Musuems - The National Museum of Anthropology

The Museo Nacional de Antropología (MNA, or National Museum of Anthropology) is a national museum of Mexico. Located within Chapultepec Park in Mexico City,along the paseo de la reforma. The museum contains significant archaeological and anthropological artifacts from the pre-Columbian heritage of Mexico, such as the Piedra del Sol (Aztec calendar stone) and the 16th-century Aztec statue of Xochipilli. Designed in 1963 by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Jorge Campuzano and Rafael Mijares, it has an impressive architecture with exhibition halls surrounding a patio with a huge pond and a vast square concrete umbrella supported by a single slender pillar (known as "el paraguas", Spanish for "the umbrella") around which splashes an artificial cascade. The halls are ringed by gardens, many of which contain outdoor exhibits. The museum has 23 rooms for exhibits and covers an area of 79,700 square meters.

Opened in 1964 by President Adolfo López Mateos, the museum has a number of significant exhibits, such as the Stone of the Sun (depicted on the right), giant stone heads of the Olmec civilization that were found in the jungles of TabascoVeracruz, treasures recovered from the Maya civilization, the Sacred CenoteChichen Itza, a replica of the sarcophagal lid from Pacal's tomb at Palenqueethnological displays of contemporary rural Mexican life. It also has a model of the location and layout of the former Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, the site of which is now occupied by the central area of modern-day Mexico City itself.

The museum also hosts visiting exhibits, generally focusing on other of the world's great cultures. Past exhibits have focused on Persia, Greece, China, Egypt & Spain.

At the entrance is an imposing statue of Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain. They say that on the day it was brought to its current location, an unforgettable, torrential rain fell on Mexico City... Located infront of the msueum in a clearing, the daily performances of the "papantla flyers" also is an unmisable experience for any visitor to Mexico city.

Things to do in the City - Museums

Mexico is the city with the largest number of museums in the world, with New York #2, London #3 and Toronto #4.

• National Museum of Anthropology Chapultepec. One of the best museums worldwide over, built in late 1960’s and designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, do not miss its impressive fountain. It gathers the best collection of sculptures, jewels and handcrafts from ancient Mexican cultures.

• Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco has examples of modern, colonial, and pre-Columbian architecture, all around one square.

• Museum of Modern Art Chapultepec. Here you will find paintings from Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo.
• Dolores Olmedo Museum Xochimilco. An art philanthropist left her former home, the grand Hacienda La Noria, as a museum featuring the works of her friend Diego Rivera. At least 137 of his works are displayed here, as well as 25 paintings of Frida Kahlo.
• Fine Arts Palace Museum (Palacio de Bellas Artes) Centro. A concert hall and an arts center, it houses some of Mexico's finest murals and the Art Deco interior is worth seeing alone.
• Rufino Tamayo Museum Chapultepec. Contains the works of Mexican painter, Rufino Tamayo.
• José Luis Cuevas Museum Centro. Opened in 1992 and is filled with about 1,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures from notorious artist, Jose Cuevas.
• National History Museum in Chapultepec's Castle Chapultepec. The Museum's nineteen rooms contain, in addition to a collection of pre-Columbian material and reproductions of old manuscripts, a vast range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.
• Papalote, children's Museum Chapultepec. If you've got kids, they'll love it! Bright, colorful, and filled with educational experiences for children of all ages.
• Universum (National University's Museum) Coyoacán. A science museum maintained by UNAM, the largest university in Latin America. Take some time to wander around the Campus.
• Casa Mural Diego Rivera Centro. Contains murals of acclaimed artist, Diego Rivera.
• National Palace (Zocalo) Centro. You can see some impressive Diego Rivera frescoes. You'll need to carry some sort of ID in order to enter the building.
• San Ildefonso Museum Centro. There are some of Orozco's best frescoes. The temporary exhibitions are usually very good.
• Franz Meyer Museum Centro. Display the collections of Franz Mayer, it holds Mexico's largest decorative art collection and also hosts temporary exhibits in the fields of design and photography.
• Mexico City's Museum Centro. Great place to learn about Mexico City's eclectic history.
• Templo Mayor Museum (Zocalo) Centro. Contains the ruins and last remnants of the Aztec empire.
• San Carlos Museum Centro. The San Carlos Musuem holds some of Mexico's best paintings and exhibit 15th and 16th century paintings.
• National Art Museum Centro. The National Art Museum, houses a rich collection of Mexican art ranging from the 16th to the first half of the 20th centuries.
• National History Museum Chapultepec. Displays a vast range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.
• Frida Khalo Museum, Coyoacán Former house of the painter since she was born to her death.
• Anahuacalli Museum, Coyoacán It houses Diego Rivera’s collection of Aztec and Mayan sculptures.