Imagining Trotsky's life in Mexico built such a mix of feelings. Seeing how the home had to be secured, guard towers, higher walls, secure interior doors, to protect him from Stalin surprised me, and yet, he had an office full of books and papers where he received guests and wrote. He actively gardened and raised animals. Learning about the way his family was hunted down and killed (around the world) was terrifying. It gave me an increasingly sobered view of current Russian politics, if only from a historic mindset. In addition to the home and history on Trotsky, there is a one room art gallery that hosts different exhibits. The exhibit when I visited was excellent covering a large range of work by Algerian artist Imene Khelifi. read more

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see the house where the last attempt on trotsky's life ended him. comprehensive timeline. personal affects. history buffs will love this. read more

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Small but interesting  This house-turned-museum is only three blocks from Frida Kahlo's house-turned-museum and only costs a few American dollars.  There is a one room rotating art gallery here, alongside the entire house that has become a museum.  The interpretative panels along the self guided walking tour are in Spanish and passable English.  The very large interpretive panel explaining Trotsky's influence and the course of the Russian / Soviet Revolution across the 1900s was only available in Spanish, but seemed fairly comprehensive.  It's a worthwhile stop if you are in Coyoacan! read more

Museo de Leon Trotsky - Museums Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

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We visited the Museo de Leon Trotsky during a day we spent in Coyoacan over a weeklong visit to Mexico City earlier this month. It is a small - but very interesting museum! The museum is located at the home where Leon Trotsky was assassinated in 1940 (they have added a building in the front, where there's a small museum, and then there's the courtyard and house where Trotsky lived behind that building). Leon Trotsky was forced into exile from the Soviet Union in 1929. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera convinced the Mexican government to give the Trotskys political asylum, and Trotsky and his wife Natalia Sedova moved to Mexico city in 1937. They lived in Frida Kahlo's family home ("La Casa Azul" from January 1937-April 1939 but moved into this house a few blocks away after Trotsky and Rivera had a falling out. Trotsky was assassinated in the home on August 20, 1940. We visited a lot of museums in Mexico City during our week there, but this little museum is unique and special. It was interesting to learn a little Russian history and about the connections between Mexico and Russia at that time in history! (Trotsky survived a raid on his home/assassination attempt earlier in 1940 lead by Mexican painter David Alfaro Siqueiros - whose work we saw all over Mexico City!!!!) If you're in Coyoacan for some Frida Kahlo attractions, don't skip this little museum (it's a bit of Frida history, too, really!). Definitely an interesting stop on our trip! read more

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You HAVE to go to the Frieda Karloff house, but this one I think is a great bookend, and for me just as cool. Trotsky was a politico wanted by Soviet Union. He lived w Frieda down the street until he got kicked out. Either he had an affair w Frieda and or got into a political disagreement with Diego - he got kicked out. So he moved here and over time it turned into a fortress. He was murdered here by a spy - w an ax! I really dug this place. Really frames the time period. read more

It was a mixture of historical interest and a macabre feeling to stand in the room where Trotsky was murdered. Seeing family pictures and finding out most of his family (kids and grandkids) was decimated in different parts of the world made me leave with a heavy heart read more

We can feel history just by stepping outside this museum, imagine Frida visiting her friend here and all of the political conversations Trotsky must have had, if the walls could only talk... A political asylum organization keeps up with this home, with such a beautiful garden, all so we can educate ourselves, not just by reading, but by looking and feeling. Everything is translated in English, it is a must visit place if you are a historical junkie. read more

