We are proud to announce the Grand Reopening of the Latin American Art Gallery of the Ancient Americas. This permanent Latin American art gallery will showcase Museo’s extensive Latin American archaeological collection, featuring artifacts from across the Americas, from the cultures of South, Central and Mesoamerica.
Our first exhibition in this newly reopened gallery is Tiempo y Lugar, which highlights the cultural, historic, technological and artistic advancements of our ancestors. The focal point of this exhibition is undeniably the newly restored, historically accurate model of The Temple of the Magician, located at the Mayan archeological site in Uxmal, Mexico. Featuring the image of Chaac, the Mayan God of Rain, visitors can explore and learn about this ancient temple and the peoples who worshiped there.
The replica of the temple at Uxmal has an interesting history of its own. Originally a gift from the Denver Art Museum, it was created by WPA artists in the 1930s. Denver artist Emanuel Martinez has skillfully restored the temple replica for this reopening, getting it ready for Tiempo y Lugar.
This exhibition features outstanding archeological pieces from Museo’s private collection, in combination with a contemporary mural by Denver artist David Ocelotl Garcia. Originally created for Museo as part of our Rhythm & Ritual exhibit in 2020, this mural is a portrayal of one of the murals in the Temple of the Murals at Bonampak, Mexico.
