Museum of William Spratling

This museum, located two blocks from the Plaza Bora, on Calle Porfirio A. Delgado, features William Spratling’s collection of silver and pre-Hispanic art. It seems every building has its silver shop. You cannot go more than a few steps before finding another one (at last count there were more than 200). Many sell silver items at the same price, and in similar style, to those found in resort shops throughout Mexico, but what is special, and can’t be found elsewhere, are the shops where individual pieces are designed. Many of these are exquisite, and not inexpensive. The reason for the prolific number of skilled craftsmen here is partly due to the American ambassador to Mexico in the 1920s, Dwight Morrow (father of Anne Morrow, wife of Charles Lindberg). He was a dedicated statesman who went far beyond the line of duty in trying to improve the lot of the local people. Morrow had a friend, William Spratling, a young professor from New Orleans, who fell in love with Mexico. Morrow persuaded him to stay and set up workshops to teach jewelry design to the artisans in Taxco. This he did, and Taxco is now known worldwide for the skill of its designers.