Museo Nacional De Antropología
Museo Nacional De Antropología
6 minutes read•Published on 01-11-2024
The Museo Nacional de Antropología, situated in Mexico City, is a well-known institution famous for its vast amount of artifacts related to pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. The museum came into existence in the year 1964, and it attracts a large number of visitors, making it one of Mexico’s most frequented museums. Its primary motive is to study, safeguard, and promote the varied cultural heritage of Mexico’s native populations throughout history.
Tickets & tours
A selection of the best tours to experience the Museo Nacional De Antropología with our partner GetYourGuide. These tours offer the best experience for visitors from all around the world.
A short history
In 1964, the Museo Nacional de Antropología officially opened its doors in Mexico City. They began building the museum on February 25, 1963, and it was ready for visitors by September 17, 1964. Mexico’s President at the time, Adolfo López Mateos, was there to open it. The famous architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez designed and oversaw the construction of the museum. He took his inspiration from traditional Mexican architecture, but he used modern building techniques.
The Museo Nacional de Antropología is the biggest museum in Mexico, and more people visit it than any other museum in the country. It’s full of artifacts from the time before Columbus arrived in Mexico. The museum’s exhibitions give visitors a look at the rich culture of Mexico’s native peoples. The collections cover many periods in history, from the time of the ancient civilizations in Mesoamerica up to the Spanish conquest.
Among the many exhibits in the Museo Nacional de Antropología, the Aztec Calendar Stone is one of the most well-known. This important piece of history was found in Mexico City’s main square, known as the Zócalo, in the year 1790. It’s a huge stone carving that shows how the Aztecs thought about time and the cosmos. There’s also a copy of the tomb of a Mayan leader called Pakal the Great.
The Museo Nacional de Antropología plays an important part in teaching people about the history and culture of Mexico. Alongside the permanent exhibits in the museum, there are often special exhibits and cultural events. The museum gives visitors the chance to go to workshops and educational programmes to learn more about the diverse and colourful history of Mexico’s native peoples. The museum helps people to understand more about the native peoples of Mexico, both past and present, through its collections and activities.
One reason to visit
The Aztec Calendar Stone
If you plan to visit the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City, you should consider seeing the Aztec Calendar Stone, also known as the Stone of the Sun. This stone is a well-known piece of Aztec sculpture. It has a diameter of 3.58 meters, a thickness of 0.98 meters, and it weighs around 21.5 tons. The stone features detailed carvings that represent beliefs of the Aztec people about the cosmos and their mythology. The centerpiece shows the Aztec sun god surrounded by complex symbols. These symbols depict various periods in time as the Aztecs saw them. The stone is a fine piece of Mexican artwork, and it provides an interesting perspective on Aztec history. Historians and archaeologists believe the stone was carved in the late 15th century and discovered in Zócalo, the main square of Mexico City, in 1790. Many visitors are impressed by the stones size, the detailed work, and its historical importance.
Getting there
Assuming you are starting your journey from the Zócalo (the central square), head west on Calle Plaza de la Constitución towards Calle Monte de Piedad. Then, turn right onto Calle De Tacuba where you will soon cross a busy road named Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas. Continue straight on Avenida Hidalgo, which will take you to the Alameda Central Park. While walking through the park, make sure to head towards the right until you reach Avenida Juárez. Follow this avenue until it merges with Avenida Paseo de la Reforma. At this point, turn left and follow the Reforma, which is one of the city's main arteries, and continue walking for about 2 kilometers. You will eventually find the Museo Nacional de Antropología on your right in the Bosque de Chapultepec. Please note that this journey, walking at a moderate pace, should take around 60 minutes.
Start at the Chapultepec Park, directly across from the Mexico City Zoo. Take the bike path that heads northwest along Avenida Paseo de la Reforma. You will pass by a large monument known as the Monumento a los Niños Heroes, continue on the bike path along the major traffic road. After approximately 0.75km, turn right onto Calzada Mahatma Gandhi. After about 500m on Calzada Mahatma Gandhi, you will see the Museo Nacional de Antropología on your right. The journey should take about 10-15 minutes at a leisurely pace and the museum has bike racks available at the entrance. Remember to bring a lock!
To reach the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City by public transport, you can take the Metro. Start by boarding the Line 1 (in the direction of Observatorio) and alight at the Chapultepec station. From there, you can take bus number Green Route - Circuit Chapultepec from the Chapultepec Metro bus stop. This bus will drop you at the Museo Nacional de Antropología bus stop. You can also access the museum by taking the Metrobus. For this, you would board the Line 7 (in the direction of Indios Verdes or Campo Marte) and get off at the Gandhi stop. The museum is just a short walk away from this stop. Always remember to check city bus and metro timings to avoid any delays.
To get to the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City by car, you should start on the Mexico City-Puebla Highway. First, you need to head west and take the exit toward Av. Río Churubusco. Keep left and continue on this road, then take a slight right onto Eje 3 Oriente. Continue on Eje 3 Oriente and use the 2nd from right lane to turn slightly right onto Av. Río Churubusco. Use the left 2 lanes to take the Eje 7 Sur exit, then continue onto Av. Universidad. Turn right onto Eje 10 Sur, then left onto Av. Revolución. Turn right onto Av. Constituyentes and then the museum will be on your left. Make sure to have a reliable GPS for better guidance. Be cautious of your speed and follow all the road regulations. Safe trip!