National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

The national archaeology museum in Zone 13 holds the most important collection of Maya material in Guatemala: carved stelae and altars brought from sites across Peten and the highlands, jade masks and ornaments including pieces from royal tombs, ceramics, incense burners and a large model of Tikal that makes sense of the site's layout. A separate ethnology section covers the living indigenous cultures of the country, above all the textiles, with huipiles from town after town arranged so the differences between them can be compared, which is the best preparation there is for travelling in the highlands.

What you actually see

• Carved stelae and altars - monuments brought from sites across the country.
• Jade masks and royal ornaments - the pieces from Maya tombs.
• The model of Tikal - the site laid out in miniature.
• The textile hall - huipiles from town after town, side by side.

When to go

Year round. Two to three hours. Closed Mondays. It sits beside the airport, which makes it an easy last stop before a flight.

Honest expectations

Display cases and labelling are dated and mostly in Spanish. Lighting is poor in places. The building is tired. Zone 13 is safe enough but a taxi to and from the door is the sensible approach.

Nearby

The airport is adjacent; Zone 1 lies north-east.