Mascota Part 5 of 6: The Amazing Museum of Stones

Rocks of various sizes, shapes, and colors completely cover a traditional sombrero. One of the most unusual places to visit in Mascota is Museo de Piedra El Pedregal (Museum of Stones). The museum is located at Calle Morelos 64, about a block and a half east of Plaza Principal, on the south side of the street. Mexico is full of zany, quirky, even surreal, people and places. Mascota's Museum of Rocks fits easily in those categories. The entry fee is $10 pesos (45 cents USD) and the Museo is well worth it.

Señor Francisco Peña, the artist, curator, and owner, stands at the entrance of the Museo. Sr. Peña is warm and welcoming to visitors. He speaks excellent English and is very proud to show off his creations The rock-lined exterior gives a hint of the wonders found within. The sign above Sr. Peña's head is made from an ox bow that is covered with stones.

This well forms the centerpiece of the courtyard. Except for the brick arch, all of the well's other surfaces are covered with stones, including the bucket hanging from the top. Sr. Peña has worked for the last 25 years to create his museum and its unusual displays. He collects the rounded river stones he uses from the Rio Mascota, which parallels the south side of town. Notice the wagon wheel on the right side of the photo.

An old wagon wheel stands against the wall. Carefully fitted rocks fill all the spaces between its spokes. Two-wheeled ox carts, called carretas, provided the primary means for transporting cargo in Mexico until the advent of railroads in the late 19th century. I still occasionally encounter old-fashioned carretas when I go searching for haciendas on the backroads of Mexico.

Chess anyone? Except for the woven seats, every other surface is covered with stones of various sizes and colors. Even the chess pieces are made from stone. Around the perimeter of the table' surface, Sr. Peña has created a beautiful pattern of flowers. Even though they are very unusual, most of his creations are completely functional.

Model of Mascota's Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. I featured this church in my last blog posting. It is located on the south side of Plaza Principal. The walls are covered with sand particles. If you compare the model with the first photo of my last posting, you will find that he has accurately replicated most of the details of the 18th century church.

A star-shaped piñata with many lovely details. The only parts of this piece that are not covered with stones are the colorful streamers. I'm sure Sr. Peña would have covered those too, if he could have found a way. The photos on the wall behind the piñata are scenes from Mascota's history. They are, of course, all framed with river stones. Sr. Peña is not only an artist, but also an historian and genealogist.

Piñatas are ubiquitous in Mexico and have an unusual history. They probably originated in China and were brought back to Italy in the 14th century. The name comes from the Italian word pignatta, which means clay pot, from which the original piñatas were made. The modern versions are generally paper maché. These colorful objects are often seen at traditional Mexican fiestas, particularly when children are involved.

The piñata is first filled with candy and suspended from a rafter or tree branch. One at a time, children will be blindfolded and given a club to try to break it open. As a kid flails about blindly, someone pulls the piñata up and down, just out of reach. Eventually, one of the kids swats the container hard enough and the result is a cascade of candy. The mad scramble for the goodies is the climax of the game and is a scene of great hilarity.

Another table contains pitchers and cups of various sizes. Once again, all these are perfectly functional. Leaning against the wall behind the table are other stone-covered items, including two guitars. I can't vouch for the quality of their music.

Time for dinner!  This table contains several beautifully decorated bowls and platters. Notice the plate in the center containing several slices of stone pizza. While the platters may be functional, the pizza might prove a bit hard on the teeth. Sr. Peña has a wonderfully quirky sense of humor.

The bar is stocked with numerous bottles and cups of various sizes and shapes. On the shelf in the back is a miniature, open-air bar. A cantinera (female bartender) washes glasses on the right and and two borrochos (drunks) are passed out on the table on the left. The bar's mirror shows my reflection as I took the shot.

Over the bar, a rack of glasses stands ready for after dinner cocktails. Martini and wine glasses are covered with very fine textured pebbles. The wall behind them is surfaced with much larger stones from Rio Mascota.

An old microwave oven displays a rather odd picture. At first, I thought this was an old TV, but a microwave seems more likely. The photo inside the oven is a take-off on the Beatles' famous Abbey Road album cover. Instead of George, Paul, Ringo, and John the composite photo shows Humphrey Bogart, Elvis Presley, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe.

Te Amo (I love you) is spelled out on the large rock just in front of the oven door. It's not clear to me whether the message is about the actors in the photo or is directed toward the viewer of the work. As I said, Sr. Peña has a wonderfully offbeat sense of humor.

After a good meal of pizza and a cocktail, it's time for a snooze. The only things not covered with stones here are the mattress and its spread. I tested the mattress with my fingers to be sure. Even the pillows at the top of the bed have a layer of river stones. Sr. Peña has used his rocks to form lovely diamond-shaped designs on the bedstead and the mattress frame. Although I could probably sleep on the bed, I tend to favor softer pillows.

The bottom half of an old grindstone stands in a corner. This was part of Sr. Peñas collection, but is not one of his creations. It appears to be the bottom half of the grinder. When in use, it would have been in a horizontal position. A large post would have filled the hole in the center. Another large circular stone on top would have been turned by a water wheel, powered by a stream beside the mill.

The grain was crushed into fine powder between the upper and lower stones. The grooves radiating out from the center directed the flour toward the circular tray. The opening in the tray, seen at the bottom of the picture, allowed the flour to pour out into a barrel or a bag.

This completes Part 5 of my Mascota series. I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Sr. Peña's little museum. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below. If you leave a question, PLEASE leaver your email address so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim