The National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, in Zona 13 near the La Aurora Zoo and airport, is the best state collection of Maya and pre-Columbian material in Guatemala. The holdings include monumental stelae from major archaeological sites across the country, the finest collection of jade objects in Central America, elaborate polychrome ceramics, carved stone altars, and a substantial ethnographic section on the country's living Maya communities and their textiles, masks, and ritual objects.
The museum is large and the collection is dense — allow two hours at minimum. Labelling is in Spanish only. It is most efficiently combined with a visit to Zona 13's other museums (the Ixchel Museum of Indigenous Dress and the Popol Vuh Museum in Zona 10 make a full museum day). Closed Monday; admission is inexpensive.