Tulum Street Art: Exploring the Pueblo’s Muralism Culture
Disclosure: This blog is reader-supported, and some posts contain affiliate links. If you make a booking, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thank you for keeping me writing and doing what I love!
Tulum’s street art is one of the best-kept secrets of this magical pueblo.
If you plan to visit Tulum for a few days, chances are you won’t come across its many painted murals. That’s because Tulum’s street art is somewhat hidden from view.
To find the colorful murals and walls, you’ll have to explore the Pueblo’s backstreets, hidden away from the main Avenida Tulum.
Walk through the streets of this authentic town, learning more about its culture and history through the vibrant street art.
The Tulum street art movement began in the mid-2010s with an initiative to bring life to the otherwise gray buildings.
Although this is a relatively new art form for Tulum, Mexico’s culture of muralism dates back to the early 1920s and 30s.
Much of Tulum’s street art is dedicated to the city’s original inhabitants, both humans and animals, and preserving their culture, while others shed light on problems such as Tulum’s greenwashing and pollution.
Although the town’s street art is a bit of an off-the-beaten-path thing to do in Tulum.
I hope that more people begin to appreciate this incredible street art, the artists’ hard work and beauty, and discover a newfound curiosity about the destination and its people.
I personally feel that street art is a special way to give back to the community!
Here is my ultimate guide to Tulum’s street art and where to find these colorful murals!
The Best of Tulum’s Street Art
🎨 Get the full story behind each mural on a Tulum street art tour with a local!
TINASAH Urban Art Movement in Tulum
Street art has a beautifully nuanced way of telling a story.
In that sense, Tulum’s street art is no different. Even the most bizarre and mysterious murals have something to say. Moreover, several of the murals in Tulum were painted by renowned international muralists, making this an outdoor art gallery.
The culture of street art in Tulum is very present, in part thanks to the urban art collective Tinasah, which in 2019, hosted the first FAT Tulum Art Festival (Festival Arte Tinasah) to paint over 12 walls by 12 artists in just 12 weeks. (P.S. Their Instagram is also helpful for getting clues on where to find Tulum’s street art).
“TINASAH’s work in Tulum is grounded in a shared belief that street art is about making change happen and creating murals for the community in Tulum that have a positive cultural and political influence.”
CultureTrip
Aside from Tinasah, another collective dedicated to Tulum’s art installations and vibrant murals is the Tulum Art Club.
They provide residencies for artists and workshops if you want to get plugged into the Tulum art community.
After living in this pueblo for almost 3 months, I truly believe that exploring the street art culture is one of Tulum’s coolest activities.
Street Art on Calle Sol Oriente
Turtle Mural
Calle Sol Oriente is about two blocks below the main Avenida Tulum, crossing the pueblo from north to south (the east side of the town).
This is the street we lived on, and luckily so because it’s chock-full of painted walls and hidden murals!
One of the best ways to explore Calle Sol Oriente’s street art is by getting around on two wheels. Rent a bike in Tulum and cruise down Calle Sol Oriente for a DIY tour.
Alternatively, you can join a guided Tulum street art tour.
Start your street art tour from the far end of Sol Ote, where it meets Coba Road (the road that heads toward the beach).
From here, you can cruise down Calle Sol Ote and cross Tulum Pueblo, spotting dozens of murals.
If you start from Coba Road, you will first see the giant sea turtle mural splashed onto a blank white wall. Keep going, and you’ll see a corner of street art.
Mayan Women
On the sidewall of the scooter rental store, you’ll see a mural of indigenous Mayan women cooking together. This is one of my favorite murals in Tulum.
It was created by Mailen (@mailenparmiggiani) for the Tinasah FAT festival.
This piece is especially worth visiting because of what it represents. As Tinasah says on their Instagram (loosely translated), “The mural represents the traditions that are slowly disappearing within a pueblo that, sadly, values money more than the soul of the earth where it lives. It’s our hope that this mural honors and helps preserve Mayan territories and their traditions.”
