In which Sid and Doris visit the Museo Nacionale de Antroplogia, a fabulous museum.
In Sid’s view an anthropology museum should generally be given as wide a berth as a lee shore. There will be a lame shop window mannequin in a costume from an am-dram dressing up box holding a boy scout’s spear. This is not like that.
The museum opened in 1964, purpose built on two levels around a large square. The ground floor starts with an introduction to anthropology and charts the evolution and global spread of humanity. Then rooms cover the history of peoples, cultures and areas of Mexico and the near neighbours.
A lot of use is made of models to show how archaeologists believe people lived. These are not like a Britains farm set, not just because Britains doesn’t do a hyena, but nor do they have disemboweled animals or the farmer’s wife in labour. The models do work well to show technology and society developing, gradually.
In the rooms above are ethnographic exhibits showing how each group lives now. Sid and Doris are heading off towards Palenque so majored on the Mayan rooms. The cantina offered regional food but we can catch up on that in the next few days.
This is a fabulous museum of anthropology. Do not miss it if you come to Mexico. We took some photos of objects that you may enjoy. We did.
Oh, and when we got out at the Auditorio Metro station – the closest one to the museum – we found that the British Tourist Board had been persuaded that it was an ideal place to flood with publicity. Including a picture of what Mexicans might think Sid and Doris look like, perhaps.
We are not precisely sure that this is the view that the Brits have of themselves.
Except maybe this one:
And taking a different metro route back (because Doris is allergic to out-and-back routes) we saw this display across the other side of the tracks in a different station.
The metro was busy but absolutely everyone wore masks, and wore them properly. Even the hawkers who walk up and down the carriages shouting their wares.
Dinner was in a discreet downstairs speakeasy. Still with excellent Covid hygiene. And Doris took a photo to remind us to tell you about the hands-free menu solution that Mexico City restaurants have all found – QR codes for the menus at each table.
I had to enlarge the “Countryside” photo quite a bit before I realized it was, in fact, not Sid and Doris. Close, though. The sculpture of the woman (I think) with the outstretched arm is a good as any sculpture I have ever seen. I do not know a man who would not recognize that precise pose.
Ha ha that is so funny. Sid took the original picture and insisted it was a man because it was lacking in the chest department. I only looked at the face/pose and knew instantly it was a woman.