There’s something unmistakably powerful about stepping into a space that’s usually crowded – and finding it completely still. No lines. No background noise. Just quiet, shadowed halls and the weight of centuries all around you.
That was the setting for a recent after-hours visit to Mexico City’s Museo Nacional de Antropología — experienced on our Mexico City & San Miguel de Allende journey by Kate, our in-house video editor and multimedia designer. Not someone who typically seeks out museums, Kate shared what it felt like to explore one of the world’s most iconic cultural institutions in the company of just a guide, a small group, and the stories etched into every artifact.
Q: At what point did it really sink in that the museum was open just for your group?
I mean, I knew going in it was supposed to be after hours, but it didn’t fully register until we pulled up. It was just our group stepping into this guarded entrance — with security there just for us. That’s when it clicked. You’re standing in this massive museum, in this huge open courtyard that’s normally full of people, and it’s totally empty. That’s when I was like, oh… this is actually happening. And honestly, it kind of felt like we weren’t supposed to be there — in a cool, behind-the-scenes way.
Q: How would you describe the experience of having private, after-hours access? What did it look like, feel like?
It’s hard to explain — it just felt… calm. The museum’s kind of dark, which gives it this intimate vibe anyway, but with no crowds, it’s even more intense. You could actually hear the guide. You weren’t competing for space or trying to peek around people. You could just focus, or not — if you wanted to wander off and look at something else, no one was stopping you. It felt as if we had the whole place to ourselves, which we did.
Q: You’re not really a museum person. What made this one feel different?
Yeah, I’m definitely not a museum person. I get distracted easily, and I don’t always feel like I know enough to ask good questions. But in this case, without the usual noise or people around, it was easier to get into it. I could actually follow what the guide was saying – I wasn’t people-watching or checking out. It was just quieter, more relaxed. I think that made it easier to actually engage with what we were seeing.
Q: Did the small group make it easier to connect with the guide or ask questions?
Totally. There were maybe eight of us, and because it was just us in the museum, the guide wasn’t trying to shout over a bunch of other groups or squeeze us into busy spaces. It was more casual – you could just say, “Hey, what’s this?” and they’d actually come over and explain it. Our guide was super into it, so if you showed interest in something, he’d say, “Yes! Let’s go look at that.” It felt more like a back-and-forth than a lecture.
Q: Was there a moment that really stuck with you?
Yeah — there was this one piece the guide was explaining, called Chacmool. It’s this reclining figure you see in a few different Mesoamerican cultures, and he pointed out how its proportions were actually designed around the human body. At one point he asked to see my hand and showed how the segments of the sculpture matched the sections of your fingers and palm. It blew my mind a little. That style of art was super precise — not just decorative, but also symbolic — and it made me realize how much intention and structure went into every part of it. That moment made it all feel more real, and honestly, more human.
Q: How do you think this kind of access changes the way we connect with a place overall?
It made me feel like I was in it, not just checking something off a list. I wasn’t just some tourist being herded through rooms. I actually wanted to pay attention. And I think when you feel like you’re getting a special version of something – not just what everyone else sees – you naturally engage more. Especially for someone like me who doesn’t love museums, this made it easier to care. And I didn’t feel dumb or out of place. It just felt… different. In a good way.
