All about Casa Museo Montes Molina in Mérida (2025)

In Mérida, sidewalks aren’t maintained by the city but by individual homeowners, which often leaves them in poor condition. Paseo de Montejo is one of the rare exceptions, and that’s part of why I love strolling there every now and then.

Casa Museo Quinta Montes Molina is located on Paseo de Montejo, diagonally across from the abonded Casa Duarte Molina. The representative building was completed around 1902 and is still in its original state.

Montes Molina was built in the neoclassical style of the Porfiriato period and the great Hennequen boom in the Yucatán. It may not be the largest colonial building, but to me, it’s one of the most beautiful. The distinctive turret atop the house adds a unique charm.

Today, it is open to the public and operates as a museum. Walking through the rooms, I got a real sense of how upper-class families in Mérida once lived – from elegant dining sets and carved furniture to original decor and family portraits.

History of Casa Montes Molina

One of the men made rich by the henequen boom was Don Aurelio Portuondo y Barceló, originally from Havana, Cuba. After marrying in Mérida, his father-in-law gave the couple a piece of land as a wedding gift – the future site of La Quinta.

In 1915, amidst the Mexican Revolution, the property was sold to Don Avelino Montes Linaje, a Spanish businessman and banker. The Montes Molina family resided in the mansion for four generations, preserving its original state.

Inside the house, you’ll find portraits of the former owners. The entrance hall displays Don Avelino Montes Linaje and Doña María Molina Figueroa, while the back shows his parents, Saturnino and Luciana. All four were painted in 1899 from photographs.

Museum Operations and Events

As mentioned, the Casa Museo Quinta Montes Molina is now open to the public and functions as a museum. The mansion is furnished with original European pieces, including Baccarat crystal chandeliers, Carrara marble floors, and antique furniture.

It also houses a store with high quality regional handicrafts. It is possible as well to book La Quinta Montes Molina for events or business meetings or for filming or photo shoots. Especially for weddings it is a popular place.

Due to the extensive garden area, there is room for up to 400 people. Apart from its own website, Casa Museo Quinta Montes Molina ist also present on Facebook and Instagram.

Admission Costs and Guided Tours

The admission prices are tiered:

• General public: 120 Pesos

• Children: 70 Pesos

• INAPAM (seniors with a valid ID): 95 Pesos

You can also join a guided tour led by an expert. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and costs 180 Pesos per person. During the tour, you’ll get to explore all the rooms of the house and learn more about what life was like in the past.

Museum Nights and Group Tours

Another unique way to experience the museum is by attending one of the Museum Nights. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance. You can follow the museum’s social media pages to stay updated on upcoming dates for this event.

If you’re visiting with a larger group or on an excursion, the museum offers special guided tours in both English and Spanish, giving you the chance to dive deeper into the fascinating history of Quinta Montes Molina.

Exploring More Mansions in Mérida

From the outside, you can already get a sense of how Mérida's upper class lived around 100 years ago, but you should absolutely take the opportunity to see at least one of these houses from the inside.

Two of the best options, alongside Casa Museo Quinta Montes Molina, are the Casas Gemelas (one of which has also been partially turned into a museum and is open to visitors).

There’s also the chance to visit more “everyday” houses. The Mérida English Library (MEL) not only offers books but also organizes events like the “House and Garden Tour.”

Each week, MEL arranges visits to three or four homes, showcasing a variety of eras, styles, and sizes - often old colonial buildings but sometimes more modern homes too.

Ghost Stories at Casa Montes Molina

As in some old mansions, there are also ghost stories about La Quinta Montes Molina. One of the most famous stories refers to the ghost of a woman in a white dress. This spirit is often described as a friendly and peaceful presence.

Visitors and employees of the property have claimed to have seen the woman in various parts of the house and in the gardens.

The spirit is often interpreted as an apparition of a former resident or historical figure, although it is not clear which historical person or resident it might be.

However, there are also reports of unexplained knocking noises, footsteps, and sometimes even faint voices. These sounds are often heard in the quiet hours of the night or in abandoned parts of the house.

As is common in similar cases, some visitors and staff have noticed sudden drops in temperature in parts of the house, even on warm days, and that objects sometimes disappear and later reappear elsewhere.