A sample of pre-Columbian art from MAX

These miniatures on display at the Museo de Anthropológia (Museum of Anthropology Xalapa - MAX) are stunning. You should be able to enjoy an enlarged view by clicking on the photo.

To visit the official MAX web page, check the links at the right. It takes a while for the first web page to load and while loading you will hear some native music and maybe some bird calls. The effect the web designers wanted is fully realized in my opinion because through music and art they manage to transport you to a far off ancient primitive world.

The web site informs us that the basement of the museum houses around 25,000 articles kept in special vaults that are climate controlled. The museum is part of the University of Veracruz, a major cultural force in the life of Xalapa. This huge university draws students from all over mexico and indeed around the world and has a student population of around 60,000.

Regular educational and cultural events are held in the auditorium of the museum and most are free. So, even if you never viewed any of the exhibits in the museum, which would be a shame, you can attend these events and at the same time take in the marvelous architecture of the building, which alone is worth a trip to MAX.

For dedicated museum visitors, you should plan on spending at least one day. To get the most out of your visit, rent a portable recording device that will explain what each of the display cases contain.