Explore a tropical park that is home to a zoo filled with native species and an outdoor museum containing remnants of an ancient civilisation.
Tour centuries-old megalithic structures and see big cats, monkeys and other wild animals when you explore La Venta Museum-Park. This fascinating zoo and outdoor museum features sculptures and archeological monuments of the Olmec culture, an ancient Mesoamerican civilization that predates the Mayans and Aztecs.
The park covers an area of 8 acres (3 hectares) and is divided into the archeological area and the zoological area. Start your visit in the zoo, which is the section closest to the main entrance. Wander across the grounds to see animals native to this tropical region, such as crocodiles, big cats, turtles and toucans.
Afterward, visit the archeological area and follow the well-marked paths. They will bring you to such ancient monuments as colossal head sculptures and altars. These Olmec remnants were moved here from the La Venta archeological zone during the 1950s to protect them from local oil drilling programmes.
Stand next to the heads, which were found in La Venta's central ceremonial area. They are thought to have been portraits of rulers. See the ancient tomb, which is made of natural basalt columns. Visit the stone altars and study their carvings. Altar Five, also known as the Altar of the Children, features figures of headdress-wearing men, each one carrying a child.
Among the other exhibits are an unfinished stone carving of a head, a figure of a monkey looking at the sky and a representation of a young goddess. Learn more from information panels, written in Spanish and English, near each of the exhibits.
Find the park about 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) from Villahermosa's Zona Luz, its historic centre. Arrive by taxi or drive and park in nearby streets.
La Venta Museum-Park is open daily and charges admission. Discounts are available for students. Pay a supplementary fee for the light-and-sound show, which takes place three times a night from Tuesday to Sunday. Bring mosquito repellent with you because the park is set in a tropical jungle-like environment. Allow at least 2 hours for your visit.
