Museum of Mayan Culture

Museum of Mayan Culture (Museo de la Cultura Maya) is downtown on Av. de los Héroes between calles Colón and Gandhi, 5 blks. e. of Av. Alvaro Obregón (across from the Holiday Inn). Occupying an entire city block, it presents an excellent historical account of all things Mayan from around 1,000 B.C. to the conquest of the Yucatán in 1590. Touch screens, interactive exhibits and displays of paintings, sculpture and stela provide a detailed understanding of Mayan astronomy, architecture, mathematics, art, music, politics and religion. The central courtyard features a re-creation of a typical Mayan village complete with thatch-roofed huts, mini altars and work areas.

Most (not all) of the stela and artifacts are reproductions. There is a small museum bookstore near the ticket window that has books about the Maya in English. Exhibit information is in English and Spanish. The museum also is air conditioned, a rarity in this Third World border city.

Time: Allow 2 hours minimum.