The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City has one of the archaeological and ethnographic collections biggest and most spectacular in the world. Without a doubt one of the best museums I’ve visited in my life. This museum opened in 1968 is considered one of the best anthropology museums in the world that has 23 rooms depicting American cultures that have existed in Mesoamerica in pre-Columbian era. From prehistory to the period of the most famous Mexica civilizations that have flourished in the Gulf of Mexico have been the Teotihuacan, Maya and Toltec
Photography by gripso_banana_prune
Some of the most outstanding works in the Museum of Anthropology are Sunstone, an Olmec head that was found in the jungles of Tabasco and Veracruz, and many treasures recovered from the Mayan civilization, such as remains found in the Sacred Cenote Chichen Itza and a replica of the sarcophagus of the tomb of Pacal the Great of Palenque. There is also a room devoted to what was the ancient capital of the Aztecs in Mexico, Tenochtitlan, present-day Mexico City and how the Aztecs lived in it before the Spanish invasion.
Sun Stone Museum of Anthropology in Mexico:
The Sun Stone is a hard monolithic basalt with inscriptions detailing the cosmogony of Mexica culture. Honestly, I thought this album described the Aztec Calendar (as you sell the majority of street vendors in Mexico) but not, it tells the story of the Mexica gods and worship the sun. Perhaps this album was an altar used for human sacrifice and measures over 3.6 meters in diameter and weighs approximately 24 tons. Very near the Piedra del Sol you will see the Stone of Tizoc another spectacular ceremonial altar for the sacrifice of bodies of Mexica culture. One of the permanent exhibits is the ball game, that was a game that was played for over 2000 years of pre-Columbian cultures in the Gulf of Mexico.
Photography by kudumomo
Exhibition of Mayan ball game at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico:
Do not miss the exhibition on the Great Pacal of Palenque on the ground floor of the hall of the Maya, where you can see the mask of Pacal and a reproduction of his coffin. If you’re not going to Yaxchilan not miss one of the Yaxchilan lintels is in the Museum. Nor replicas of pyramids and palaces are there in the garden of the Museum. Finally, the Olmec heads are also very interesting to observe work and appreciated the good explanations that accompany all these archaeological remains.
As a curiosity, very near its entrance you can see a giant statue of the Aztec rain god Tlaloc approximately 170 tons. The monolith was taken from Coatlinchán Tlaloc in 1964, is one of the pieces he has created more controversy to have moved to the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City as they say a curse pursues this god. Some experts say that since the monolith of Tlaloc is in its new location it rains much more in Mexico City.
How to reach the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City? Located on the Avenida Paseo de la Reforma and Calle Gandhi, Chapultepec Park neighborhood Miguel Hidalgo find this huge museum. To get there we suggest you take a taxi or the metro to Chapultepec Line 1 and then take route 95 Parabus to “reform-M. Anthropology “or even the Auditorio subway line 7 and Parabus to” Refroma-Lago”.
We got off at Chapultepec and since it rained so much we took the Parabus to stop at the Museum of Anthropology. Quite an experience to board a bus stops in Mexico City.
Photography by Wallack Family
The Museum of Anthropology is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 19h pm. Closed Mondays. The ticket price is 51 pesos, equivalent to about 3 €.
Good luck there!