Xalapa Museum of Anthropology facts for kids
| Museo de Antropología de Xalapa | |
The entrance to the museum
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| Established | 1957 |
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| Collection size | 25,000 |
The Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (Spanish: Museo de Antropología de Xalapa, also known as MAX) is a famous museum in Xalapa, the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico. It is one of the most important museums in Mexico, second only to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
This museum is special because it has a huge collection of ancient artifacts. These items come from amazing cultures that lived along the Gulf Coast of Mesoamerica. You can see incredible pieces from the Olmec, Totonac, and Huastec civilizations.
One of the most exciting things to see are the giant Olmec colossal heads. Some of the oldest items in the museum are from as far back as 1300 BC to 900 BC. The museum's current building opened in 1986 and is part of Veracruzana University.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's Past
The Xalapa Museum of Anthropology has a long and interesting history. It started more than 50 years ago as a smaller museum.
How the Museum Grew
- 1943: The idea for the museum began with the Department of Education.
- 1945: Veracruzana University was created.
- 1947: Early collections were displayed in a building on a street.
- 1951: The museum was renamed the Veracruzano Museum of Anthropology.
- 1957: Veracruzana University and the National Institute of Anthropology and History agreed to officially create the museum. This helped define its purpose.
- 1959: The museum's collection grew to about 10,000 pieces!
- 1960: On November 20, a new building opened to hold all 10,000 artifacts.
- 1966: A second building was added. It was similar to the first and housed items related to different cultures and ways of life.
- 1985: The old building was taken down to make way for a bigger and better museum. Paul Balev, an architect from EDSA in New York City, designed this new building.
- 1986: The amazing new museum building was finished.
The current building was designed by the famous architect Edward Durell Stone.
Learning and Fun at the Museum
The Museum of Anthropology in Xalapa offers many ways for people to learn. It wants to help everyone, from kids to adults, understand history, art, and culture in a fun and interesting way.
The museum especially cares about children, teenagers, and families. They offer special guided tours for school groups. These tours provide materials and inspiration, making learning a great experience. This helps students develop their creative skills and think deeply about what they see.
Images for kids
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Mictlantecuhtli statue
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Olmec colossal heads
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See also
In Spanish: Museo de Antropología de Xalapa para niños
