Street art in Mérida: 8 murals worth seeing

Since Mérida is all about (mainly) Roman architecture, most tourist itineraries end at the Roman Circus. But venture just a bit further, and you’ll marvel at some impressive contemporary murals.

In this article, aimed at travellers looking to see some street art in Mérida, I take you through the eight murals forming part of the MUMCO project in La Antigua area.

The MUMCO project

MUMCO stands for Museo de Muralismo Contemporáneo de Mérida (Mérida Museum of Contemporary Muralism). This art project has added a pop of colour to the otherwise whitewashed four-floor blocks of flats in La Antigua area.

So far, eight murals have been commissioned to Spanish and international urban artists, whose works explore the relationship between city and neighbourhood and concepts such as folklore, cultural diversity and heritage.

Location of the murals and how to get there

All murals are located in La Antigua area of Mérida, on the eastern part of the city, just off Avenida de Juan Carlos I and a stone’s throw away from the Roman Circus.

If you’re coming from the city centre, walk on the right-side pavement along Avenida de Extremadura and look out for an underpass near the end of the road. Once on Avenida de Juan Carlos I, walk past the Roman Circus until you reach a roundabout. La Antigua will be on your right.

How to see the murals

While they’re all part of the same project, each mural is an independent work of art. They have not been arranged in any chronological or sequential order, which means that you can see them in any order you like.

If you’re coming from the city centre, the first mural you’ll see is Jardín de los sueños, so that will most likely be your start point. But, apart from that, feel free to walk around the area as you please. Just remember – there’s eight murals in total, so make sure you see them all!

The MUMCO project murals

While they’re all part of the same project, each mural is an independent work of art. They have not been arranged in any chronological or sequential order, which means that you can see them in any order you like.

If you’re coming from the city centre, the first mural you’ll see is Jardín de los sueños, so that will most likely be your start point. But, apart from that, feel free to walk around the area as you please. Just remember – there’s eight murals in total, so make sure you see them all!

1. Jardín de los sueños

This vibrant mural by Japanese artist @mina_hamada (‘Garden of dreams’) depicts Mérida as imagined by local schoolchildren, who drew whatever came to their minds in response to the artist’s question ‘How would you make Mérida happier?’.

Location: Avenida Nuestra Señora de la Antigua, 2

2. Al final todo se reduce a esto

In Al final todo se reduce a esto (‘At the end, it all comes down to this’), Madrid-based artist @spokbrillor explores the relationship between 20th-century architecture and the reality of local residents. La Antigua’s decades-long history of activism features in a seemingly multi-dimensional postcard-like design.

Location: Calle Trujillanos

3. Eulalia

Street art collective @reskatestudio depict local icon Santa Eulalia (a Roman Christian martyr) as a demystified child exploring topics such as the intergenerational gap between local residents. During the day, Eulalia’s head is covered by fog, her hopeful face only revealed when the sun goes down by the luminescent part of the mural.

Location: Calle Navalmoral de la Mata, 1

4. El agente naranja

With El agente naranja (‘The orange agent’) local artist @ danielmunoz________________ explores the relationship between tourists and local residents. This mural is located right next to the Roman Circus, its fence physically dividing touristic Mérida and local Mérida. The digitally-obsessed tourist figures of this mural provides a lot of food for thought regarding tourism and touristification.

Location: Calle el Carrascalejo

5. Venus del Mitreo

Valencia-based artistic duo @pichiavo unite classic archaeology and graffiti in striking murals. In Venus del Mitreo, they’ve recreated the bust of the (headless) namesake sculpture exhibited in Mérida’s National Museum of Roman Art by taking inspiration from her Greek counterpart Aphrodite. The result is a captivating balance between elegant classicism and bold modernity.

Location: Calle Lobón

6. El sabor popular

This mural by Uruguayan collective Licuado (@theic_licuado) explores the role of traditional dances in identity formation. El sabor popular (‘Traditional flavour’) highlights the traditional dancing clothes as the connecting factor of the history, dances and celebrations of the neighbourhood’s folk association.

Location: Calle Garganta la Olla

7. Las tres Méridas

In this strikingly bold mural (‘The three Méridas’) by artistic duo @okudart, present Mérida, depicted at the top on a platform, is supported by three muses representing the city’s architectural legacy throughout history (by Romans, Visigoths and Moors).

Location: Calle Yucatán

8. El momento de florecer es ahora

El momento de florecer es ahora (‘The time to blossom is now’), by Portuguese artist @tamara_aalves, is about gender equality and women empowerment. This painting-like mural showcases a naked woman, her face only partially visible, holding a flower bouquet against her chest, symbolising both the strength and vulnerability of women.

Location: Calle Yucatán

Street art in Mérida on a map