Island of the Dolls

History

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 via 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.

Legend

Barrera is said to have either come across the body of a girl floating in the canals or failed to save her from drowning. The next day, Barrera found a doll drifting down the canal; believing it belonged to the girl, he hung the doll from a tree in her memory and as a talisman to ward off evil spirits. It is sometimes claimed that Barrera found a second doll in the canal the next day. It is speculated that after her death the young girl's spirit haunted the island, and to appease her Barrera began scouring the trash and trading produce from his garden in exchange for more dolls. Evidence of the girl's existence has yet to be reported.

In 2001, Barrera's nephew came to the island to help his uncle. As they fished in the canal, Barrera, then 80, sang passionately, claiming that mermaids in the water were calling for him. The nephew left briefly, and upon his return found Barrera lifeless, face down in the canal, in the same spot where the girl was said to have drowned.

Since the island became open to the public, there have been reports of the dolls moving their heads, arms, and opening their eyes. Visitors also claim to have heard the dolls whispering to each other.

Visitors occasionally place offerings around the dolls in exchange for miracles and blessings. Some change the dolls' clothes and maintain the island as a form of worship.

In media

The town has been featured on the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures, and the Amazon Prime show Lore. It was also featured on BuzzFeed Unsolved, where co-host Shane Madej, a firm skeptic of the paranormal, jokingly asserted that he believes the legends about the island. The island was also used for the episode "Estas son Las Mañanitas" (season 1, episode 10) of the Mexican TV comedy Nosotros los guapos for Televisa, where the main characters Vítor and Albertano are left behind on the island by an irritated Doña Cuca, and as night falls, they are rescued by the local emergency crews and end up on the news. In 2020, Josh Gates's researchers, Phil Torres and Jessica Chobot, did an episode for the show Expedition X at the location with paranormal investigator Jason Hawes of the show Ghost Hunters.

The premiere episode (Season 1, Episode 1; December 1, 2023) of The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd on the History Channel (U.S.) features the island. The eighth case of the seventh installment of the Facebook video game Criminal Case, subtitled Supernatural Investigations, features the island as its main setting.

The Island was also featured on the Sam and Colby YouTube channel, with the duo attempting to get Agustina (The Doll of Protection) to protect them from evil spirits and leaving her offerings. The boys also performed a ritual and said that La Llorona had joined them alongside Don Julian.

The music video for Lady Gaga's song "The Dead Dance", directed by Tim Burton, was filmed at the location, which premiered on September 3, 2025.

The Island is featured in an image on a fake webpage within the demo for Welcome To The Game 3 by Reflect Studios, an early version of which was sent to YouTuber Vote 4 Holt. His video on the demo was published on January 24, 2026.

References

References

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