Museum of Natural History (MUHNA) Manuel Martinez Solorzano

🦖 Dinosaurs and Science in the Forest 🌿

If after traveling the Fray Antonio de San Miguel Causeway and the Shrine of Guadalupe you keep walking towards the Cuauhtémoc Forest, You'll come across an elegant old mansion surrounded by trees. Surprise! There are no carriages in his garden, but a Tyrannosaurus Rex at actual scale. You are in the Manuel Martínez Solórzano Natural History Museum (MUHNA), The space where the Michoacan University (UMSNH) tells us the story of life on Earth.

This museum, founded in 1986, It is the perfect bridge between society and nature, But the building and its collection have a much older history.

🏡 A 19th Century Summer Mansion

The museum wasn't built as such; it occupies a beautiful mansion from the late 19th century. Then, the Cuauhtémoc Forest was called "Paseo de San Pedro" and was the fashionable area where wealthy families from Morelia built their vacation villas or country houses. Upon entering, look at the French-style architecture (typical of the Porfiriato), with high ceilings and corridors that now house fossils instead of Victorian furniture.

👨‍⚕️ Who was Manuel Martínez Solórzano?

The museum is named after an illustrious Michoacán native: Manuel Martínez Solórzano (1862-1924). It was much more than a name on a plaque: doctor, professor at the College of San Nicolás and a passionate naturalist who dedicated his life to studying the flora and geology of Michoacán.

• The important fact: He was known for his altruism; as a doctor, he often served poor people without charging them a penny.

• The inheritance: Part of the historical collection you'll see here comes from the old Museo Michoacano and from the legacy of 19th-century naturalists like him, Melchor Ocampo and Nicolás León.

🦴 What You Can't Miss

The MUHNA is small but fascinating. Its jewelry includes:

1. Sáurika (The Garden of the Dinosaurs): It's the children's favorite area. In the museum gardens you will see life-size replicas of dinosaurs such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Stegosaurus and the Triceratops. Perfect for the photo!
2. Traces of Time (Fossils): Here are displayed the remains of a Mamut (Mammuthus columbi) found in Michoacán, with an age of more than 10,000 years.
3. Mammals of the World: A collection of taxidermy (stuffed animals) that includes exotic species donated by the Morelia Zoo and other local species.

📍 Why visit it from Pátzcuaro?

It's the ideal stop if you're traveling with your family. After so much colonial architecture and religious history in the city center, children will appreciate seeing dinosaurs and animals. Besides, it is located within the Cuauhtémoc Forest, So when you go out you can enjoy a walk under the trees or eat a traditional Morelia “gazpacho” (chopped fruit with orange juice, cheese and chili) at nearby stalls.