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All Mexico Mexico City SCOP Center

SCOP Center

Murals made with millions of colorful stones adorn the abandoned building.

Mexico City, Mexico

Added By
Mario Yair T.S.
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SCOP Center.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
SCOP Center.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
Unidad Nacional.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
Abandoned building.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
The “sun” murals.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
Main entrance.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
Murals disappearing.   Mario Yair TS / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Millions of pebbles stud the walls of the now-abandoned Secretariat of Communications and Public Works (SCOP) Center. The images they create tell parts of Mexico’s history up until the 1950s, highlighting the country’s technological advances.

Inaugurated in 1954 by Communications Secretary Carlos Lazo, the SCOP Center was planned to be an integral campus for the organization’s bureaucrats. In addition to the administrative areas, it had nurseries, healthcare areas, and a housing unit where workers would live.

Like the UNAM Central Library, the building's walls are adorned with murals embedded with colorful pebbles. Children from all over Mexico were invited to send in stones to add to the artwork.

Each stone was numbered and put in place by a team of artists including Juan O'Gorman, Chávez Morado, George Best, Francisco Zúñiga, Rosendo Soto, Rodrigo Arenas, and others. The murals show the history of communications in Mexico. You’ll see images alluding to nuclear energy, radio waves, old TV boxes, and 1950s-era cars.

Unfortunately, the SCOP Center was destined to fail. Despite warnings that its foundations were not quite sturdy, the workers piled tons of heavy files throughout the building. During the 1985 earthquake that shook the city, much of the building was left badly damaged.

Restoration efforts did begin, largely prompted by a desire to conserve the murals. But the building was dealt yet another devastating blow in 2017, when another massive earthquake struck the city.

The structure was abandoned after the devastating natural disaster. Today, its murals cause some controversy, as several have been dismantled and hidden in warehouses while others still remain visible in the abandoned building.

Related Tags

Earthquakes Abandoned Murals Mosaics

Know Before You Go

There's no need to attempt to enter the abandoned building, as many of the murals can be seen from the sidewalk.

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Community Contributors

Added By

Mario Yair TS

Edited By

Monsieur Mictlan

  • Monsieur Mictlan

Published

July 3, 2019

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Sources
  • https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-et-cam-centro-scop-murals-mexico-city-20190301-story.html
  • https://hyperallergic.com/443307/centro-scop-murals-mexico-city/
SCOP Center
Xola
Mexico City, 03020
Mexico
19.395244, -99.14753
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Panteón Francés de La Piedad

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico

Places 180
Stories 17

Nearby Places

Panteón Francés de La Piedad

Mexico City, Mexico

miles away

El Vilsito

Mexico City, Mexico

miles away

Museo del Juguete Antiguo México

Mexico City, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico

Places 180
Stories 17

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