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A curious thing happened while in Mexico City. Serendipitously, each experience I had seemed to build upon others making me better able to appreciate what I was experiencing. As such, I can recommend that you go to the Trotsky Museum only after you've gone to the nearby Frida Kahlo Museum and also after you've listened thoroughly to the English language audio tour that's on offer at Frida Kahlo's. Both museums are easy to cover in one day and this one doesn't take long to tour. The Trotsky Museum is an interesting sideline to the Frida/Diego story. The Mexico City part of that story begins at the Frida Kahlo house and ends here. Another reviewer (Toby H, 5/15) intrigued me with his negative review of the place saying essentially that one could learn more from reviewing the wikipedia page on Trotsky. What I would recommend is that you first, or simultaneously, review wikipedia and whatever else interests you on Trotsky's story then just enjoy this museum for what it is. What is it? It's the home that Trotsky and his wife moved into after spending a couple of years encamped with Frida and Diego. It's the home where the first assassination attempt on Trotsky took place, a machine gunning of the structure that's said to have lasted 20 minutes. And it's the site of the second, successful attempt at his assassination. Aside from the house, it's mostly photos of Trotsky and, like Toby H said, could have been executed better, but knowing even a tidbit of backstory (which can be gleaned, in English, from this museum) helps one best appreciate what it is they're seeing. The story of Trotsky and his exile is interesting, and highly relevant. When the US has a president seemingly enamored of the Russians it's good to keep abreast of their history and what they're capable of. Basically, if someone at the top wants you gone you'd best say your goodbyes for it will surely happen. The Trotsky Museum holds an interesting little place in Mexico's (and Russia's) history. read more

Museo de Leon Trotsky - If you were on the wrong side of Stalin you could expect a drastically shortened lifespan. - Museums Near Me - México, D.F., DIF

Spartan, dark and depressing living quarters. Hopefully it was a happier place before the windows were bricked for the family's safety. The booming sounds created by the protective metal coverings on the floors of the house were unfortunate. Museum staff still think it's the early days of the pandemic with hand sanitizer forced on patrons at the door. After we paid admission and toured the house and grounds we visited the modern art exhibit at the entrance. Tried to return to the cafe but was barked at by the lady behind the glass. Skip this museum and head straight to Frieda's house around the corner. read more

Skip this museum. There's not much to see, just a bunch of timelines and photos with signage all in Spanish and a few rooms showing how Trotsky lived. I don't think I learned anything about his life on my visit. Also they made us check our camera in the coat check. Most places won't make you check your valuables and will just trust that you won't take photos. read more

I definitely would not skip this place. It is about a ten minute walk after checking out Frida's house so just walk down there after. The layout is admittedly not well done - they are clearly trying, and have a great collection, particularly the photographs, and also the house is intact and super interesting. They could use an intern to help them both in terms of layout of photographs / presentation as well as English language translations. The woman at the counter up front was seriously short of friendly but that is certainly the exception not the norm for DF. I actually was really happy that I spent some time here, even though it wasn't high on my list and we had a good hundred things we wanted to see in town, but I am so glad that I didn't skip it. Of all of the cool spots I have seen in the last month travelling, this is definitely on the top five that I keep thinking about as it was far more interesting to me than I thought it would be. read more

Da, Comrade! This museum is dedicated to one of the founders of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union, and worked directly with Lenin, and against Stalin until he got himself exiled to Mexico City. He first moved in down the street with his Communist buddy Frida Khalo and her hubby, Diego. Later, he got himself his own place in Coyoacan, where he ended up getting assassinated. Here, Trotsky lived out his exile, and you can see his garden with a big Hammer & Sickle in the middle of it. Even if you don't believe in communism, "Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one's enemies." - Trotsky. The museum doesn't have much in the way of explanations of the history in English, with some limited signage of what you're looking at in English. You get taken through Trotsky's bathroom, bedroom, office, courtyard, and see what his dictaphone looked like, what kind of toothpaste he used (Colgate!) and his typewriter that he typed history on. The gift shop has some stuff with Trotsky's face on it, but not much as far as the Hammer & Sickle paraphernalia that I was hoping for. They did have free pencils, which can be mightier than the sword. Revolutions are always verbose. I looked for the fateful bullet hole in the walls or ceiling, and couldn't find one. read more

3* Trotsky House 5-6 blocks from the Frida Kahlo Museum Admission 40 pesos Has galleries of photos of his life after he fled Russia Advocate for Communism Pursued by Stalin Friends of Frida (maybe a little more) and Diego Assassinated Place is okay, but has historical value read more

I was taken to the Trotsky museum with my tour guide Alvaro from Journeys and Beyond. He told the story of Trotsky and his affair with Frida, the assassins trying to find Trotsky, and ultimately the successful attack on Leon with his son next door. An incredibly moving piece of history and this small museum (and an excellent tour guide) brought it all alive. This was one of my favorites in Mexico City. read more

