El Museo Nacional de Antropología, or the National Museum of Anthropology, is recognized as one of the most important museums safeguarding the legacy of indigenous Mexico and contains some of the country’s most vital artifacts like the magnificent Stone of the Sun (perhaps better known as the Aztec calendar stone). 

On this 3-hour National Museum of Anthropology Tour, we’ll join a historian or anthropologist as we examine its vast collection of pre-Hispanic relics to discover not only the traditions and cultures that was ancient Mexico, but also how these groups have informed Mexican culture today.

After a brief introduction to the history of the building and Pre-Classic civilizations such as the Olmec culture, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of Teotihuacan. An early Classic site rich in pyramids, burial tombs, and mural paintings, we’ll discuss why it had such influence over other regions, and how its unique artistic style and iconography of main deities was echoed throughout Mesoamerica for hundreds of years before its mysterious collapse. 

For a deep dive into this civilization, take our Teotihuacan Day Excursion with an archaeologist.

Then we’ll enter the museum’s main exhibit hall, the Aztecs. Here our expert guide will select pieces to exemplify the culture’s focus on war practices, territory expansion, and multicultural trade throughout Mesoamerica. We’ll marvel at the Sun Stone and learn its suspect history since its rediscovery in 1790 and what it has to do with US/Mexican relations and Mexican identity today. Our expert will continue with a discussion on the Spanish conquest, its forced religious practices on native populations and the syncretism that resulted.

The latter part of our visit will focus on the Maya—a people who have persisted through the ages and is now at the forefront of cultural resistance in Mexico. After an introduction to the Mayan codices and ancient political structure, we may step outside to examine Mayan architecture at full scale. Our guide will then take us on a journey to the underworld to one of the most celebrated (and lucky) archaeological finds in the country. Finally, we’ll conclude with a discussion of the decline of the civilization and the endurance of the Maya even today.

At the end of our tour we'll emerge from our time together with a better understanding of pre-Hispanic history in relation to the archaeological pieces that we’ve discussed. We’ll also have a greater ethnographic awareness of indigenous populations in Mexico today as a result of our focused examination into the Anthropology Museum. 

For a further look into Mexican history (and Aztec ruins) try our Mexico City Tour.

What is included in the tour?  You purchase of the 3-hour tour of the National Museum of Anthropology includes the guide’s time and tickets to the museum (that will be charged per person during checkout). The guide will purchase these tickets for you before the start of your tour so you need not wait in the line.

Why isn't the tour offered on Sundays and Mondays?  On Sundays we don't recommend a visit because it is extra crowded (though contact us if this is your only available day), and the museum is closed on Mondays.

Can we extend the tour to include Chapultepec Park?  Yes! Please contact us at custom@contexttravel.com and we would be happy to design a custom tour for your group.