Sherman's Travel

In Merida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatan, a region rich with Maya sites, the biggest headlines on December 21 didn’t come as a result of the much-hyped end of the world, but with a visit from Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who inaugurated the recently opened Great Maya World Museum.

The museum, whose modern structure has more than 6,000 tons of steel – an Eiffel Tower’s worth, in fact – features a comprehensive look at Maya culture through the centuries, including how modern-day Maya continue to live.

So for any Maya-philes who didn’t make it to the Mundo Maya during the much-hyped buildup of 2012, which culminated with the end of the Maya Long Count calendar on the winter solstice, here’s another reason to schedule a visit in 2013. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time, as the museum spans more than 2,200 square meters of permanent and temporary exhibits. Read more