A new museum dedicated to the early life and family of renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is set to open this fall, offering the public an unprecedented look into her personal world. The Museo Casa Kahlo, located in the Casa Roja (“Red House”), will feature never-before-seen artifacts including Kahlo’s first oil painting, an embroidery she crafted at age five, and a trove of intimate materials such as letters, jewelry, and childhood photographs.
Unlike the established Museo Frida Kahlo—located in the iconic Casa Azul (“Blue House”) in Mexico City’s Coyoacán neighborhood, where Kahlo was born and later died—the forthcoming institution will focus on the familial roots and early influences that shaped the artist’s distinctive vision. Casa Azul, a state-administered museum and former shared home of Kahlo and fellow artist Diego Rivera, showcases a curated presentation of her artistic and domestic life. It remains under the stewardship of a national trust overseen by Mexico’s central bank.
Casa Roja, by contrast, has remained in the private hands of Kahlo’s family. Originally purchased by Kahlo as a gift for her sister Cristina—the only sibling to have children—the residence has served as a private home for generations. Its last occupant, Mara Romeo Kahlo, the artist’s grand-niece, announced last month that the house would be converted into a museum through the efforts of Fundación Kahlo, a newly established family-led nonprofit based in New York.
Alongside the museum’s development, Fundación Kahlo has pledged to support Latin American and Indigenous artists through financial grants and prizes, although the organization has yet to disclose specific award figures.
According to a spokesperson for the new museum, Museo Casa Kahlo and Casa Azul will remain independent institutions, each reflecting different aspects of Kahlo’s “life and legacy.” The new museum aims to offer a personal perspective on the artist’s formative experiences and family ties while also serving as a platform for contemporary Mexican, Latin American, and women artists through rotating exhibitions.
Adán García Fajardo, director of Mexico City’s Museo Memoria y Tolerancia, has been appointed as the inaugural director of Museo Casa Kahlo. Preparations are underway for its first exhibitions, with the museum scheduled to open to the public on September 27.
Casa Azul currently houses over 200 personal artifacts, including furniture collected by Kahlo and Rivera, traditional Tehuana dresses, and medical contraptions such as the custom easel built by Kahlo’s mother to help the artist paint while bedridden following a life-altering bus accident. The museum has recently faced scrutiny amid allegations of missing artworks and pages from Kahlo’s diary. Requests for comment from Casa Azul remain unanswered.
In a statement shared with Hyperallergic, Mara Romeo Kahlo emphasized the importance of grounding Frida Kahlo’s legacy in her origins.
“Frida’s legacy belongs to the world, but it begins here — on this land, in these homes, and in the culture that shaped her,” said Romeo Kahlo. “Museo Casa Kahlo will allow us to tell new stories, share family secrets, host new voices, and build a future that honors her spirit.”
