Museo Nacional de Antropologia

After spending the morning enjoying Xochimilco and a quick stop for lunch, we headed back toward our hotel and Chapultepec Park to the National Museum of Anthropology.

Museo Nacional de Antropologia is the largest and most visited museum in all of Mexico, and for a good reason. It was pretty amazing!

National Museum of Archaeology

This magnificent museum in the heart of Mexico City was built in 1964. It was designed by Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, Jorge Campuzano and Rafael Mijares Alecérreca.

In the center courtyard of the museum is an impressive water feature called “el paraguas,” or the umbrella.

The museum features 35 permanent exhibit halls on the ground floor, with more halls on the second level focusing on present-day indigenous groups. The galleries are surrounded by gardens and many contain outdoor exhibits.

The complex covers nearly 20 acres, so you could easily spend an entire day there and not see everything.

As our focus of the trip was Aztec and Maya civilizations, this was a MUST SEE, and we spent most of our afternoon focusing on those two halls.

Here Are A Few Highlights!

Here’s a quick glimpse at some of our favorite Museo Nacional de Antropologia exhibits.

Aztec Sun Stone at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City — Aztec Sun Stone

The Disc of Mictlantecuhtli at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City — The Disc of Mictlantecuhtl

Giant ceremonial vessel shaped like a jaguar — Ceremonial vessel shaped like a Jaguar

Hand painted clay vessel — Hand-painted clay vessel

Giant alter piece in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City — Giant alter carving

Funeral mask of Kinich Janaab Pakal ruler of Palenque — Funeral mask of Kinich Janaab Pakal, ruler of Palenque

Know Before You Go

The museum is closed on Monday with hours listed as Tuesday through Sunday, and Holidays from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Sundays can be very busy as the museum, and many Mexican museums and archaeological sites, are free to Mexican Citizens and Foreign Residents.

The current price of admission is 90 pesos or about $4.75 US.

It is accessible by public transportation on the Metro Auditorio (line 7) and the Metro Chapultepec (line 1) within a reasonably short walk.

Do Not Miss This!

You’ll find delicious food and snack stands outside the museum and across the lawn. You’ll also see some incredible regional entertainers.

Mexican street corn in Mexico City — Mexican Street Corn

Danza de los Voladores, or Dance of the Flyers, is a mesoamerican ritual for rain and fertility. The modern adaptation of this Central Mexican tradition is pretty amazing to watch.