In the late seventeenth century, Captain Gabriel de la Barrera founded the Barrera family dynasty based on producing gold and silver from the rich mines around Guanajuato. One of his properties is now open as the Museo Casa San Gabriel de Barrera Exhacienda.

The original property included living quarters, offices and recreation areas, a small chapel with a fifteenth century Spanish altarpiece (retablo) and finally extensive working areas for processing and storing the ore.

The ex-hacienda passed down through many generations until in 1945, the last private owner, Mrs. Elsa Bas de Armida, transformed the large working areas into 17 gardens, each modeled on a different national design from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The State Government of Guanajuato purchased the estate in 1975 and opened the Museum in 1977.

Among the photos here you will see Lois and Don Porter, as well as our friends Agustin and Lupita from Queretaro. We spent a delightful morning with them touring the gardens and house at the Museo San Gabriel de Barrera.

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