Oaxaca, Mexico City Guide
For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Oaxaca, Mexico Travel Guide has been your connection to Oaxaca's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Museums & Archeological Sites
There are several museums in Oaxaca that are well worth a few hours. The Santo Domingo Cultural Center is a good place to begin. Take a tour and get a feel for the many unique cultures of Oaxaca, as well as the historical origins of The Zapotec and Mixtec Indians. The museum’s remarkable exhibits include jewels from a tomb at the Monte Albán archeological site. Another fine museum that guides you through the origins of Mexican art is the Rufino Tamayo Museum of pre-Hispanic Art. The art from Mexico's ancient civilizations is well laid within the walls of this remarkable, restored colonial home. For those modern art enthusiasts, consider spending a few hours at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The museum features International modern art and exhibits by Oaxacan painters Rufino Tamayo, Rodolfo Morales and other local artists. Kids are encouraged to paint or create unique sculptures at the museums’s Sculptural Patio and Workshop. The Museum of Oaxacan Painters (Museo de Pintores Oaxaqueños) is also worth a visit, with its permanent installation of the work of Rodolfo Morales.
While in Oaxaca, set aside a day trip to the ruins of the ancient capitol of The Zapotecs, Monte Albán, one of the first cities in Mesoamerica. Tour the ruins and explore the history of the great Zapotec culture and learn how the indigenous population flourished for hundreds of years.