“Un muro que rescata las tradiciones que lentamente van desapareciendo en un pueblo que parece valorar más el dinero que el alma de la tierra donde se vive; deseamos que se preserven y honren las tierras mayas en las que vivimos y sus tradiciones.”
@tinasahhouse
Fish Head People & Tulum Te Amo
Soon, you’ll come to the strange fish people mural and the “Tulum te amo” mural.
Both receive many visitors (I know because I used to live right on this street and would people watch out the window, lol).
Keep going to find a handful of small street art pieces by various artists, including one large wall decorated with an Aztec-looking figure that stands out in blue and yellow.
“Tlaloc” mural by @guri.arte @felipecespedesart and @nicenaranja
Small murals are dotted all over Calle Sol Oriente. How many will you spot?
Further down Sol Ote, you’ll find a large, colorful, and whimsical mural by Pelucas (@pelucaspilasbubbles) on the corner of Calle Orion Sur (pictured below).
“Agua”
The mural “Agua” by artist Val (@val_aurea) is witty and playful. It plays on reality by depicting feet underwater directly positioned below a roof-top pool, which you can see through its clear-glassed wall. You can find it on the corner of Calle Sol Ote and Geminis Sur.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
Other Places to See Street Art in Tulum
“El Parajito” Old Mayan Man
One of the most striking murals of Tulum’s street art is the painting of an “old Mayan man” who seems to have lived in Tulum for time immemorial.
Emma Rubens (@emmarubens), a world-renowned artist, had quite the work cut out for herself, painting such a stunning piece, even with electrical lines in her way.
The result is truly beautiful and definitely one of Tulum’s “must-see” murals.
You can find it on the corner of Calle Satélite and Calle Mercurio.
The Cemetery
The local cemetery in Tulum has a wall surrounding it that’s full of stunning street art that is symbolic of Mayan culture and represents death and religion.
I didn’t get any pictures here, but you can trust me on this one! It’s beautiful.
Mermaid & Diver
Located just opposite the delicious vegetarian restaurant (definitely stop in!) La Hoja Verde, Mermaid & Diver is a beautiful blue and purple mural of a woman and deep-sea diver exchanging a besito on the cheek.
This whimsical underwater scene was created by Venezuelan artist Ronald Quintero, also known as R O N Ʒɔ̐. Continue on down Calle Beta Sur to find even more street art!
“Belen” A Local Girl
One of Tulum’s largest art murals is another piece by Emma Rubens!
This mural is inspired by Belen, a local girl who would hang out with Emma while she painted.
Belen always asked when Emma would paint her, so finally, she did. You can spot this piece as you enter Tulum off the main ave on the backside wall of the Tulum Yoga Studio. (Story by @tinasahouse).
If you go around the corner down Calle Gemini Sur, you’ll also find the colorful “Mother of Geminis” by artist Vexta painted high on a secret wall (@vexta).
Salvemos La Selva
“Salvemos la selva” or “Let’s save the jungle” is a beautiful piece not to miss by @alinzart in collab with @ericaarndts.
“Dedicated to the ones that loved this place before you even existed, the ones that lived in balance and harmony with their surroundings and knew how to communicate with nature. The true owners of this earth that today suffers by the greed of the ego. Collaborative wall with @ericaarndts, thanks for your patience and understanding.” –@alinzart
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
There are many more murals and street art to see in Tulum than I mentioned here. You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for them!
While you can book a tour to see Tulum’s street art, the best way to get around the pueblo and see all the street art is by bicycle.
Walking is doable but would take a long time, so I highly recommend renting a bike and exploring the side streets!
I hope this guide to Tulum’s street art provided insight and background for your own street art adventures. I hope you can better appreciate these works of art as you enjoy Tulum and all it offers with a better understanding of the artists and their stories.
Feel free to drop more street art locations in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
Book a tour!
Don’t forget to check out my other travel guides to Tulum:
- The Ultimate Digital Nomad Guide to Tulum
- 12 Epic Day Trips From Tulum You Can’t Miss
- The Complete Guide to Scuba Diving in Tulum, Mexico
- 10 Essential Tulum Tips: What to Know Before Visiting Tulum