John and I would put the National Museum of Anthropology right at the top of our list of things to do in Mexico City. The collection is huge and of the highest quality.
At the entrance this monumental, almost-comic, sculpture of a short, stout god gives only a hint of the wonders inside.
The collection is housed on three sides of a huge courtyard featuring an enormous fountain
under a floating roof.
Inside we encountered this splendid Mayan facade from the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
It had once adorned a major temple in the nearby Mayan city of Teotihuacán.
The Aztecs liked to collect "antiques". It is they who preserved this colossal Olmec head.
John was captivated by this Jaguar sculpture and its fire extinguisher.
These fellows look ready for a fight
while this group of MesoAmerican figures seem to be mediating.
Fall in love!
Monumental. Funerary mask from Teoihuacan, circa 150-650 AD.
Large windows tempt the visitor into the museum's lush gardens.
The gardens preserve ancient structures of great delicacy.
Say hello to the God of Death on your way along the path.
Back inside we loved this Aztec painted dish
and the compelling embroidery of this textile.
John and I are interested in making accordion-fold art books
so you can imagine our delight in these original Aztec codexes.
I was drawn to the tender chemistry between this couple.
We noticed them several times. They were always deep in conversation.
No, I'm not bowing down to this idol -- I'm just taking a picture of the information tag.
He is a God of Water. Wearing goggles, perhaps?
John noticed this cleaning person getting into the spirit of the museum, while taking a rare break -- sitting in quiet majesty, while surveying his immaculate floors.
