The Island of the Dolls

The Island of the Dolls (Spanish: La Isla de las Muñecas) is a chinampa of the Laguna de Tequila located in the channels of Xochimilco, south of the center of Mexico City, Mexico. It is notable for the multitude of dolls of various styles and colors that can be found throughout the island. Local legends surround the dolls and the island’s reclusive former owner, Don Julián Santana Barrera, making the island a popular destination for dark tourism.

In the mid-20th century, Barrera began to collect dolls and hang them around the small island. The island gained notoriety in 1943 when Mexican director Emilio Fernández used it as the location of the film María Candelaria.

After Barrera’s death in 2001, his family opened the island to the public as a tourist attraction. In addition to the hundreds of dolls, the grounds host three huts, and a small museum with articles from local newspapers about both the island and the previous owner. In the one-room hut Barrera slept in, the first doll Barrera collected is displayed, as well as Agustina, his favorite doll.

The Island of the Dolls is accessible to the public by gondola-like boats referred to as trajineras. Most rowers are willing to transport people to the island, but there are those who refuse out of superstition. The journey often includes a tour of the Ecological Area, Ajolote Museum, Apatlaco Canal, Teshuilo Lagoon and Llorona Island.