Diego Rivera Mural, Acapulco (must see)

You want to see one of Acapulco’s most cherished cultural treasures? Then go visit the Diego Rivera Mural. Created in 1956, it was installed on the facade of a house in the traditional neighborhood of La Quebrada. The mural immediately draws attention with its vivid colors and meticulous craftsmanship. It is composed of thousands of stones, seashells, and multicolored mosaics, assembled directly onto the curved surface of the building.

Its creator, Diego Rivera, was one of Mexico’s most influential artists—renowned for his monumental murals, political themes, and bold, modernist style. Rivera designed this monumental work as a gift for his close friend and patron, actress Dolores Olmedo, during a period when he frequently visited Acapulco to recover his health and enjoy the Pacific climate.

At the center of the mural is Quetzalcóatl, often called the Feathered Serpent—a major god in ancient Mexican cultures. He represents wisdom, creativity, and the renewal of life. Rivera shows him as a large snake with colorful feathers, a combination that symbolized both the earth— the serpent and the sky— the feathers. As you admire it, you can see the way Rivera arranges the colors and curves makes the figure appear as if it is lifting from the wall.

Surrounding Quetzalcóatl is a striking sphinx—a creature more commonly associated with Egyptian mythology. Rivera introduced this figure deliberately, blending Mesoamerican and Mediterranean iconography to highlight the parallels he saw between the world’s ancient civilizations.

Another interesting fact is that this piece is one of Rivera’s final major works, created only a year before his death in 1957. Unlike his well-known frescoes in Mexico City, Detroit, or San Francisco, this mural exists in a private residential setting, on "House of the Winds", which adds to its unique charm. Despite its location, you can check out the mural from the street.