Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo
Art museum · Oaxaca City ·

Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo

Art museum · Oaxaca City ·

Pre-Hispanic art collection in restored mansion, free admission

Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by Photo by Suzanne Barbezat
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by Photo by Suzanne Barbezat
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo by null

Information

Av. José María Morelos 503, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico Get directions

Information

Static Map

Av. José María Morelos 503, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico Get directions

+52 951 688 9728
rufinotamayo.org.mx
@museotamayo_oaxaca

Features

restroom
wheelchair accessible restroom

Last updated

Nov 28, 2025

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@afar
25,132 Postcards · 3,700 Cities

"Beautiful Collection of Pre-Hispanic Art This museum is housed in a restored 18th-century mansion and contains the private collection of pre-Hispanic art of Oaxacan artist Rufino Tamayo. He collected these objects on his travels through Mexico , and he wanted to be sure that this heritage remained in the country and that it be on display for the general public to see and appreciate it. Tamayo selected the pieces based on their artistic, rather than archaeological, value. The exhibits are not grouped in chronological or geographical sequence but rather according to overarching themes. The collection contains around one thousand pieces, all of them interesting, but a few of them are exquisite, such as a ceramic model of the Mesoamerican ball game."

Oaxaca's Ancient Civilizations
Photo by Suzanne Barbezat
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México
@afar
25,132 Postcards · 3,700 Cities

"Beautiful Collection of Pre-Hispanic Art This museum is housed in a restored 18th-century mansion and contains the private collection of pre-Hispanic art of Oaxacan artist Rufino Tamayo. He collected these objects on his travels through Mexico , and he wanted to be sure that this heritage remained in the country and that it be on display for the general public to see and appreciate it. Tamayo selected the pieces based on their artistic, rather than archaeological, value. The exhibits are not grouped in chronological or geographical sequence but rather according to overarching themes. The collection contains around one thousand pieces, all of them interesting, but a few of them are exquisite, such as a ceramic model of the Mesoamerican ball game."

Oaxaca Museums
Photo by Suzanne Barbezat
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México

JMQZ

Google
A fantastic museum with easy to see exhibits displayed beautifully. There were only 3 rooms open as several were under renovation; however it was worth it. Admission is free and one can make a donation. Highly recommended.

Megan T.

Google
Beautiful curated by Rufino Tamayo over a twenty year period with the objective to keep these pieces in Mexico. Educational Visually stunning Diverse and Free (DONATIONS ACCEPTED & NEEDED!) We spent about one hour to hour and half moseying around the various rooms. They’re stone walled with high ceilings. Everything is well lit. Periods posted And even if you don’t speak Spanish you can understand the time references and beauty and purpose to the living pieces. Well worth the time. Hopefully fills you with curiosity to explore more. Unusual hours of operation. Centrally located so you can check several times.

Nick M.

Google
Very chill vibe, beautiful courtyard, free and with some truly marvelous ancient stone carvings. I really enjoyed many of the figures - the prehispanic artisans really had a knack for capturing hilarious facial expressions.

Forest K.

Google
Wonderful collection of marvelous ceramics from 1200 ad to Aztec era. Free entrance. Displays of numerous pieces in tranquil setting. Highly enjoyed.

Chad L.

Google
A must see if you’re visiting Oaxaca and enjoy prehispanic ancient Mexican art. The collection offers art from many different regions and cultures of Mexico. It was free to enter but a suggested donation was recommended. Expect to spend at least an hour here.

Trie H.

Google
A very interesting museum. I was very intrigued by the collection, especially with different rooms taking you through different time periods. That said, it was very interesting how the museum approached Indigenous culture like it was obsolete - the framing of the museum is that the objects are there for aesthetic and not cultural value, even though the two cannot be divorced. Free admission, but giving a small donation is good practice. There is also a beautiful courtyard to rest in.

Paul B.

Google
A hidden, easy access treasure that blew our minds with its huge and beautiful collection of pre-Columbian art in a magnificent small venue. Compares with the prominent Santo Domingo Temple cultural center on Alcalá and a short walk from the Zocalo.

Alex M.

Google
Amazing exhibition! Worth your time and worth to leave a voluntarily donation since entrance is free…
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Haley B.

Yelp
We almost didn't get to go the the Prehispanic Art Museum, due to the holiday hours observed during Day of the Dead and our own bad timing, but I'm glad we managed to fit it in on our very last afternoon there. It's a super cool museum! Because my sense of humor is on par with 11 year old boys everywhere, my favorite was the penis statue. Please observe my photo uploads. Seriously though, many of the works are very memorable. There were several rooms of sculpture and it took us about 45 minutes to see everything. A lot of the plaques were only in Spanish, but the art was so interesting that it didn't really matter. I definitely recommend a visit to Museo de Arte Prehispanico Rufino Tomayo during your visit to Oaxaca! You'll gain a greater understanding of the unique history that makes this region so wonderful.
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Jennifer F.

Yelp
This museum is permanently closed. According to the tourist office, the building is condemned and there is no timeline for reopening. Thought I'd save you the time to get there

Steuart L.

Yelp
as of 21 september 2023, this museum is open. we just spent an hour enjoying some amazing pre-hispanic art.
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Paul L.

Yelp
The Rufino Tamayo museum in Mexico City has hundreds of his paintings and is a center for the exhibition of modern art. The Museo de Arte Prehispanico Rufino Tamayo here in Oaxaca displays over 1,000 pieces up to the 17th century from the collection of Mr. Tamayo. He is one of my favorite painters because he often worked with a limited color palette. However, he didn't limit himself in his choice of colors for these galleries. Bright reds and blues and harsh vitrine lighting can sometimes wash out the color and detail in the actual pieces. Mr. Tamayo supposedly obtained the items during his travels. That seems right as the items on display are mostly smaller is size and ceramic. The pieces are incredible and wide-ranging. Many are intact but some, like a ceramic figure in one of the vitrines, were carefully put back together like a puzzle. It's fascinating to see history reassembled and preserved for future generations. There is a lot to see and do in Oaxaca but this museum should not be missed, especially if you plan to visit the nearby Monte Albán ruins.
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Anabela P.

Yelp
Gorgeous space unlike any other museum I have visited. The Tamayo of Oaxaca is on the smaller side but it was well worth the trip. There was a special exhibition on view when I was in town which made the visit extra special. They offer tours in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese - just ask the staff to set that up.