National Museum of Anthropology: reviews, price and practical tips

+21
recos
4.7/5 7 reviews
Av. Paseo de la Reforma s/n, Polanco, Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 Mexico City, Mexico
Av. Paseo de la Reforma s/n, Polanco, Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 Mexico City, Mexico
Tickets from 500 MXN (~$27)*
Booking recommended
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Calendrier aztèque
Temple de Hochob
Chac Mool de Chichén Itzá

Visiting the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City

If you are spending time in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, you should make it a priority to see the National Museum of Anthropology. This landmark cultural institution is set within the Chapultepec park. It houses the largest collection of Mesoamerican artifacts in the world, a well-known stop for archaeology enthusiasts.

One of the largest museums in the Americas

The National Museum of Anthropology spans eight hectares, so plan on a full day if you want to see everything. However, two to four hours is enough to take in the most iconic objects and displays. Inaugurated in 1964 after eighteen months of construction, it has become the most visited museum in Mexico, drawing over two million people annually. In terms of exhibition space, it ranks among the largest museums in the Americas.

Fascinating collections

The National Museum of Anthropology features twenty-two permanent exhibition halls and one temporary gallery, organized around a central courtyard. The space centers on a fountain topped by a massive concrete umbrella covered in engravings inspired by the history of Mexico. You can also view the monolith of Coatlicue, discovered in 1790, which depicts Tlaloc, the Nahuatl god of rain. Its presence was the primary catalyst for the Mexican government to build the museum on this site. Rooms 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to anthropology, where you can see a faithful replica of the Lucy skeleton. Room 4 is dedicated to Teotihuacan, one of the most significant sites in pre-Columbian history, known for its extraordinary architecture. Other galleries showcase the cultures of the Aztecs, the Oaxaca region, the Maya, northern Mesoamerica, the Cora, and more.

Tickets from 500 MXN (~$27)*Booking recommended
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Reviews of National Museum of Anthropology

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Summary of 7 reviews
4.7/5
Average rating
+21
Total recommendations

Ratings by visit type

With family
4.4
As a couple
4.7
With friends
4.6

Avygeo ranking

#150
in the world
#6
in Americas
#1
in Mexico
#1
in Mexico City

Informative and honors pre-Columbian America

Great museum that highlights the history and culture of pre-Columbian civilizations, because yes, the Aztecs, the Mayans, and many others were advanced civilizations!

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A dream for history and anthropology fans

Did you know that the people living in the Americas before the arrival of Europeans came from Asia? The descendants of these first Asian arrivals colonized the entire continent, from north to south, after crossing the Pacific on foot thousands of years ago on the ice sheet that connected Siberia to Alaska. Just imagine the journey all the way to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina!

This is just one example of the things you will discover while visiting this museum. By the way, you will often be surprised to see Asian features in some Mexicans, especially young children.

A personal thought while I am at it: it is still curious how the language used implies that Christopher Columbus was the first to discover America.

But of course, there is much more than that! You will find many, many items, some of them monumental, inherited from pre-Columbian America, from the Aztecs to the Mayas, and many other ethnic groups.

Plan on several hours to see everything.

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Very informative about human history

Like the name suggests, this isn't an art museum where you go to see pretty things. It's more of a place where you can understand a lot about the pre-Hispanic past of the American continent. For example, that's where I discovered that American "Indians" actually descend from Mongol and Asian tribes who crossed the Bering Strait thousands of years ago... Christopher Columbus didn't discover anything!

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Incredible civilizations

Mexico, and Latin America in general, is the cradle of extraordinary civilizations that were already very advanced by the time Europeans arrived. I am thinking, for example, of the Aztecs or the Mayans. I found it very interesting to be able to learn more about this glorious, relatively unknown past.

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Without a doubt the most complete on pre-Columbian America

There was life and civilization in America before the "discovery" by Europeans. You will learn a lot about this subject at this museum.

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A must-see

The history of Mexico is so rich! It is in Mexico that two of the three most important pre-Hispanic civilizations developed: the Aztecs and the Mayans.

The museum is organized into different rooms and forms a true journey through time. You start with prehistory and the first humans on the continent, then head toward the pre-classic, classic, and post-classic civilizations of Central Mexico. The left wing is dedicated to the civilizations of the South, the Gulf of Mexico, and the North.

It is better to visit it after having already seen a few archaeological sites in the country, like Teotihuacán, Tula, the Templo Mayor, El Tajín, and not forgetting Chichén Itzá, Tulum, Palenque, Uxmal, Edzná, and Calakmul...

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Huge museum

Plan on at least half a day to enjoy this huge, must-see museum in Mexico City.

You will find a concentration of the country's history there, from the Aztecs to the Mayans, and through all the many other pre-Columbian civilizations.

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