Biblioteca Palafoxiana celebrates 380 years in Puebla

The Biblioteca Palafoxiana in Puebla is celebrating its 380th anniversary. Founded on September 5, 1646, by Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, it holds the distinction of being the first public library in Latin America.

As a significant piece of cultural heritage for Latin America and the Caribbean, the institution is noted for its unique architecture utilizing wood and stone. Officials, including Culture Undersecretary Emilio Herrera Corichi and Museum Director Fernanda Cruz Domínguez, emphasized the importance of preserving this legacy to protect regional identity and collective memory.

To mark the anniversary, the library is hosting an exhibition titled ‘La memoria viva de los pueblos originarios’ (The Living Memory of Indigenous Peoples). Created by artisan Pascasia Cecilia Jaime Lino from Hueyapan, the exhibition features traditional pieces dyed with cochineal to honor ancestral knowledge and cultural richness.