Top Museums To Visit In Guatemala City

With a fascinating history that merges Mayan traditions with Spanish culture, Guatemala is one of the most interesting countries in the world. Guatemala City has excellent museums where you can learn about Mayan history, traditional textiles, archaeology and what it feels like to experience an earthquake. Here are the top museums to visit in Guatemala city.

1. Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología

Museum

The good news is that Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología houses Guatemala’s largest collection of ancient Maya artifacts; the bad news is that explanatory information is pretty sparse. Still, its impressive stone sculptures (many of which are from the classic period of Tikal), jade jewelry, traditional masks and large-scale model of Tikal make it well worth a visit.

Iglesia de La Merced

This lovely yellow church is based on the original church in Antigua, Guatemala, and even contains gold-plated Baroque altars from the original building. Built in 1918 in a Neoclassical style, this church bizarrely became the headquarters of the Guatemalan police force, but is now a museum packed with elaborate paintings, religious statues and sculptures from the 17th and 19th centuries. A must for architecture fans.

1a Calle Poniente & 6a Avenida Norte, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala +502 7832 0559