Mexico Guide
Oaxaca
Museo Rufino Tamayo
Opening time: Mon & Wed– Sat 10am–2pm & 4–7pm, Sun 10am–3pm
Price: M$300
Four blocks south along Alcalá from Santo Domingo, then three blocks west, at Morelos 503, lies the Museo Rufino Tamayo, a private collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts gathered by the Oaxaqueño abstract artist. Rather than try to explain the archeological significance of its contents, the collection is deliberately laid out as an art museum, with the focus on aesthetic form, and includes some truly beautiful items from all over Mexico, with pottery and carvings from pre-Classic civilizations. Aztec, Maya and western indigenous cultures all feature strongly, though there's surprisingly little that is Mixtec or Zapotec. There are also some contemporary works.