Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México, Rufino Tamayo.

Located on Avenida Morelos, in the very heart of Oaxaca City, stands the Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo, which first opened its doors to the people of Oaxaca and visitors on January 19, 1974. This museum was the vision of prolific Oaxacan painter Rufino Tamayo, born from his deep admiration for pre-Hispanic artistic expressions that inspired him throughout his life. His passion led him to assemble a remarkable collection, which he later donated as a tribute to Oaxaca.

In response, the state government granted him a beautiful viceregal-era building, which Tamayo had restored to house the museum. Today, the Museo de Arte Prehispánico de Oaxaca holds more than a thousand pieces representing the diverse cultures that flourished across what is now Mexico. These artifacts are displayed across five exhibition rooms, with museography designed by Fernando Gamboa. Each room is distinguished by a color drawn from Tamayo’s own artistic palette.

For this reason, the museum is said to embody the three great eras of Mexican art: the pre-Hispanic, through its collection; the colonial, through its historic architecture; and the modern, through the vision and curatorial choices of a contemporary artist who knew how to appreciate, preserve, and elevate these treasures.

Today, this emblematic museum welcomes visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., regularly hosting conferences, workshops, concerts, exhibitions, and cultural events that contribute meaningfully to Oaxacan society.