Casa Reforma – Guadalajara, Mexico - Atlas Obscura

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Casa Reforma

Inside one of Guadalajara's oldest houses, you can find puppets and foam models of the city's missing buildings.  

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Reforma #369 house often goes unnoticed when seen from the outside, but just knock on the door to enter a hidden cultural center dedicated to the world of puppets.

The story begins when the building began a restoration. On one of its patios, one of the seven wells known to have been located in Guadalajara around the 16th century was found. Another discovery was made: an arch that had been hidden by a wall. According to some experts, these elements suggest that the building could be one of the oldest in the city.

In 2011, it was given as a loan to the Civil Association El Arte de los Títeres, which turned it into a cultural center linked to puppets. Inside, theater plays with puppets are usually presented, but without a doubt the permanent collection is the jewel of the place.

Recalling the lost historical past of the house, a series of models made with foam (a favorite material of the puppets) were created on the disappeared buildings or the most emblematic of the city. These include lost bridges, burned portals, demolished convents, destroyed hotels, and even a missing old theater. The models include a short description of the site where the properties were found and what happened to them.

A visit to the house includes a mural that shows the history of the puppets together with the ornamental elements typical of the old house, including the well that can still be seen.

Know Before You Go

The house is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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