Chichén Itzá’s new museum, just next to the main archaeological site, opens Friday, March 1.
An official press release did not say whether or not entrance to the museum is included in Chichén Itzás’s already steep admission cost, which already exceeds 600 pesos.
The museum features nearly 1,000 original artifacts, many of which have never been seen before by the public.
Several of these never-before-seen artifacts were uncovered during both excavations at Chichén Viejo, a recently opened section of Chichén Itzá, and the construction of the Tren Maya.
The museum also features scale replicas of many of Chichén Itzá’s most famous structures, including the Pyramid of Kukulkán, as well as the famous red jaguar throne, which lay in its interior and has now been off limits for well over a decade.
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“This is truly a monumental step for archaeology in México and a wonderful tribute to our country’s rich cultural heritage,” said INAH director Diego Prieto Hernández.
The museum covers nearly 30,000 square feet and is equipped with a visitor’s center and state-of-the-art museography, which includes exhibits and headphones for virtual guided visits.
Still under construction is Chichén Itzá’s new visitors’ center, as conflicts between the federal government and local artisans unhappy with being denied access have caused major setbacks.
Also beginning operations on the same day is the Tren Maya station serving Chichén Itzá in the community of Pisté. But as the Tren Maya station is a handful of miles from the archaeological site, shuttles will run passengers between the station and the entrance to Chichén Itzá and its new museum.
The ancient city of Chichén Itza is also the engine of Yucatán’s tourism industry, bringing in an average of a million-plus visitors yearly over the past couple of decades and more than 2.4 million tourists in 2023 alone.
Chichén Itzá is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World from a selection of over 200 sites voted on by people worldwide.
