Gran Museo del Mundo Maya.

Housed in a striking, contemporary structure designed to mimic the sacred ceiba tree, the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya offers essential context for anyone exploring the Yucatán Peninsula. Rather than treating Maya culture as a relic of the past, the museum’s four permanent galleries connect antiquity with the living present, displaying over 1,100 artifacts that range from ancient jade burial offerings and Chichén Itzá sculptures to colonial-era books and modern textiles. Interactive touchscreens and multimedia displays bring the history to life, while a large-format movie theater and a nightly exterior light show add to the experience. Located north of downtown Mérida, it is an indispensable, comprehensive first stop before or after touring the region's ruins.