Within Guatemala City, there are two notable museums that provide visitors with a look at the history of the Mayan civilization as well as parts of their cultural heritage.
One of these museums is the Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala, a historical museum that exhibits Mayan art.
Location
The Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala is within the Universidad Francisco Marroquin campus, at 6 Calle final, Zone 10. It is opposite Ixchel Museum.
Getting There
You can take a taxi or a bus to reach Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala. If you will be taking the bus however, you will have to walk a short distance as there are no buses that stop right in front of the entrance.
You can take bus number 63, 82, 101 or 40R. This will take you up to the corner of 6 Calle, right in front of the building for the Ministry of Education.
You have to walk eastwards along 6 Calle, pass through 2 intersections, and walk further downhill until you reach the campus.
An easier way is to take a taxi which will stop right in front of the campus.
What to See and Do
The Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala is basically divided into three sections: Maya Art and Archeology, Colonial Art and Special Exhibitions.
Exhibits at the Maya Art and Archeology section include various items that were found during archeological expeditions from the Pre-Columbian period in the country.
Some of these include a Clovis Projectile Point, circa 9,000 BC; potteries from 300 BC to 200 AD; and Plumbate Ceramics from 900 AD to 1,500 AC.
At the Colonial Art section, you can see various objects that date back from the 16th up to the 18th century.
These include objects made from silver such as the Processional Cross and the Incense Boat from the 16th century, a Sacrarium from between the 17th and 18th centuries, and a Missal Stand from the 18th century.
Special Exhibitions meanwhile display some Pre-Columbian musical instruments and various objects that depict scenes from the Popol Vuh mythology.
Brief History
The Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala takes its name from the Popol Vuh mythology – a narrative and a series of mythological tales that depict how the world was created.
The Popol Vuh was believed to have been written some time in the mid-1500s although its authors are unknown.
The museum was established in the year 1977 by a couple named Jorge and Ella Castillo. The items were their private collection until they donated these to the Universidad Francisco Marroquin the following year.
The site of the museum was originally along La Reforma Avenue and 16th Street. After 3 years, the museum was moved to the Galerias Reforma building located in Zone 9. For sixteen years, this was where it stayed.
In the year 1997, the museum was officially opened within the Cultural Complex of the university.
Cost
Entry fees for the Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala are 35 Quetzal for adults, 15 Quetzal for students and 10 Quetzal for kids 2 to 12 years of age.
Photography is charged 15 Quetzal while videos are 25 Quetzal. Please take note that using a tripod and flash are strictly prohibited.
Other Information
The Popol Vuh Museum – Guatemala is open from Monday to Friday, from 9 in the morning up to 5 in the afternoon. Saturdays, it is open from 9 in the morning up to 1 in the afternoon.
