Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González | Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas — The International Museum of Art and Science (IMAS) will open “Diego Rivera: The Promise of a Better Future” on Saturday, July 25, 2026. The exhibition, which runs through October 25, marks the first stop in the United States for the international touring exhibition after its presentation in Mexico.
Organized by the Diego Rivera Museum, also known as the Anahuacalli Museum, in Mexico City, the exhibition examines Rivera’s ideas about muralism, architecture, education, collecting, and his commitment to social transformation. The exhibition also provides context for Rivera’s mural projects in both Mexico and the United States.
Diego Rivera (1886–1957) is widely recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. As a leading figure in the Mexican muralism movement, he created monumental public works that combined history, labor, industry, and Mexican cultural identity. His murals in Mexico and the United States helped establish mural painting as an important form of public art and continue to influence artists, historians, and educators around the world.
According to Anastasia Perez, IMAS Director of Development and Marketing, the exhibition explores Rivera’s thinking across multiple disciplines while examining the lasting impact of his work on successive generations.
Curator Marcelo Ramírez García Rojas said the exhibition traces Rivera’s early role in the Mexican muralism movement, his artistic work in the United States, and the creation and legacy of the Anahuacalli Museum. Rivera envisioned the museum as a permanent home for his extensive collection of pre-Columbian art. Today, the museum houses more than 60,000 pieces from Rivera’s personal collection along with many of his own works.
The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to better understand Rivera not only as a painter but also as a collector, educator, and cultural advocate whose work connected art with history and public life. His murals remain among the best-known examples of Mexican art and are studied internationally for their artistic, historical, and cultural significance.
Opening-day activities will include a presentation at 3:30 p.m. by María Teresa Moya, director of the Diego Rivera exhibition from Mexico. The lecture will be followed by an opening reception, providing visitors an opportunity to learn more about the exhibition and view important examples of Mexican painting. The reception is free for museum members, while non-members may attend with paid admission.
The exhibition will be open through October 25 during regular museum hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., subject to holiday and special-event closures.
General admission is $9 for adults, $5 for children, senior citizens, and students, and $3 through the Museums for All program for visitors participating in WIC or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT). Children age two and younger are admitted free. Museum members also receive free admission, and discounts are available for educators, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.
The exhibition brings one of Mexico’s most recognized artistic legacies to the Rio Grande Valley, offering visitors access to an international collection that examines Rivera’s contributions to art, architecture, education, and cultural preservation through the institution he envisioned more than half a century ago.
