• Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Sala Noroeste
    Melitón Tapia / INAH-Mediateca
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Sala Mexica
    Héctor Montaño Morales / INAH-Medios
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Sala Textiles
    Mauricio Marat / INAH-Difusión
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Coatlicue
    Mauricio Marat / INAH-Medios
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Paraguas
    Jimena Escobar Sotomayor / INAH-Mediateca
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Interior salas, Museo Nacional de Antropología
    Melitón Tapia / INAH-Medios
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Patio central
    Nadia Castillo / INAH
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Sala Olmeca
    Melitón Tapia / INAH-Medios
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Piedra del Sol
    Héctor Montaño Morales / INAH-Medios
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Sala Fiestas
    Mauricio Marat / INAH-Difusión
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Tláloc
    Jimena Escobar Sotomayor / INAH-Mediateca
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Sala Oaxaca
    Melitón Tapia / INAH-Medios
  • Museo Nacional de Antropología

    Fachada de acceso principal
    Jimena Escobar Sotomayor / INAH-Mediateca

Visit us

Museo Nacional de Antropología

Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 h
Fee
$100.00
Buy tickets
Adress

Paseo de la Reforma Avenue and Calzada Gandhi, no number, Chapultepec Polanco neighborhood, Miguel Hidalgo district, 11560, Mexico City, Mexico.

Access

By public transport: Metro Auditorium (Line 7) and Metro Chapultepec (Line 1). The Museum is located approximately 1.3 km from the stations.

By bicycle: you can plan your route with the ECOBICI system in Mexico City at https://www.ecobici.df.gob.mx. Bicycle parking is located below the main concourse.

Services
Audio guides
Library
Snack bar
Parking
Cloakroom
Information module
Restaurant
Shop
Guided tours
Accessibility
Important
  • Sundays free for mexican citizens
  • Free entrance for Mexicans under 13 years old
  • Free entrance for Mexican students and teachers
  • Free entrance for Mexican senior citizens
  • No smoking
  • No entry with food
  • Pets not allowed

Museo Nacional de Antropología

Museo Nacional de Antropología

Museo Nacional de Antropología

Mexico’s most emblematic museum, and one of the world’s finest, contains an astoundingly rich archeological collection from the country’s numerous indigenous communities. A truly priceless treasure.


More than 50 years since its inauguration, the National Museum of Anthropology remains one of most important symbols of Mexico’s national identity, and an inspiration for generations of Mexicans seeking to discover their cultural roots. Its architectural design and impressive collections have earned it the reputation as one of the world’s leading museums. On September 17, 1964, President Adolfo López Mateos opened the doors to this museum, which is set in the heart of Chapultepec Park and has a total built area of 70,000 square meters.

The museum was formerly on Moneda Street—a site now occupied by the National Museum of World Cultures—but the premises no longer met the needs for the protection, research and dissemination of the institution’s archeological and ethnographic collections. Since the beginning of the twentieth century and as part of the International Congress of Americanists, Justo Sierra referred to the commitment needed for Mexican governments to open a new museum building. Despite several attempts, this objective was only achieved in the 1960s.

Jaime Torres Bodet was the person responsible for making this museum project possible. As Minister of Public Education, he embarked on a series of policies to promote education in Mexico and drew up the a museum development plan that included the [new] National Museum of Anthropology (as well as the founding of the Museum of History, the Museum of the Viceroyalty, and the Museum of Modern Art).

During the López Mateos administration, Torres Bodet assembled a team to define the overarching concepts for the museum, setting up a board of directors to plan and build the new National Museum of Anthropology, presided by the architect Ignacio Marquina. This group worked with around 40 scientific advisors and began to operate as an independent body expertly coordinated by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez was commissioned as the architect, and he conceived the project not as a simple collection of artefacts but a part of Mexico’s cultural heritage. Respect was therefore given to the traditions of pre-Hispanic peoples, preserving their enduring cultural values but with new solutions in keeping with contemporary techniques and materials; for example, in order to emulate pre-Hispanic temples, stone was chosen as the basic building material. The 22 permanent galleries and temporary exhibition rooms—measuring a total of 323,000 square feet—were planned around two main themes: pre-Hispanic art and the ethnographic history of Mexico’s different regions. The architect’s studio coordinated archeological and ethnographic explorations, organized the transport of large artefacts from different parts of Mexico, and supervised the transfer of the collection previously held in the museum on Moneda Street.

A team of researchers, scriptwriters, exhibition designers, education specialists, and technicians was specially assigned to each gallery. Anthropological, archeological and ethnographic criteria were reconciled to give visitors a coherent and homogeneous experience. On the ground floor, 11 galleries focus on archeology, from the first settlers in the Americas until the Mesoamerican Postclassic era (the Teotihuacan, Toltec, Maya, Mexica, Oaxaca, Gulf Coast, Western, and Northern cultures). These are arranged in chronological order around the central courtyard, starting on the right-hand side and finishing in the Mexica gallery. After the Oaxacan Cultures gallery, the displays are ordered geographically. On the second floor, ethnographic exhibits from the cultures of indigenous peoples still living in Mexico today are displayed in [a further] 11 galleries.

The “Dr. Eusebio Dávalos Hurtado” National Library of Anthropology and History—one of the largest of its kind in Latin America—is another spectacular part of this museum complex. In addition to its many works on history, anthropology, archeology, linguistics, ethnohistory and other related sciences, it is also an archive for codices, original records of the Spanish Inquisition, nineteenth-century journals and books from various religious orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, Jesuits, Carmelites), incunables, specialist magazines, plans, maps, annals, prayer books and engraved testimonies by people who lived during the 1910 Mexican Revolution, as well as recent research papers and theses. Works of art by leading contemporary Mexican painters and sculptors such as Rufino Tamayo, the brothers José and Tomás Chávez Morado, and Manuel Felguérez, make an invaluable addition to the overall exhibition design.

The sheer size of the collection held by the National Museum of Anthropology makes it hard to make a shortlist of artefacts. However, the most representative displays include the Monolito de Tláloc (“Monolith of Tláloc”), standing guard outside the entrance: the Piedra del Sol (“Sun Stone”), a colossal monument with a solar disk caved as a series of concentric rings with various elements; the Piedra de Tízoc (“Tízoc Stone”), a round sculpture with a sculpted image on the top side and a cavity at the center; the Olmec Cabeza Colosal 6 (“Colossal Olmec Head 6”), carved out of volcanic rock; a Chac Mool in his customary position, lying down with his arms and legs bent, and his head turned completely to one side; the Atlante de Tula (“Tula Atlas”), a Toltec column that supported the roof of Pirámide B (“Pyramid B”) of this pre-Hispanic site; the Máscara de Pakal (“Pakal’s Mask”), made out of around 200 jade pieces, some of which were sculpted to form the forehead, cheeks and particularly the nose, eyelids and lips; shell was used for the eyes and obsidian for the iris.

More than 50 years since its inauguration, the National Museum of Anthropology remains Mexico’s most iconic repository of the country’s indigenous legacy, as well being as a world-class museum thanks to the quality of its construction, innovative design, art, and symbolism.


 

  • Dirección
    Antonio Saborit García Peña
    antonio_saborit@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412337
    Subdirección Técnica
    Miguel Zinden Montalvo
    miguel_zinden@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412336
    Administración
    Juan Martínez Martínez
    juan_martinez@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412380
    Subdirección de Arqueología
    Martha Margarita Carmona Macías
    martha_carmona@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412393
    Subdirección de Etnografía
    Arturo Gómez Martínez
    arturo_gomez@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412408
    Museografía
    Rafael Balverde Preciado
    rafael_balverde@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412424
    Protección y Resguardo de Bienes Culturales
    Armando Édgar Arbide Maldonado
    aramando_arbide@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412350
    Promoción Cultural
    Jorge Arturo Ruvalcaba Salazar
    jorge_ruvalcaba@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 53 00 Ext. 41230
    Recursos Humanos
    Juan Carlos Morales Osorio
    carlos_morales@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412326
    Departamento de Control Presupuestal
    Gabriel Victorio Contla Maldonado
    gabriel_contla@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412316
    Informática
    Sergio Ángel Torres Rosales
    sergio_torres@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412302
    Departamento de Movimiento de Colecciones Arqueológicas
    Jonathan Enoch Jiménez Delgado
    jonathan_jimenez@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412305
    Actualización y Conservación de Elementos Museográficos
    Humberto Valentín González
    humberto_valentin@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412326
    Servicios Generales
    Óscar Ibarra Vega
    oscar_ibarra@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412426
    Servicios Educativos
    servs-edu.mna@inah.gob.mx
    +52 (55) 4040 5300 Ext. 412326
Introducción a la antropología

Introduction to Anthropology

At the museum’s inauguration, this gallery was named "Introduction to Anthropology", but during a recent renovation it became known as the "Origins Hall".

Poblamiento de América (30,000 a.C.-2500 a.C.)

Peopling of the Americas (30,000 BCE – 2500 BCE)

This gallery begins with an overview of the initial human migration into the Americas and how early peoples spread across this vast continent.

Preclásico en el Altiplano Central (2500 a.C.-100 d.C.)

Preclassic Period in the Central Highlands (2500 BCE – 100 CE)

The era from 2300 BCE to 100 CE is known as the Preclassic or Formative Period. Across Mesoamerica, this era was marked by the emergence of sedentary village communities whose economy was based on agriculture, complemented by hunting, fishing, and gathering.

Teotihuacana (100 d.C.-750 d.C.)

Teotihuacan (100 CE – 750 CE)

The Teotihuacan civilization was one of the earliest state-level societies in the Americas and the world.

Los toltecas y el Epiclásico (700 d.C.-1200 d.C.)

The Toltecs and the Epiclassic Period (700 CE – 1200 CE)

The Toltec Room highlights the iconic Atlantean figure from Tula, standing out dramatically against a garden backdrop. Murals by artists Zalce and Covarrubias illustrate the construction techniques of the era.

Mexica (1200 d.C.-1521 d.C.)

Mexica (1200 CE – 1521 CE)

During the Late Postclassic period (1300–1521 CE), marked by pervasive militarism, the Mexica—also known as the Aztecs or Tenochca—rose to prominence. In 1325 CE (2 House in the Mexica calendar), they founded their capital, Mexico-Tenochtitlan, quickly clashing with neighboring groups.

Culturas de Oaxaca (1500 a.C-1521 d.C.)

Cultures of Oaxaca (1500 BCE – 1521 CE)

The Zapotec people referred to themselves as "Benizáa" or "Ben’zaa", meaning “people of the clouds” in their own language—a name inspired by their homeland in the high mountains, cloaked in clouds sent by their rain god, Cocijo, who nourished the earth with life-giving rain.

Culturas de la Costa del Golfo (2000 a.C.-1521 d.C.)

Cultures of the Gulf Coast (2000 BCE – 1521 CE)

The Gulf Coast’s rivers, lagoons, mangroves, and frequent rains made it a symbolic cradle of life and regeneration. Home to Huastec, Otomi, Nahua, Totonac, Tepehua, Popoloca, Zoque-Mixe, and Mixtec peoples, this region fostered a shared cultural base despite linguistic diversity.

Maya (1000 a.C.-1521 d.C.)

The Maya (1000 BCE – 1521 CE)

"Let the second son of Seven Macaw also be defeated. That is our will. For his actions on Earth—exalting his own glory and power—are not right."
—Popol Vuh

Culturas de Occidente (1500 a.C.-1521 d.C.)

Cultures of Western Mexico (1500 BCE – 1521 CE)

Western Mexico includes the modern states of Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, parts of Guanajuato, and Guerrero.

Culturas del Norte (200 a.C.-1600 d.C.)

Northern Cultures (200 BCE – 1600 CE)

The Northern Cultures Gallery is organized by levels of social and cultural complexity rather than strict chronology.

Oaxaca: pueblos indios del sur

Oaxaca: Indigenous Peoples of the South

Where the Sierra Madre del Sur meets the Sierra Madre Oriental lies a geographically and culturally rich region: Oaxaca. Home to over fifteen Indigenous ethnic groups, this area includes parts of the states of Guerrero and Puebla.

Auditorio Fray Bernardino de Sahagún

Fray Bernardino de Sahagún Auditorium

Auditorio Jaime Torres Bodet

Jaime Torres Bodet Auditorium

Recognized as one of the most important cultural venues in Mexico and worldwide, the National Museum of Anthropology hosts two major auditoriums: the “Jaime Torres Bodet” and the “Fray Bernardino de Sahagún.” These spaces accommodate over 300 academic events each year, both national and internati

Biblioteca Nacional de Antropologí­a e Historia Dr. Eusebio Dávalos Hurtado

Dr. Eusebio Dávalos Hurtado National Library of Anthropology and History (BNAH)

This institution continually expands the collections it safeguards.

El paraguas

El Paraguas (The Umbrella)

This iconic architectural feature serves both a functional and symbolic role, providing shelter while emphasizing harmony with nature through its cascading water.

Patio Central

Central Courtyard

To create an experience of open and flowing movement for visitors, the design embraces a blend of interior and exterior open spaces. The layout draws inspiration from Maya architectural concepts—specifically, courtyards enclosed by buildings, like the Nunnery Quadrangle in Uxmal.

Plaza de acceso y fachada

Entrance Plaza and Facade

This vast open plaza, freely accessible and harmonized with the surrounding natural environment, welcomes visitors with a sense of grandeur that hints at the magnitude of what lies ahead.

Vestíbulo

Lobby

This space was designed to orient and guide visitors.

Contacto

promocion_cultural@inah.gob.mx
+52 (55) 4040 5300
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