MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA DR. DAVID J. GUZMÁN (MUNA)
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Founded in 1883, the museum has five rooms, plus one dedicated to exhibitions. Each room shows three different cultural periods: pre-Columbian times, colonial times and contemporary times. Each time is differentiated by a colour: coffee, yellow and green.
This very beautiful and very pleasant museum is an essential part of El Salvador which we strongly recommend.
Introductory room. This room presents and explains the concept of anthropology (study of the human being in the form of its past, present and future projections, including its relations with the ambient natural environment). One of the objectives is to highlight the concepts of cultural heritage and national identity.
Room for human settlements. This hall contains the first human settlements in El Salvador (sedentary, development, social organization of pre-Columbian cultures). The arrival of Spanish conquerors is also presented with its upheavals (social, cultural and economic changes).
Agriculture Hall. In this room, we observe the different agricultural techniques and instruments that exist throughout the national territory over time, the main agricultural productions and the different food systems. The main products used during the colonial period are presented: cocoa, añil (indigo) and bálsamo (also called baume ointment). From the contemporary (post-colonial) era, new techniques are presented, especially the importance of maize and other crops such as coffee, cotton.
Hall of Religions. It shows the cosmic vision that natives had about their gods and the mysticism associated with human sacrifice and death. In colonial times, it was the arrival of Catholicism and its numerous manifestations. For the contemporary period, it is the importance of religious diversity that is highlighted, the freedom of religion and religious tolerance that exist in El Salvador.
Pre-Columbian America Hall. The Pre-Columbian America Hall presents some of the main ancient cultures. The hall is divided into three major cultural areas: South American, Meso American and North American. All exhibits presented are copies offered by Peru, Mexico and the United States. Among the Peruvian coins, the mummy of Funerary and of inca replicas such as: Chavín, Moche, Tiahuanako, Chimu…
For the Mesoamerican zone, there are Aztec, zapotecs and Mayan replicas.