Museum of the Mummies of Guanajuato — Attraction in Guanajuato

I loved this mummy—honestly, it fascinated me on so many levels.

When I first walked into the museum, there was a noticeable scent. Not a creepy or unpleasant one, but something strangely familiar… earthy, maybe? It felt like the scent of time itself.

What the staff didn’t mention was that my 106-peso ticket only allowed access to the basic exhibit. I didn’t realize this until I was about to leave and noticed there were other areas I couldn’t enter. That part was a bit disappointing—so make sure you buy the full ticket if you go.

The tour guides spoke only Spanish, so I didn’t understand much at the time. But once I got home and did my research, everything clicked. These mummies are completely natural. No embalming. No rituals. They were discovered when the government exhumed bodies due to unpaid burial taxes—and shockingly, many were perfectly preserved by the dry conditions and the unique soil.

The first mummy ever found was a priest, which is why he’s quite famous here. But the most heart-wrenching and iconic is the six-month-old baby mummy. The baby was found still in its mother’s arms—most likely both died during childbirth. That image really stuck with me.

What struck me most was how this baby, who would’ve been seen as a symbol of the divine, ended up buried without breath, sealed in sawdust, only to survive time as a mummy. It’s philosophical. It’s poetic. And no, it’s not scary at all. These mummies are oddly endearing. Almost gentle in the way they speak to mortality.

Later, while walking through the local market, I saw some sweet potatoes and tree roots in the same earthy tones as the mummies. Everything started to feel connected—like nature, death, time, and even snacks are speaking in the same color palette. Wild, right?

So if you’re visiting Guanajuato: 💀 Don’t skip the mummy museum. 🎟️ Buy the full ticket. 📚 Read up afterward if you don’t speak Spanish. 😌 And if you’re scared—honestly, don’t be. These mummies aren’t scary. They’re full of stories and quiet wisdom.

If you’re too afraid… maybe it’s best not to come. But if you’re curious, it’s...

I have visited the Museum of the Mummies of Guanajuato many times and have always had a great experience. The museum is home to a collection of naturally mummified bodies that were discovered after being exhumed from graves in the Santa Paula Cemetery in Guanajuato, Mexico. The mummies are one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state and are displayed in the museum for visitors to see. Every time I visit the museum, I am amazed by the history and preservation of the mummies. The museum has over a hundred mummies in its inventory, each with its own unique story. The origin of the mummies dates back to 1865 when the first mummified body was exhumed from the Santa Paula Cemetery. This body belonged to the French doctor Dr. Remigio Leroy. From then until 1958, more mummified bodies were discovered due to the special conditions of the subsoil of the place, combined with the presence of nitrates and alum. I have taken many friends from all over the world to visit the Museum of the Mummies of Guanajuato and they have all been fascinated by the collection. The museum is located on the esplanade of the Santa Paula cemetery and its origin dates back to the discovery of the first mummies in 1865. In its early days, the discovered mummies were stored in the catacombs of the cemetery, which could be visited accompanied by the gravedigger. If you are interested in visiting the Museum of the Mummies of Guanajuato, you can check their hours, prices, and routes to get to the museum on their official website. Don’t miss this...

There's parking right outside the museum (get there early though or else it fills up pretty quickly). The prices are reasonable and be prepared to pay the fee for "camera usage" (about $23 pesos). Once you go in you're led to a little "movie" presentation that tells you about the history of Guanajuato and how the mummies came to be displayed in the museum (sorry, no English subtitles). Afterwards you will be led by a guide who will thoroughly explain the history behind the museum, the individuals, interesting trivia and will gladly answer any questions (our guide seemed very knowledgeable about what he was talking about and was interactive with the guests).

Feel free to leave the guide a little "tip" for his time (although not required, I did so because I greatly appreciated the tour). At the end of the tour there's a gift shop (nothing really caught my attention though) and you can take pictures in coffins and next to replicas of the mummies.

Remember though, all the mummies you see in the museum are 100% real, these are not replicas nor are they fakes, the reason why they're behind glass is because 1) to protect them from further deterioration and 2) a long time ago visitors would rip pieces of the bodies as "souvenirs" and to see for themselves that the bodies were real. Overall, the museum is a fun and interesting experience, I went with children and saw other children there so I wouldn't say it's not for children to see (just keep an eye on their reactions if it does...