Lobby

Despite being North America's hottest and driest desert, the Mojave is home to a diverse array of both plant and animal life. An introduction to one major group of Mojave Desert residents is provided by the Museum's live reptile display, where a cross-section of this region's lizards, snakes and turtles is offered for public viewing.

Exhibit Hall

From the survival arts of the Southern Paiute to the dramatic weaving of the Navajo and beautiful carving of the Hopi, our exhibits help the visitor to appreciate not only the beauty of objects but their personal and spiritual value.

The objects included in Gods, Kings and Artisans of Ancient Mesoamerica, Painted Vessels of the Maya Elite, Ceramics of Ancient West Mexico and Figurines span over two thousand years. Civilizations flourished across Mexico and Central America prior to the arrival of Europeans in the New World. Several distinct archaeological cultures developed, a few of which are represented in the collection here.

Gods, humans and the natural world nature were woven into a complex tapestry of beliefs and expressions by the cultures of Mesoamerica (Pre-Columbian Mexico and Central America). Religion played a central organizing role in people's lives. Great civilizations developed, such as the Maya, where divine kings believed to be descended from gods ruled over vast cities. Pre-Columbian cultures were linked through shared belief systems in which creation and existence were explained through complex mythologies. These mythologies told of the creation of humans and the natural world, and through their beliefs provided ways for humans to properly worship and sustain the universe.

The majority of the artifacts in this exhibition came from burials and offerings. These objects were meant to be taken into the afterlife or given as offerings. Many of the objects are, therefore, not simply symbols of the complex philosophy that combined god, human and the natural world into one, but are the very currency of that relationship. These were the possessions of religious figures, warrior priests and divine kings. They were meant to be carried between the natural and supernatural worlds, helping to bridge the gap between the living and the dead.

Further exhibits include dance masks and retablos of Mexico and huipils of Guatemala.