The Casa de Benito Juárez was established as a center to promote Mexican culture in Cuba by demonstrating the history, art, traditions and customs of Mexico in its halls.

This late 18th century building was owned by the family Pedroso y Herrera, one of the oldest families in Havana. Isabel Pedrosa y Herrera was the first owner. At that time the two-storey building was used as mansion on the upper floor and as warehouse and as barber shop on the ground floor. Later, in the 20th century, it was used as a tenement house. In 1980s the restoration began, and it was inaugurated as the Casa de Benito Juárez in 1988, to highlight the strong friendly ties between Cuba and Mexico. The restoration costs were met by the donations of the Mexican people, through the mediation of the distinguished Mexican personalities and the Mexican government.

Benito Juárez visited Havana twice, in 1853 and 1862. In each time he was not the leader of the Mexican reformist movement. In fact, it is not known exactly, where he stayed in Havana. It is believed that he worked in a cigar company during his second stay in Havana for a few months before his journey to New Orleans. 

The ground floor has a nice courtyard that contains many mural paintings and sculptures of different artists. The portable mural painting Traición y Muerte de Zapata (Treason and Death of Zapata) by Arnold Belkin, Canadian son of Mexican muralism, occupies the whole wall. This large format painting was completed in 1982, and it brought to the painter the Grand Prize of the 1st Bienal of Plastic Arts of Havana in 1984. Arnold Belkin later donated this painting to the Casa de Benito Juárez.

The 1.80-meter tall dog sculptures are known as Xoloitzcuintle in Mexico (or just Xolo; also known as Mexican hairless dog). Xoloitzcuintle is a short, hairless breed of dog that was found even in the tombs of the Mayan and Aztec native Americans from 3500 years ago. The indigenous people believed that these dogs would protect the home from evil spirits, as well as from intruders. In ancient times they were sacrificed and buried with their owners to guide the soul of their owners. These sculptures were once shown around the city in different squares of Havana. They were created by renowned artists from Cuba, Mexico, Panama and Colombia. The visitor can see the xolo also at the large painting at the entrance of the building.

Although the building is named after Mexico's first indigenous president, there's very little if anything at all to be found about him, except for his life size bronze statue in the courtyard at the back of the building. This statue from 2001 is the donation of the state Oaxaca in Mexico to “the brother people of Cuba”, as it is written on the inscription at the statue.