A top-class museum, even by Oaxaca's high standards, showing off a wondrous collection of pre-Hispanic art donated by the city's most famous artist, Rufino Tamayo (1899−1991). It traces artistic developments in preconquest times and includes some truly beautiful pieces laid out in color-coded backlit cases in a series of uncluttered rooms set around a lovely 17th-century patio.

　　The abundant figurines – some as old as 1250 BC – are from sites all around Mexico and are displayed as art rather that archaeology.