrance. The walls have little decoration, which is typical for this style.
On the front of the building, you can see two important dates: 1811 and 1910. The year 1811 marks the death of Miguel Hidalgo. The year 1910 is when the building was first opened. In the middle of the front, it says Palacio Federal, which means Federal Palace.
Exhibits and What You Can See
The Casa Chihuahua museum has three main areas for visitors to explore:
- Site Museum (Museo de Sitio): This area is in the basement. It has three rooms that tell the story of the site. You can learn about its past as a college, then a mint, and now a museum. Here, you can see Father Hidalgo's prison cell. It was actually a tower of the old Jesuit college, not an underground cell. A video also shows what his last months were like.
- Temporary Exhibit Area (Area de Exposiciones Temporales): This part of the museum is on the first floor and in the basement. It hosts new exhibits about every three months. Over 100 different exhibits have been shown here. Past exhibits have featured glass art, the history of a mining town called Avalos, and the history of Mexican money. There was even an exhibit about Mother Teresa of Calcutta, showing some of her personal items.
- Chihuahua State Heritage Museum (Museo Patrimonial del Estado de Chihuahua): This area is on the upper floor. It helps visitors learn about the amazing places in the State of Chihuahua. It uses pictures, videos, and sounds to show the state's different regions. These regions include the desert (desierto), the plains (llanura), and the mountains (sierra).
See also
In Spanish: Museo Casa Chihuahua para niños
