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Museo Nacional de Antropologia

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Ivanhoe
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4 out of 5
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National Museum of Anthropology

  • October 8, 2006
  • Rated 3 of 5 by SeaTurtle from San Diego, California

Any guidebook will tell you that the Anthropology Museum is huge, and it’s true. I spent more than half a day there, and felt like I still haven’t "done" it. The museum is interesting and so extensive that it’s almost hard to take.
I went with a group from the Hostal Moneda - there were a lot of independent travelers. Everyone was really friendly and I met a couple of people on our little "field trip." The hostel provided a guide who accompanied us on the trip and spoke English (as most of the signs in the museum are in Spanish only).

We visited just five rooms of the museum - a small portion overall. Highlights were pre-Columbian art and models of the many civilizations that preceded modern Mexico! I would recommend this museum only if you’re a big anthropology buff, or if you have a few hours to spend wandering a vast museum. If you could see just one museum in Mexico, go see Frida Kahlo!

The museum is accessible by Metro but you have to take a bus down the main avenue towards the museum. You can’t bring bags or cameras inside but they have a place to check them. Be sure to check out the Voladores of Pantitlan in the small park just across the street! It’s a native ritual involving 4 guys literally flying through the air from a big pole (with ropes around their ankles!) and is worth seeing. They’ll do it a few times a day, usually when there’s a sufficient amount of tourists ($$) standing around waiting.

From journal Whoa, Mexico

Editor Pick

Museo de Antropologia

  • June 29, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by dcdc75 from Vancouver, Washington
Museo de Antropologia

One of the greatest anthropological museums in the world, Museo de Antroplogia showcases the crossing of first hunter-gatherers from Asia onto North America. It also has magnificent archaeological exhibits from early Mesoamerican societies. The museum also features ethnological displays on Mexico's current Amerindian groups. Some of the finest pieces of prehispanic art anywhere in the world, can be found here. The museum also has outdoor exhibits. It was pretty fun to poke around typical Mayan monuments. Admission is about $5 and no flash photography is allowed.

From journal Bienvenidos!! It's Mexico City !!!

Editor Pick

National Anthropology Museum

  • April 9, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by becks from Mexico City, Mexico
National Anthropology Museum

With so many questions still left unanswered after our visit to Teotihuacan, there was obviously only one thing to do – force my wife to visit the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City once again. Fortunately, this great museum makes for a great day out with the family.

Mexico’s Museo Nacional de Antropologia is located inside the massive Chapultepec Park in the heart of Mexico City. It opened in the mid-sixties and managed to pocket some of the best pieces from numerous archaeological sites all over Mexico. It covers Mexican anthropology from the pre-Classical period up to modern-day indigenous communities. It is a large museum and it is easy to be all cultured-out long before you are halfway through. Having experienced civilizations overdose on my first visit here, I have subsequently visited only on Sundays, when admission is free, and focused on one or two civilizations at a time.

On this visit, our focus was on Teotihuacan. The influence of this civilization on later ones in central Mexico was vast, but unfortunately, few items survived to the present. Of course, the archaeological site with its huge pyramids, temples, palaces, and other large structures are very impressive but hard to replicate in a museum 40 km away. However, replicate they did and to great effect. A very impressive reproduction of the facade of the Temple of the Feathered Serpent is done in full color as it presumably was centuries ago. Quetzalcoatl certainly was not someone to fool around with and Tlaloc does not leave a too friendly impression either. Behind the facade is a copy of a grave that was found near the temple. The skeletons had their hands tied behind their backs and almost certainly were sacrificed. Child skeletons found at the four corners of the Pyramid of the Sun probably indicate some cult in which children were ritually offered to Tlaloc.

Further reproductions include some of the houses discovered at the periphery of the archaeological site with impressive wall paintings and parts of the Palace of Quetzalpapaloti. Several artifacts are on display illustrating the skills of the Teotihuacans in pottery. I also found the answer to what the buildings have looked like – more or less like the surviving Palace of Quetzalpaploti – stone solid outside walls to three sides with rooms facings patios and inner courtyards. The building with a few surviving pillars across the Street of the Death from the viewing point near the Pyramid of the Moon gives a good idea of what the buildings must have looked like.

People visit the museum for various reasons. I came to the museum in search of some answers on the civilization of Teotihuacan and mostly found them. A local couple treated the museum like a visit to the Home Depot, earnestly debating whether they should paint their lounge the orange used as the background color at the Teotihuacan displays or rather the somewhat brighter yellow used in the Tula room.

From journal Teotihuacan – Where Men Became Gods

Museo de Antropologia

  • May 18, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by pabrams52 from Los Angeles, California
Museo de Antropologia

The museum itself is quite beautiful, with exhibition halls which themselves have been artistically constructed. I was amazed at how many artifacts there are. It really takes you back in time, with clear descriptions provided for each display.

From journal While in Mexico City

antropologia

  • August 8, 2003
  • Rated 5 of 5 by drewsky25 from mexico city, Mexico
This museum is one of the best ones because you learn a lot and also about the amazing things you see. You´ll find yourself asking a lot of questions about them and about México. While you are in there you will see their food, clothes, arts, bodies, animals, and a lot of stuff they used to do. This will blow your mind.

But one of the amazing things is what different people have found about them. These pieces are worth a lot of money. There are pieces that you can not take a picture of because they are so old or they don´t want to see another copy made. They want those pieces to be unique. Of course you´ll also find small stores where you can buy a lot of things for yourself or friends.

Then after you finish seeing this place you need to go the downtown Zocalo so you can see another museum of the Templo Mayor. This is the temple of the Aztecs where they used to make sacrifies and where Spain came and conquered the Aztecs and destroyed their tamples.

Also, see one of the biggest churches that Spain built on top of one of the pyramid of the Aztecs. You got to go there!!!! This is not expensive either. It's only 45 pesos ($4.50) to 650 pesos ($6.50) to see the Templo Mayor--the church is free.

So, what do you say? Now is time for you to see it in person and not in books anymore. Do not miss it!! I know you´ll love it!!!!

From journal mexica city

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