| Olmec Colossal Head. |
Start a trip through Mexico by visiting the National Museum of Anthropology It makes all the difference for those who want to get to know this multicultural country better. An important collection tells and preserves the history of the pre-Hispanic peoples of Mexico: Aztecs, Mayans, Mexicas and Zapotecs.
 |
| Inner courtyard of the National Museum of Anthropology |
The National Museum of Anthropology is the largest museum in Mexico with more than 45 thousand square meters. The permanent collection occupies 22 rooms plus open gardens. And 2 more rooms are for temporary exhibitions.
So, if you’re in a rush, don’t go. And I say this not only because of its physical size, but mainly because of the value of the collection. Not to mention that the building was built especially to house the museum and deserves attention.
The collection is divided into archeology and ethnology. The ground floor is dedicated to archeology and has important and interesting artifacts. Among so many, the Sunstone used by the Aztecs as a calendar and which was buried for centuries in the main square of Mexico City.
The upper floor is reserved for the ethnology. Photos, objects and scenes show with realism, and the country’s characteristic color, the customs and cultural manifestations of Mexicans. Also in this sector are the incredible colossal heads.
 |
| Stone of the Sun exposed in Sala Mexica. |
 |
| Reproduction of ruins of Mayan cities. |
 |
| Detail of one of the scenarios in the ethnology sector. |
How to visit the National Museum of Anthropology
The permanent exhibition is in chronological order and by regions. And to visit in this order, just follow the sequence of the rooms. At the entrance you will be given a plan with room numbers and information.
 |
| Statue of Coatlicue and the disc of Mictlantecuhtli, Aztec gods. |
The rooms on the ground floor are connected to the rooms on the upper floor. This meant that at the beginning of the visit I was going up and down, wasting time. Visit the ground floor first, prioritizing the archeology sector, and then go up to the ethnology sector.
I suggest you do the full visit, but if you don’t have that much time available, prioritize a room in a region that is part of your travel itinerary, this way you will have an idea of what you will find ahead. One of these places is Teotihuacán and it has a room of its own that you cannot miss on your visit.
I would have a hard time choosing which room to visit. But another room that stands out in archeology, and is possibly the most visited, is number 6 dedicated to the Mexica people. It is the largest and brings together pieces that impress with their size and importance. It is where the Sun Stone is located.
And don’t ignore the ethnology sector, it also has some very interesting rooms.
 |
| Reproduction of Teotihuacán temples in room 4. |
 |
| Mexican Room. In the foreground the Montezuma Stone and in the background on the wall the Sun Stone. |
Visiting time
Depending on your interest in the subject and you want to take a detailed tour, you can stay all day. In any case, it’s a good idea to set aside at least half a day just for the museum. I stayed for 3h30min, but some rooms were closed.
I believe that the day chosen also influences the length of the visit. I went on a Saturday and it was quiet to visit, there was a crowd, but not big. On Sundays, entry is free for Mexicans and local residents, and then the crowd increases a lot. I believe this will take more time.
 |
| Northwest Room in the ethnology sector. |
Timetables and tickets
>> Visits from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to 7pm.
>> Entry for the general public: 80 pesos. Tickets can be purchased via the website. Free for over 60s, under 13s, people with disabilities, teachers and students.
>> Free entry on Sundays for the national public and resident foreigners.
>> Free guided tours are offered by appointment.
How I got to the Museum
Chapultepec Forest
When you go to the National Museum of Anthropology, reserve the whole day as it is located in the Bosque de Chapultepec, an immense urban park, the largest in Mexico and with many attractions. Among them is Chapultepec Castle, which houses another very important museum, the National History Museum. I went in spring and the park was beautiful, flowery and colorful.
In front of the National Museum of Anthropology there are food and drink stalls. Good option for those who want something quicker (there is a restaurant inside the museum).
It was Saturday and it was very busy. There were performances by street artists and dance Flyers, a ritual created centuries ago to end a terrible drought in the country. A group of five men (voladores) in typical clothing climbs to the top of a mast over 30 meters high. At the top, one of them plays a song while the others jump on a rope and spin until they reach the ground. It’s pretty cool.
