Museo de las Momias: Guanajuato's Natural Mummies

Guanajuato's Museo de las Momias displays more than 100 naturally mummified bodies exhumed from the Santa Paula cemetery, most between 1865 and the 1950s. Adult admission runs about 106 pesos at the ticket window (roughly 150 pesos for the skip-the-line digital ticket), and the museum sits a 15-minute walk or short taxi ride from the city center.

These are not embalmed Egyptian-style mummies. They are ordinary residents — miners, infants, a pregnant woman, a French doctor named Remigio Leroy who became the first body exhumed in 1865 — preserved by the dry, mineral-heavy soil and high-altitude air of the Bajío. That accident of geology, combined with a municipal burial tax that families could not always pay, created the collection. The museum itself opened in 1969 and now draws close to 120,000 visitors in a strong year.

What You'll See Inside

The Collection and Its Stories

Roughly 117 bodies are on view, arranged in themed halls rather than a single crypt. Many retain original clothing: a miner's uniform, a lace dress, tiny shoes on children. Remigio Leroy, the French physician, dates to June 9, 1865. Ana María is displayed in her original garments. One of the most discussed figures is a woman who died pregnant, her neonate beside her. A separate section displays skulls and post-mortem photographs — a 19th-century mourning practice in which families posed with deceased relatives, often children, for a final portrait.

The 2024 renovation (about 2.8 million pesos) replaced vertical cases with horizontal glass vitrines, so you look down at the bodies rather than face-to-face. That change makes the experience less theatrically spooky and more clinical — closer to a forensic exhibit than a haunted house. Lighting remains low, and labels are sparse, which is why many visitors hire a guide at the entrance (guides generally work 9:00 to 14:00 and accept tips).

How Long It Takes

The official site says the route takes about 20 minutes; most visitors spend 30 to 45 minutes, and Trip.com's suggested 2 to 3 hours is generous unless you read every placard twice. The galleries are compact, and on busy weekends the bottleneck is the narrow corridor between cases, not the exhibits themselves. Budget an hour if you add the adjacent Museo del Culto a la Muerte (a combined ticket runs about 115 to 126 pesos) or walk through the Santa Paula cemetery next door, where above-ground vaults rise several stories and offer a hilltop view back over the city.

Visiting Practicalities

Hours, Tickets and Closures

The museum is open daily, 9:00 to 18:00, though some listings show Friday–Sunday closing at 18:30 — hours shift, so confirm on the official site the day before. Holiday exceptions exist: December 24 and 31 close at 16:00, while January 1 and December 25 open late at 11:00. Ticket prices changed on January 1, 2025: adults 106 pesos at the window, children 6–12 and students or teachers with valid ID 62 pesos, adults over 60 with accreditation 32 pesos, and a camera/video permit 38 pesos. The digital online ticket costs 150 pesos but grants preferential entry and avoids the ticket line. Children under 5 and anyone under 1.2 meters tall enter free. Fees are subject to change — check the official site for current rates.

Guanajuato residents enter free with proof of residence, which is worth knowing if you're traveling with a local friend. The museum is the priciest in the city, a point of local complaint covered in the Guanajuato press, so if budget matters, buy at the window rather than online.

Getting There

The address is Explanada del Panteón Municipal s/n, Centro, 36000 Guanajuato — on the hill beside the Santa Paula cemetery, south of Cerro Trozado. From the Jardín de la Unión or the centro, it's a 15- to 25-minute uphill walk through the callejones, or a 5- to 10-minute taxi ride (roughly 60–100 pesos). City buses marked "Momias" leave from Avenida Juárez and drop you at Tepetapa and the Calzada del Panteón, a short climb from the entrance. Rideshare apps work but drivers sometimes drop at the lower parking lot, adding five minutes on foot. Walking up is pleasant in dry weather and miserable in rain — the cobblestones get slick.

There is official parking outside the museum, and the site has wheelchair access and loaner wheelchairs, though the older corridors are tight.

Photography Rules and Etiquette

Cell phone photos are generally tolerated, but flash is discouraged and a photography permit (38 pesos) is required for cameras — buy it at the ticket window before entering. Tripods are fine on the exterior plaza but not inside the galleries. Drone use is prohibited given the cemetery proximity and restricted airspace over the historic center. Some online sources claim interior photography is banned outright; in practice enforcement varies, so ask at the desk and follow staff instructions. The facade photographs best in the first hour after opening, when tour buses haven't arrived and the east-facing plaza catches even morning light.

When to Go and Who Should Skip It

Weekday mornings are calmest. Weekends, Mexican school holidays, and the Día de Muertos period (November 1–2) bring long queues and slow-moving crowds. July and August are the heaviest months; the city recorded 88,611 museum visitors in July 2024 alone. The dry season from November to March offers crisp highland air, highs of 22–25°C (72–77°F), and cold nights near 4–8°C. April and May push into the low 30s°C, and the galleries get stuffy — the interior heat is a common complaint in reviews. June through September brings afternoon storms but dry mornings.

This is not a museum for young children or anyone sensitive to human remains. Bodies are displayed at close range, including infants and a fetus. There's no velvet-rope distance. If that gives you pause, the cemetery next door and the Museo del Culto a la Muerte (a folk-art take on death) are gentler alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Museo de las Momias cost in 2026?

Adult tickets cost about 106 pesos at the window; the online digital ticket is 150 pesos and includes preferential entry. Children 6–12, students, and teachers with ID pay 62 pesos, seniors over 60 pay 32 pesos, and children under 5 enter free. A camera permit adds 38 pesos.

Do I need to book tickets in advance?

Advance booking isn't required, but the digital ticket (150 pesos) skips the ticket-window queue, which can stretch 30 to 60 minutes on weekends and holidays. If you arrive before 10:00 on a weekday, buying at the window is usually faster and cheaper.

How do I get to the museum from the center of Guanajuato?

Take a taxi (5–10 minutes, 60–100 pesos) or a bus marked "Momias" from Avenida Juárez, getting off at Tepetapa and the Calzada del Panteón. Walking takes 15 to 25 minutes uphill from the Jardín de la Unión.

Is the museum wheelchair accessible?

The site has wheelchair access and loaner wheelchairs available, plus accessible parking. Some gallery corridors are narrow and crowded, so visiting early in the day makes navigation easier.