The Museo Regional de la Cerámica (Regional Ceramic Museum) in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico is located on Independencia Street in the center of the city. The museum is one of two main ceramics museums in the city, with the other being the Pantaleon Panduro Museum . It was established in 1954 to preserve and promote indigenous handcrafts of Jalisco, especially the state’s ceramic tradition. The emphasis is still on ceramics but the museum also has a room dedicated to Huichol art and holds events related to various types of indigenous crafts and culture. History of institution and building The museum was founded in 1954 by the Instituto Nacional Indigenista and the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, to promote and preserve indigenous arts with emphasis on ceramics. The original collection was assembled by historian Isabel Marin de Pallen, working under the direction of Daniel F. Rubin de la Borbolla, one of the most important handcrafts and folk art collectors from Jalisco. The Instituto Nacional Indigenista is now the Instituto de la Artesania Jalisciense and the museum was reinaugurated in 1998 under state control. However, the museum still maintains active participation in the preservation of indigenous handcrafts and folk art along with newer ceramic traditions. In 2008, the museum held an event called “Mexico Indigena en el Corazon de Jalisco” (Indigenous Mexico in the heart of Jalisco), which highlighted various indigenous peoples. It included exhibitions, workshops, conferences and more. In 2011, the la Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas agreed to lend the museum 2,400 pieces from its rational indigenous arts collection for exhibition. The pieces in the collection was selected to represent the various indigenous cultures of Mexico. The museum offers guided tours and classes in painting, ceramics and other handcrafts. The building which contains the museum is located on the pedestrian only Independencia Street in what is now the center of Tlaquepaque. However, it began as the main house of a hacienda which dates from the colonial era. This main house itself was built in the 19th century and was the property of José Francisco Velvardo y de la Moro, who earned the nickname of “Burro de Oro” (Donkey of Gold) during his lifetime. His military service included that under General Antonio López de Santa Anna and he was executed for his support of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico . The house is now a historic monument.