All about Casa de las Artesanías Yucatán in Mérida (2025)

I’ve always had a soft spot for handmade things – and a full-blown collecting habit that quickly becomes a curse whenever space or money runs low.

La Casa de las Artesanías del Estado de Yucatán roughly means “The House of Yucatán Crafts” – and that’s exactly what you’ll find there: a selection of handmade goods that showcase the region’s rich craft traditions.

It’s tucked away next to the Church of the Nuns on Calle 63 (No. 65), just one block west of Plaza Grande – so it’s right in the heart of the city. That said, you probably won’t stumble across it by chance – you’ll have to make a point to seek it out.

La Casa de las Artesanías is a government-operated store selling a wide-range of Yucatecan handicrafts. For more than 30 years, it has been involved in promoting traditional crafts.

The work of the artisans is promoted through support programs and some of the products are sold in the government-owned in stores (see also below). All prices are fixed, so no negotiation is possible (which can be pleasant).

What's for Sale?

The store is quite large with a huge selection. You will find a lot of handmade handicrafts, e.g. hammocks and other henequen products, but also clothes (e.g. the traditional guayaberas and embroidered blouses), bags, shoes or jewelry.

There are the typical brightly colored bags, sombreros (by the way, sombreros literally means “hat”), magnets with Frieda Kahlo and other things that literally scream “I am a tourist” and that you can buy anywhere in Mexico.

On the other hand, there are also handmade pottery and painted wood carvings that at least look quite authentic. The intended customers, however, are clearly tourists. As you can probably tell, I’m a bit torn about it.

More Stores of Artesanías

There are currently another four stores from Casa de las Artesanías:

• one at the Merida airport,

• two stores near Parque Santa Ana,

• and there is another store in Uxmal.

More Crafts Nearby – Discover Artesanaria

The store Artesanaria diagonally opposite the Parque de Santa Lucia sounds very similar, of course, but does not belong to Casa de las Artesanías. But it is also a very recommendable store, where you can buy similar handicrafts.

The prices at Artesanaria are higher, but the quality of the goods is also better and the items are usually more elaborately made. The store’s location is a bit nicer, which naturally makes a difference.

One thing I personally love – though it’s definitely a matter of taste – are Mexican alebrijes. These brightly painted wooden figures are a fun and uniquely Mexican form of folk art, and they make great souvenirs.

They often depict fantastical creatures, combining features from various animals, both real and mythical. We already have a whole collection of them at home...