Casa Luis Barragán · Mexico City
Barragán lived here from 1948 until 1988, and every room is kept just as he left it.
Ages 12 and over · tickets released in batches
The visits
Both visits go through the rooms Barragán lived in. They run on different days, so choose the one that runs on yours.
Under-12s cannot visit on any ticket. That is the house’s own rule, kept without exceptions to protect a home that was never built for visitors.
The week
Monday is the only day with both. The house closes at 15:00 Monday to Thursday and at 14:00 on Saturday.
| The week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-guided | Runs | No | Runs | Runs | No | Runs | Closed |
| Guided | Runs | Runs | No | No | Runs | No | Closed |
Inside
The street
From General Francisco Ramírez the house is a rough wall of plastered concrete, painted only at its doors and window ironwork, with a yellow and orange corner and a white water tower above. Behind it, a dim hall of volcanic stone opens onto a deep pink wall, lit by a window you never see.
The roof
Up on the roof, Barragán closed the terrace in with high walls of pink, orange and grey, tall enough to hide the city entirely. What is left is a floor, a few planes of colour and the sky above them, with the white water tower rising over the top like a piece of sculpture.
The garden
Barragán let his garden grow wild: dense planting, climbing green and old trees, closed in by walls so that nothing of the street shows. He meant it to be looked at from inside as much as walked in, and the living room gives it one whole window. Outside, clay jugs and running water keep the same quiet.
Before you go
The house is strict about time and about age, and it is easy to plan around once you know the rules. Arrive five minutes early: self-guided visitors go in at the exact time on the ticket, and late guided visitors cannot go back to rooms already seen. Wear flat shoes, bring photo ID for anyone on the 12 to 21 fare, and leave plenty of time to cross the city.
Visitor guide
Eleven short chapters on tickets, days, ages and arriving, and five longer reads on the house and the man who built it.
Longer reads
Questions
Very unlikely. The house says places are limited and demand is high, so it is very unlikely that any will be left at the door. Booking ahead is the only way to be sure of getting in.
As soon as your date is released. Self-guided visits go on sale about two months ahead and guided tours about six weeks ahead, in batches. Guided tours in particular sell out quickly.
The self-guided visit follows a one-way route at your own pace, about 30 minutes on average, with staff on hand. The guided tour lasts about 50 minutes with a guide and at most six people.
Self-guided visits run on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Guided tours run on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. The house is closed on Sundays.
Only from age 12. The house's minimum age is 12 with no exceptions, on both kinds of visit, so we cannot book younger children. We know that is disappointing for families; it protects a house that was never built for visitors.
Visitors aged 12 to 21. Bring a valid photo ID showing your age, because the house can ask for it at the door, and without it the difference to the adult fare is charged.
Tours run in English and in Spanish, and each time has its own language. We book English-language tours unless you ask us for Spanish.
Six at most, with no exceptions. That is why guided tours sell out first.
No. The house does not change the date, time or language of a ticket once it is issued, so please check the details before you pay.
Self-guided visitors wait for a later time with space, and no one is let in during the last 30 minutes before closing. Guided visitors can join the tour in progress but cannot go back. Arrive five minutes early.
No. We send your ticket by email and the house accepts the QR code on your phone.
Only for shoes. Stiletto heels are strictly not allowed, because the stone and wooden floors are easily damaged. Flat shoes are best.
No. The nearest Metro station is Constituyentes on Line 7 and the nearest Metrobús stop is Parque Lira on Line 2. Allow extra time for traffic.
The visit goes ahead, but the house does not open its outdoor spaces in the rain, and it does not refund for that. It can also close any space for safety or maintenance.
An independent booking service for visitors to Casa Luis Barragán. We are not the house. We book your visit on the house's own system, in your names, and help you in English before you go.
You are refunded in full. Apart from that, tickets are final, because the house does not change or cancel issued tickets.
No. Casa Ortega, Casa Gilardi, Casa Pedregal, the Capuchinas chapel and the Cuadra San Cristóbal are each visited by their own arrangement. Our guide to Barragán in Mexico City explains how to plan around them.
It was built as a home, not a museum. The rooms are small and the materials delicate, and the house is kept as Barragán left it, so the priority is conservation and a calm visit for the few people inside at any time.
The house releases tickets in batches so that it can plan conservation and maintenance work inside, some of which means closing rooms to visitors.
No. The house does not keep one; places freed by cancellations go straight back on sale. The options are another day, another time or the other kind of visit.
Sources: Casa Luis Barragán: visits · Casa Luis Barragán: frequently asked questions · Casa Luis Barragán: the house · Casa Luis Barragán: Luis Barragán · Wikipedia: Luis Barragán House and Studio Last checked: