The Zapotec people flourished in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, with archaeological evidence suggesting their origins date back around 2,500 years. From this culture emerged Monte Albán, a city built on mountainous terrain that became the most significant pre-Hispanic urban center in the region.

In this museum gallery, two display cases are featured: one containing an anthropomorphic urn from Tomb 1, and another with models illustrating Monte Albán’s monumental architecture, both residential and ceremonial. Visitors can also learn about the site's discovery and see a two-part frieze that once adorned the wall of a courtyard on the eastern end of the North Platform.