The National Museum of Anthropology

The National Museum of Anthropology is one of the great museums of the world, a magnificent showcase of Mexico's pre-Hispanic civilisations set around a courtyard with a vast, iconic hovering canopy in Chapultepec Park. Its halls hold the treasures of the Aztec, Maya, Olmec and other cultures, from the famous Aztec Sun Stone and colossal Olmec heads to jade masks and reconstructed temples, an unrivalled window into ancient Mexico.

History

At the end of the 18th century, by order of the viceroy Bucareli, the Lorenzo Boturini collection, including the Coatlicue and the Sun Stone, was placed in the Royal and Pontifical University, the core of the later museum. In 1865 the museum moved to the old mint on Calle de Moneda, and the present building in Chapultepec Park, coordinated by the architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, was begun in February 1963 (Wikipedia, National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico)).

What's there

• The Aztec Sun Stone - the famous carved calendar stone.
• The Olmec heads - the colossal ancient stone heads.
• The Maya hall - the treasures and tomb of Pakal from Palenque.
• The great canopy - the iconic hovering roof over the courtyard.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor museum, ideal in any weather, and worth at least half a day. It is enormous, so focus on the highlight halls, and go early or on a weekday to avoid the busiest times.

What to expect

It is vast, so trying to see every hall is exhausting; pick the great cultures and highlights. Labelling is heavily in Spanish, so an audio guide or English guide helps. It is deservedly popular and busy, especially on the free-entry days for residents.

Nearby

Chapultepec Park, its castle and the city's historic centre are close.

Key facts