It is one of the most important museums in Latin America, since it protects the legacy of the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. It is impossible to complete it in one day, but revisiting some of the sections and seeing the Coatlicue, the Stone of the Sun, the Stone of Tízoc and the head of a Xiuhcóatl (snake) will amaze you. It is the work of the architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and the umbrella will receive you in the center.
School ruins many things for you, the history of Mexico reviewed year after year during elementary school can lead to revulsion when hearing the name of Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. The same thing happens with this museum, the favorite place of the teachers, who made such a wonderful place look like a punishment.
Many have not returned since the age of 10, but it is worth going back. By doing so, you will see the Toltec culture with different eyes, you will understand the Mexica better and maybe even a passion for the Mayans. And if none of the above happens, at least the architecture impresses you. It is impossible to go through it completely in one day, but revisiting some of the sections and seeing the Coatlicue with more adult eyes will make you change your perception of one of the most important museums in Mexico.
After 54 years, it was necessary to do restoration work on the murals El mundo de los Maya (Leonora Carrington) and Mapa de Mesoamérica (Ernesto Vázquez and Luis Covarrubias). This was achieved under the direction of the restorer Gilda Salgado and the MNA Conservation Laboratory, who over the course of two months carried out surface cleaning with vacuuming and brushes; as well as the elimination of residues from previous interventions.
The Magical World of the Maya is a work that evokes the myths and legends of the cosmic vision of the Tzotziles and Tzeltales, with whom Carrington had a direct experience in the Chiapas mountains. It is divided into three levels: the Underworld, Earth, and Heaven. The mural, more than four meters high, was commissioned by the Mexican government from the painter in 1963 to adorn the Pueblos Mayas room.
Map of Mesoamerica —exhibited in the Teotihuacán room— is a sample of all the pre-Hispanic cultures that existed in the country.
Address: Reforma s / n, Col. Polanco, Ciudad de México, C.P. 11560.
Corner with: Gandhi
Transport: Metro Auditorium.
Price: $ 64, Sunday free entry. Under 13s, students, teachers, seniors, interns and researchers from INAH free entry.
Contact: www.mna.inah.gob.mx
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9 am-7pm