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Museo Nacional de Antropologia

The National Museum of Anthropology is the largest and most visited museum in Mexico, which was opened on September 21, 1964, by then-President Adolfo López Mateos, who dedicated it to the people of Mexico.

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The museum is located in the Chapultepec Park area of Mexico City. It was built during the early 20th century and designed by Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez.

It's home to an impressive number of ancient artefacts, including some that date back thousands of years. The museum boasts over 1 million pieces in all!

It's one of the largest museums in the world by square footage—and it's definitely worth a visit if you're looking for something new and exciting to do in Mexico City.

The building consists of three floors for permanent and temporary exhibitions. The permanent collections are divided into six main groups: Prehistory; Mesoamerican cultures from the Preclassic period to the Spanish conquest; Colonial period; Modern times (19th century); Ethnology; Archaeology (Pre-Hispanic).

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Mexico City

One of the world’s biggest city squares with an iconic Bandera monumental, which was once the ceremonial centre of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. Today it is known as Plaza de la Constitución.

Catedral Metropolitana

The Catedral Metropolitana in Mexico City is one of Mexico’s most iconic structures and a monument to the country’s history and the largest cathedral in Latin America.

The Templo Mayor or Great Temple (called Hueteocalli by the Aztecs) was the heart of the Aztec empire, a site where people would come to worship their gods. It was also a place of sacrifice, where human beings were killed as offerings to the gods.

Chapultepec Castle

Chapultepec Castle is an immense stone edifice that sits atop a hill in the heart of Mexico City built by the Spanish in 1725 as a large manor house for their viceroy and commander-in-chief of the colony, New Spain.

Museo Nacional de Historia

Shows Mexico's history from Cortes to the 1910 Revolution

Tlatelolco was the most important commercial centre in pre-Hispanic times. In Nahuatl, Tlatelolco can be translated to "terrace" (Tlatelli) or "sandy point" (Xaltilolli).

Related Tours

The Historic Heart of Mexico City: Private Half-Day Walking Tour

Embark on a journey through 700 years of history in the heart of Mexico City and discover its historic centre on a pleasant walking tour stopping at many of the most popular and important landmarks that not even the locals know. Your professional tour guide will share with you anecdotes and curious facts that will make your tour a cultural experience that you will never forget.

On this private half-day tour, you will:

Start your tour at the Anthropology Museum, where you will see the Sun Stone, also known as the Aztec calendar, the Coatlicue;
Enjoy a Metrobus ride with your guide, to the Historic Center until you reach the famous “Alameda” Park, the oldest urban park in the Americas;
See the emblematic Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City's most important performance space;
Learn about the history of the Postal Palace (Correo Mayor or Main Post Office);
See the Palace of Iturbide, a massive 18th-century mansion located in the historic heart of Mexico City;
Pass by the House of Tiles (Casa de Los Azulejos), an 18th-century palace covered in hand-painted tiles;
Walk along Francisco I. Madero Street, one of the original pedestrian streets named after an important figure of the Mexican Revolution;
Visit Templo Mayor, the most important building in the city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) as it was the place where the religious ceremonies were performed;

Our tour starts at the Anthropology Museum, where you'll be able to appreciate select items from the extensive pre-Hispanic art collection housed within the museum's walls. During the tour, our guide will provide insights into notable artefacts such as the Sun Stone, also known as the Aztec calendar, as well as the Coatlicue, and several other pieces that offer a glimpse into the beliefs, way of life, and spirituality of the diverse ancient Mexican civilizations.

After a short metro bus ride, you will continue through the centre of Mexico City, an area full of emblematic buildings. Your guide will talk about the history of the area and how it represents a focal point for Mexicans today.

Built using stones from the Aztec Great Temple, or Templo Mayor, the cathedral is not far from the ruins of that sacred site for the Aztecs. Walking through its ruins, your guide will tell you how the monumental building arose in layers over time, as well as the grisly details of the Aztec religion.

The site marks where the Aztecs, in the period of their history when they were a nomadic tribe without a home, felt a divine command from the god Huitzilopochtli to be fulfilled when they saw an eagle eat a snake on a cactus. It was gradually built over a shrine marking the spot and many human sacrifices were performed at the top.

Chapultepec & the National Museum of Anthropology: Private Tour

Chapultepec is a vast park that is home to dozens of museums, monuments and landmarks. Explore two of the most important sites: Chapultepec Castle, which has been the official residence of Mexican presidents since 1940; and the National Museum of Anthropology, where you'll find some of the most spectacular pre-Hispanic artefacts in all of Mexico with a private tour guide.

On this private full-day tour, you will:

Visit the main rooms of the National Museum of Anthropology (MNA) and see The Sun Stone or Aztec Calendar, one of the main highlights of the museum;
Enjoy a guided tour of the Chapultepec Castle, the former residence for Mexican Emperors which still reigns as the only castle in North America that actually served as a residence for royalty;
Explore Chapultepec Castle Gardens, one of the attractions of the park that locals and tourists alike love to visit.

Discover Chapultepec, in Nahuatl: “Hill of the Grasshopper”, where magic, history and art are connected.

This iconic forest of Chapultepec is twice the size of New York's Central Park and is the largest green area in Mexico City, one of the largest and busiest cities on the continent.

During your tour, enjoy a guided tour of the National Museum of Anthropology which is located inside the Castle exploring the main rooms and uncovering the symbolism of some of the most important pieces exhibited.

You will also visit the only "Royal Castle" in America, its beautiful gardens and the incredible view of Paseo de la Reforma.