Maya Museum in Cancun

Editor’s Note: this article first appeared in Sac-Be.com in April, 2014. The museum is still a good place to visit when you want a day off the beach.

The next time you are in Cancun you will want to visit the beautiful Maya Museum opened last year by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History. This 15 million dollar project was 30 years in the planning and the museum complex covers 55,000 square feet with three exhibit halls designed by Albert Garcia Lascurain, the famous Mexican architect.

Located in Cancun's hotel zone at Retorno del Rey, the museum is a tribute to the ancient Maya civilization that occupied this part of Mexico and has over 3,000 Maya artifacts with hundreds on display at one time. Highlights of the museum are 14,000-year-old Maya remains discovered in an underwater cave near Tulum, 10,000-year-old remains of La Mujer de las Palmas (The Woman of the Palms) discovered in a cenote near Tulum, a 26-foot-tall Great Pyramid, and displays of ancient dwellings, murals and altars.

The beautiful Maya Museum is located next to the archeological site of San Miguelito, which can be visited also with the same admission ticket.

Admission to the museum and archeological site is $5.00 per person and the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday–Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.