The Mummy Museum in Guanajuato – Museo de las Momias

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When you think of mummies, your first thought probably goes to Egypt. Because, logically, they’re big on mummies there. But did you know that the world’s BEST naturally preserved mummies are actually in good ol’ Guanajuato, Mexico? Yeah. I was surprised too. Welcome to Museo de las Momias. Aka, the Mummy Museum in Guanajuato.

It may come to you as a surprise, but the Mummy Museum in Guanajuato actually houses the best naturally preserved mummies in THE ENTIRE WORLD.

Yeah, take that Egypt.

Kidding, but it’s true. And it’s a nice change of pace from all of the other fun things you will be doing in Guanajuato, especially for kids. Plus, the Museo de las Momias is a great option for rainy days, or days that are just too hot and you need some shade!

How to Get There

The Mummy Museum in Guanajuato is a little on the outside of the city, but not at all that far away. If we use the Teatro Juarez as a reference point (since it’s pretty central to the city), then travel to the museum is as follows:

• walking: 30ish minutes
• car: 15ish minutes

Of course, it is all depending on traffic and physical ability, but in general, a car ride is at least twice as fast as walking. Added with the fact that both taxis and Ubers are affordable and readily available, it is my preferred method of transportation. I personally use Uber over taxis, but when I used taxis in Guanajuato, prices were nearly identical. From the theater, I paid a total of $39.46 Mexican Pesos for my ride to the museum, which was about $2 USD. YEAH. So catching a ride is a GREAT DEAL.

However, if you want a nice stroll, walking doesn’t take THAT long. Guanajuato is a beautiful city so plenty of cute shops and buildings along the way. Generally, 30 minutes is my max for walking, so this is right on the high end for me. But do note that Guanajuato is STEEP. There are tons of slopes and stairs to climb. If you have any mobility restrictions or concerns, or think the walk might be a bit much, I highly recommend getting a ride. Guanajuato is not the most accessible city in terms of mobility.

Mummy Museum in Guanajuato – Costs

Once you arrive, you’ll see a few folks out selling knick-knacks, candles, and souvenirs related to the museum. I visited on a random Monday, so there was absolutely no one in line. I just walked right up. The entrance costs $50.00 pesos, though there were also discounts listed for locals, children, and students. If you want to take pictures inside the museum with anything other than your phone, there is a small photography fee.

I don’t remember exactlyyy what it was, but I remember it rounding out to about ~2USD.

Museum hours are from 9:00am to 6:00pm daily. Upon entering, there SHOULD probably be a short film or documentary playing, though it wasn’t working during my visit. I don’t think the museum every really gets THAT busy on weekdays, I went in the middle of the day and there were only a handful of others also wandering around. Though, I am sure it is busier on weekends and during holidays.

Where Did the Mummies Come From??

Long long ago, a plague swept through the region of Guanajuato in the late 1800s.

Yanno. As plagues do.

The result ended in a TON of burials in a very short short amount of time. Fast forward a few decades later. The government of Guanajuato imposed a burial tax, whiiich basically meant that you needed to pay to bury a corpse. Any corpse’s tax that wasn’t paid for would be exhumed. And, I mean, who wants to pay a burial tax for some relatives you barely remember? Plus, times were hard yo! So, a lot of corpses (specifically from that 1800s plague era) were exhumed.

Only…the corpses turned out to be…completely intact??

Apparently, the ground in Guanajuato had the exact combination of minerals, vitamins, and other ground stuff that would perfectly mummify a corpse. Even without a coffin or binding, the corpses’ hair, ligaments, and skin would fossilize instead of decomposing.

Dang, so yeah. Mummies.

The government was at a loss. It would just be…weird and uncomfortable to dump a bunch of completely intact corpses, right? So, naturally, they did what anyone else in that situation would do. They left the corpses in an empty room to deal with at a later date.

Rock on, Guanajuato.

That said, there is a little debate on how that room of corpses transformed into the Mummy Museum in Guanajuato. The most common and accepted tale is that someone asked to see the room full of mummies. Then another person. Then a bunch of people. Until eventually the government figured they should probably monetize it. As governments do.

The Mummy Exhibits

From what I heard, I expected the museum to be a lot…more gore-heavy than what I saw. That said, I am a very desensitized individual. Others may find it a bit morbid. As for kids, they may find it interesting…or scary. You know your kids better than I do, so you make the call.

Here are some pics to give you an idea.

This museum holds the world’s MOST intact mummy in the world, which is pretty rad, but it also has the world’s smallest mummy (a tiny fetus), and its mother.

Err..the kid section is probably the most unsettling, tbh. I would carve out about an hour total to see everything. It isn’t a very big museum. On the way out, I uncomfortably tried taking pictures with some of the staged mummies, and I heard a woman behind me whisper that I would probably be cursed.

I mean. I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious. So maybe stop by a church on your way back into the city.

The Mummy Museum in Guanajuato – Conclusion

It’s definitely memorable, that’s for sure! What do y’all think? Would you brave the halls to visit this museum? For more things to do in Guanajuato, check out my Guanajuato Weekend Guide!

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