The National Archaeology and Ethnological Museum (Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología) can be found in the museum complex of zona 13 in Guatemala City. The building was constructed under the government of Jorge Ubico (1930 – 1944) and was declared cultural heritage in 1998. The museum is responsible for the conservation, investigation and exhibition of archaeological and ethnological artifacts. You can explore Guatemala’s cultural and historical heritage with the help of around 20’000 archaeological artifacts and 5’000 ethnological pieces.
The valuable collection of archaeological objects derives from excavations in Guatemala, which are coordinated by the National Institution of Anthropology and History. You will find everything from huge stone objects with carvings over small art pieces to quotidian objects and construction tools. The museum includes objects and pieces from the pre-classical, the classical and the post-classical period, which were found at important Mayan sites all around Guatemala.
The first part of the museum is dedicated to the different archaeological sites and the excavations. Interactive maps and replicated scenes bring you closer to the daily life in the ancient times. The artifacts and Mayan objects are complemented with pictures and explanatory texts about the Mayan life, the archaeological excavation and the museum. The collection exhibits ceramic objects like vases and pots, objects and jewellery made from the precious, green jade stone as well as objects made from bones or sea shells. In the huge patio you will stumble upon giant stone pillars, statues and objects with carvings featuring gods or important Maya persons from the ancient times.
The last part of the collection shows the daily life of the ancient Guatemalan population and is dedicated to ethnological themes. Here you find ceremonial artifacts and quotidian objects from the Colonial and contemporary era. Models replicate the houses and living conditions of different parts of Guatemala. You will be introduced into the cult of the Maximón god and the traditional Danza de Venado (Dance of the game animals). The collection also includes examples of the richness of the Mayan fabrics and weavings. You learn how each region wears different colours and patterns on their typical gown and how the textiles are made.