Like communism this museum is great in theory and terrible practice. The story of Trotsky, his personal journey and his place in world history and the extraordinary circumstances of his death is utterly underplayed by this poorly laid out and poorly thought through photo gallery. They have incredible artifacts and a remarkable site and they fail to tell a compelling story, despite the remarkable core material. There are many pictures of Trotsky, but very little of his philosophy. There are the rooms where he lived and died, but no explanation of his killers or how they came and lived in Mexico. Want to know why Stalin wanted him dead? Go on Wikipedia. I could continue but I won't. A massive disappointment. read more

Very cool to see, and well preserved. It's a bit run down, but hey, the guy was a Communist. You can see the whole thing in a half hour. It's a few minutes' walk from the Frida Kahlo museum, so I'd recommend doing visiting both sites on the same day. read more

I skipped the lines at the Frida Museum, and headed to the Trotsky museum. I also have soviet heritage from my parents, so I found the whole story of his life and eventual assasination quite interesting. The house is very well preserved, and there is tons of art work (and even some Soviet era stuff). It's super cheap, and could easily be stacked with a visit to Frida's house + Coyoacan. read more

I honestly don't like the Casa Azul/Museo de Frida Kahlo - the lines are long, there's not a lot of art, etc. BUT if you really want to get a feel for Frida Kahlo's life and that of her contemporaries, go to the Museo Casa de Leon Trotsky. It's walking distance from Frida Kahlo's house and gives a very intimate glimpse of one of history's most influential characters and a symbol of leftist politics in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. The museum also houses a great bookstore with Spanish-language leftist literature, and there is an art gallery that exhibits contemporary Mexican artists. read more

We stopped by this museum after visiting Frida's Khalo's house. It was about a 10 minute walk. From the outside it seemed like a bare bones museum with pictures in it. But once you go in, you'll find Trotsky's former house, which the museum did an excellent job at preserving. I liked how the museum showed how Trotsky spent his day to day life here in exile. I would have liked deeper information about Trotsky's work and beliefs in the museum, but ultimately the museum was so interesting that I ended up researching my lasting questions afterwards. read more

A small museum and house that tells the story of Trotsky quite well. I liked the rooms laid out with artifacts from his life in Mexico. Will only take 30-60 minutes to see it all. Well worth 40 pesos and close to Frida Kahlo. read more

Basic, cold at times, and yet you can feel the events that occurred here - this was a place I could spend much more time in due to the amazing history contained within the walls here. You can still many many remnants of events that occurred here, and bring your teacher's id for a discount as well. This is a great planned trip along with the Frida Museum, you can't go wrong in what you will find and discover here, and how Mexico played a crucial part. After reading the novel La Lacuna, this visit even takes on more of a feeling! read more

The museum has a melancholy feeling to it (or at least it did to me) but one that is supported by sonder more than actual sorrow. I came here because i wanted to know more about Trotsky and his philosophy, but sadly i wasn't able to get the full experience- the tours are said to be in both English and Spanish, but the tour guide that was working that day only spoke Spanish. Now i understand that this museum is in Mexico where they speak Spanish, and my Spanish isn't terrible, but i wasn't able to follow what my tour guide was saying very well so i took a self tour by reading the descriptions instead. That being said, i was pleased to find out the museum is still run by Trotsky's grandson who lives near it, so that added to the more "homey" feeling i got from this museum (in comparison to the Frida Kahlo Museum). Overall, while i don't think i got an as well informed visit as others may have, i did not feel disappointed with my visit. I do plan on going back, with more resources this time because this is a truly unappreciated gem in history that i would like to learn more about. And lastly there is a mini contemporary art hall before entering the museum which was very interesting by itself. Also note: some of the entryways are quite low! I'm 5'4" and had to duck in some of them. read more

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If you are looking for a full exposition of the historical context of Trotsky's life, death and contribution to Marxist thought, then you will be, as were some other reviewers, disappointed. If you are, however, familiar with the general details of the Russian revolution and the role of Trotsky along with the rise of Stalinism, then the museum offers an insight into Trotsky the person as opposed to the leftist icon. But if you don't know anything about Trotsky before you walk in, you might leave wondering why there is a Trotsky museum. read more