Archaeology Museum in Vallarta is a Hidden Gem Gerardo Gonzalez - Vallarta Opina
go to original July 6, 2014

Nestled in the Cuale Island, a few meters from the sea and the craft market, is the Museum of Archaeology in Puerto Vallarta "The Cuale" where pieces representing the cultural heritage of the western part of the country are displayed.

Despite its excellent location just off the foot bridge that connects Downtown and Old Town Vallarta, many locals and tourists do not know the Museum exists.

Thanks to the efforts of the City of Puerto Vallarta, the National Council for Culture and the Arts (CONACULTA) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Museum receives visitors daily from around the world who admire the remains of various human groups who inhabited the area before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.

For a better evolutionary understanding, the exhibition is divided into six stages: 1) From Nomadism to Sedentary; 2) Chupicuaro design symmetry; 3) Underground tombs; 4) Aztatlán, symbols on pottery; 5) Los Purépecha empire in the West; and 6) Spanish conquest, change and survival.

Displayed are genuine pottery with geometric patterns, hammers, projectile points; ornamental objects such as necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings in elaborate designs with shell, jade, bone, obsidian and serpentine. Many of these objects come from offerings in burials in the area leading to a burial chamber of females, an allegory of the return to life.

You will see masks, pottery, stone items used as weapons, tools or decoration, abundant in the area due to its volcanic nature.

At the Museum in Puerto Vallarta "The Cuale" two temporary exhibitions a year are scheduled. There are sales of prints, books and records, authorized and produced by the INAH.

Admission is free and the Museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and 3:00 to 6:00 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. The exact location is Isla Cuale Local 1-A, Colonia Centro.

You are invited to visit the Museum and get to know the legacy of our ancestors and enjoy a unique experience, located just a few meters from the sea.

Translated and edited by Team Angels