Two museums with similar names
A common mix-up: the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya is in Mérida, while the Gran Museo de Chichén Itzá is a different museum next to that archaeological site. Mexico's INAH has published bulletins about the Chichén museum; don't apply those details to Mérida's.
Why visit
A museum devoted to the Maya world is the perfect companion to an archaeological site: it helps you understand what you'll see at Chichén Itzá, Uxmal or Tulum, and reminds you that Maya culture is still alive in Yucatán.
Plan your visit
- Hours and fees: they change; check the museum's official website.
- Exhibitions: confirm what's on before you go.
- Time: allow several hours if Maya history interests you.
How to pair it
A good order: museum one day, archaeological site the next. You'll arrive at Chichén Itzá or Uxmal with context and get more out of the guided tour.
From the museum to the Maya cities
To get out of the city, Mary Tours has its office right in the historic center (Calle 61 #518-B, between 62 and 64). After the museum, the Chichén Itzá trip (by van or Maya Train) or the Uxmal transfer puts what you learned into context. Check the booking section for available trips with current times and prices.
Fun facts
- Mérida and Chichén Itzá have different Maya museums with similar names.
- A museum visit before the ruins makes the guided tour richer.
- Maya culture is a museum subject and part of daily life in Yucatán.
Related tours
Archaeology · 11 h
Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid
Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
- 4:20 PM Valladolid — Francisco Cantón Rosado park with its original railings, the church of San Servacio and the murals in the town hall.
- 8:00 PM Back in Mérida — We drop you off where the day started.
Included: Air-conditioned transport, General culture guide, Regional buffet lunch
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Archaeology · 11 h
Maya Train, Chichén Itzá and Izamal
The Mérida–Izamal leg by train, the rest by road
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Transfer to the station — From the office to the Maya Train station in Mérida.
- 9:18 AM Maya Train ride — Forty minutes from Mérida to Izamal. Ticket included.
- 10:15 AM Izamal — The yellow town, the three-tier Baroque altarpiece and free time on the main square.
- 12:30 PM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Sacred Cenote, the Temple of Kukulkán, the Jaguars and Eagles platform and the Ball Court.
- 2:30 PM Lunch in Kaua — Buffet of typical regional dishes.
- 3:45 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim of the day, with the heat already easing off.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — Two hours on the road back.
Included: Transport, General culture guide, Maya Train ticket Mérida–Izamal, Midday meal
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Coupon −$300 MXN per personCaribbean · 14 h
Tulum and the Casa Tortuga cenotes
The only Maya city built facing the Caribbean
from $2,500 MXN per person
See itinerary
6:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 6:00 AM Boarding — We leave from the downtown office. If your accommodation is on the way, we collect you there — agreed beforehand on WhatsApp.
- 6:30 AM Motorway to the rest stop — An hour and three quarters, with fifteen minutes for toilets and something light.
- 8:30 AM On to Tulum — An hour and a half more to the Quintana Roo coast.
- 10:00 AM Tulum archaeological site — Guided visit to the walled city: El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the Descending God, with the sea behind.
- 12:15 PM Casa Tortuga cenotes and lunch — Four cenotes of different kinds, with a guided route, trails and changing rooms. Lunch is on site.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Four hours back, with a stop halfway.
Included: Guide accredited by the Ministry of Tourism, Round-trip transport, Lunch, Cenote entry
Not included: Tulum archaeological site entrance, Drinks
Transfers · 10.5 h
Transfer to Uxmal and Yaxcopoil
The Puuc route at your own pace, with the van waiting
from $2,550 MXN per vehicle
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya?
In Mérida, Yucatán.
Is it the same as the Gran Museo de Chichén Itzá?
No, they're different museums.
What are the hours?
They change; check the museum's official website.
Should I go before Chichén Itzá?
Yes, it helps you arrive at the site with context.
