The Former Temple of Corpus Christi was part of a convent that housed the daughters of indigenous chiefs and was built from 1720 to 1724. 

In the 19th century, the convent was vacated and became the property of José Ives Limantour, a politician and financier during the Porfiriato era. He demolished the convent to build his own house, leaving only a small cloister standing.

The temple served as a warehouse and a museum of hygiene, and in 1951, it was handed over to the National Indigenous Institute, where another museum was housed until the 1985 earthquake severely damaged it. In the early 21st century, it was reconstructed to become the headquarters of the historical archive of the General Notary Archive of Mexico City.

It retains its magnificent Baroque facade and houses 27,000 historical documents ranging from the 16th to the 20th centuries.

The mural painted by Miguel Covarrubias in 1951 on the occasion of the inauguration of the Museum of Industries and Popular Arts is noteworthy, and it was restored in 2005.