Over its first five years, the museum has hosted about 50 expositions with the aim of creating the opportunity to get to know the works and the artisans in their social context. According to director Martínez, the purpose of the temporary exhibits are to allow for young and relatively unknown popular artists a chance to get feedback on their work. He states that the field of popular art is changing in Oaxaca with contemporary artists getting involved with artisans. Temporary exhibits in the museum have been sponsored by institutions such as the Fondo Regional Zona Centro, the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (Conaculta) and the Secretaría de las Culturas y Artes de Oaxaca (Seculta).
