Now that the holiday season is upon us, let’s get to know a plant commonly associated with the festivities, the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Native to Mexico, they are known as ‘Flor de la Noche Buena’, or ‘Flower of the Holy Night’. Poinsettias are members of the Spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. A little fact: Euphorbia is named […]
Every year, from September 15 through October 15, people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. Let us remember that this year, 2021, marks the 500th anniversary of the Fall of Tenochtitlan, the Mexica capital. A modern inscription marks that event. One could argue that this marked the beginning of Hispanic heritage in the […]
A perfect example of a fascinating object that most visitors to HMNS don’t see, this ceramic figure of Huehueteotl is of Classic Veracruz origin. The Classic Veracruz Culture existed from roughly 100-1000 AD and is largely unknown to the general public because it is overshadowed by contemporaneous cultures like that of Teotihuacan and later the […]
By Jerry Offner, Associate Curator for Northern Mesoamerica Houston Museum of Natural science The Houston Museum of Natural Science and La Bibliothèque nationale de France have been cooperating in a new and unique scientific endeavor: special imaging of two Aztec Codex documents from before the Spanish conquest. Part one of this article will discuss the imaging […]
Opening March 24 – FREE for Members Over a period of several decades, two medical doctors studied Hepatitis B in Asia. This husband and wife team, Dr. Palmer Beasley and Dr. Lu Yu Hwang, took advantage of their travels abroad to collect artifacts wherever they went. Sadly, Dr. Beasley passed away in 2012, and the […]
Archaeology is a field of study where patience is a virtue. Having a bit of luck doesn’t hurt either. In popular culture, archaeologists are seen as people who discover “lost cities,” “mysterious pyramids” and “precious treasures.” In real life, things are much more exciting. Consider a recent development in archaeological investigations in one of Mexico’s […]
When you walk into the museum store, you may notice the elaborate display wall at the entrance. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look with our Creative Merchandising Director on how it all comes together. This season’s display is a tribute to Mexican arts and culture and features a life-sized retablo complete with a Catrina figurine. My inspiration […]
by Marina Torres With the opening of the Virgen de Guadalupe exhibit in December 2015, it was important to create a display to reflect the religious figure and the culture. Unfortunately for my oldest sister, she had to undergo knee surgery and would not be able to participate in the Virgen de Guadalupe festivities. However, […]
If there was ever any doubt whether an asteroid impact killed off the dinosaurs, field scientists continue to bring back proof from ongoing research in the Gulf of Mexico.Last week, geologists working in the Yucatán Peninsula reached a major milestone in an offshore drilling project of the Chicxulub Crater, now known to be the remnant […]
translation by Ivan Perez Felipe Gonzalez, known in the art world of Mexico City as Ferguz, is one of millions of North Americans inspired by the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe, but his fine art pushes the world-famous Mexican icon to its limits. Using a variety of media to create shimmering minimalistic variations on […]
