The Real Story of San Miguel de Allende and Who Put it On Map
Updated on February 25, 2026 by Meg Pier
There is a little-known human drama that led to San Miguel de Allende becoming one of the world's premiere arts and culture destinations.
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What a wonderful, amazing, story of ingenuity, courage, entrepreneurship, connections, art, and the mutual love of a beautiful and magical place in Mexico called San Miguel de Allende! To have achieved 70 years of operations at Instituto Allende is amazing and a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, adaptability, collaboration, the belief in a higher purpose, and loving what you do!
Full of inaccuracies about Cossío del Pomar and the origin of the school project, created totally by the Peruvian.
The main church in San Miguel is not a cathedral, it is a parish church (Parroquia)
I was a student there in 1983, I briefly got to know Nells and listened to her many fascinating stories. I spent a New Years Eve with her playing cards in Mexico City. I knew her to be a smart, kind and beautiful woman. She talked about her life and her family and I feel blessed to have known such a impressive woman.
My time at the Instituto in the 1970s was an absolute highlight in my life. James Pinto was a fantastic painter and teacher. After receiving my M.F.A. there, I was given the opportunity to be a guest instructor.
I have often wished that I had made San Miguel de Allende my permanent home.
Dale, thanks for sharing your recollections and even your twinge of regret! I can well imagine living and learning there had a big impact and that would continue to call to you!
I too attended the Instituto, in 1970, with my mother and her fellow art teachers from Houston. Only the best experience of the many more to come in subsequent years. I return to SMA once or twice a year. To this day, I still have the sculpture piece from 50 years ago I made as a student.
I attended The Institutio in the summer of 1961. Had the most amazing experience in art classes. Took figure drawing, painting and Spanish. Went back to finish at Texas Tech. It was the best experience to expand my horizons. My girl friend and I traveled all over on the train and bus. The only way to go from Texas was by train. So safe then, I gained so much out of that experience.
Maryneil thanks so much for sharing this lovely memory! Travel and art do indeed expand out horizons and I would say San Miguel and Instituto Allende are among the best places possible to do that!
My friends family and I lived at the instituto Allende in 1967. My friend mother studied sculpture there. We mer Rudy as a young man. As I remember he was a bullfighter. He was very handsome and very well mannered.. I’m not sure how a Doctor Dobarganes was related to him but he visited our apartment when one of the children was unwell. Such beautiful memories of my time there.
What a wonderful memory Raven! Thank you for sharing it with us! The Instituto is an amazing place and it was a privilege to meet Rudy and hear his perspective on San Miguel.
Spectacularly interesting and useful; I have always wanted to visit here and
I will definitely look into the Institute. It seems to offer myriad interesting and useful
workshops!
Thanks Lisa! I’m delighted the article was helpful! The city is charming and magical and the Institute is at the heart of it–both historically and physically!
I lived in San Miguel from 1947 to 1956. Graduated from primary from Santo Domingo. Saw Instituto Allende being built and actually helped some of the adobe and brick makers in the field opposite the entrance. Often saw Stirling Dickinson walking down from his house as I was walking to Santo Domingo. My mother knew him. Stayed at your hotel with my wife in the late ’80s. Great place. Campbell