Melbourne Museum presents
treasures from the Aztec Empire
An extraordinary exhibition showing, for the first time in Australia, stunning
artefacts from Mexico’s major museums is now showing at Melbourne Museum.
Aztecs tells the glorious, dramatic and ultimately tragic story of the Aztec Empire. Featuring more than 200
sacred cultural objects generously loaned from museums across Mexico, the exhibition provides a captivating
insight into Aztec daily life and afterlife through archaeological finds, intricate models, and dramatic multimedia.
“Victorians and visitors will now be able to see these precious treasures in Melbourne for the very first time,” said
The Hon Heidi Victoria MP, Minister for the Arts.
“The exhibition explores the rich and interesting story of the Aztecs and it complements the incredible exhibitions
already on show at Melbourne Museum.”
“Aztecs is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really immerse yourself in a civilisation that developed almost in
parallel with our own,” said Dr Patrick Greene, CEO, Museum Victoria. “The Aztecs thrived with a sophisticated
economic and cultural ethic that rivalled some of the leading cities of Europe at the time.”
The Aztecs emerged as the dominant force in central Mexico in the 15th century. They developed a complex
social, political, religious and commercial system from their capital city of Tenochtitlán – at one stage the world’s
largest metropolis. The Aztecs were rich in culture and traditions, with remarkable accomplishments in art and
architecture.
The Aztecs exhibition focuses on six major themes that bring this great history to life: the origins and migration of
the Aztecs; religious beliefs and rituals; war and conquest; royal power and family life; markets, trade and
agriculture; and finally the fall of the Aztec Empire.
The exhibition centrepiece is an Aztec temple. This scale-model temple is a replica of the exterior of the Great
Temple – Huey Teocalli, the most important Aztec temple, a site considered to be the centre of the universe,
which is the subject of ongoing excavations.
“Religion was central to the Aztecs’ way of life. Their Great Temple physically and spiritually dominated
Tenochtitlán. This remarkable structure was a grand and magnificent sight, and a major feat of engineering,” said
Ms Lynette Townsend, Curator, Communities and Diversity, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Other highlights of the exhibition include: a large ceramic sculpture of Mictlantecuhtli – god of death and lord of
the underworld, who stands bent over with his liver hanging out, grinning maniacally; a skilfully made gold
pendant depicting Xochipilli (Flower Prince) – the god of dance, song, art, flowers and beauty.
The loan and collection of these treasures has been coordinated by INAH, the Mexican regulatory body which
has national oversight of all historical, archaeological and ethnological museums, excavations, research and
international lending. Mexican curator Raúl Barrera, head of the INAH Urban Archaeology Program, has selected
a fascinating range of objects from a number of different Mexican museums for the Aztecs exhibition.
Aztecs
Melbourne Museum
9 April to 10 August 2014
Adults $24, concession $16, children $12
Flexible $30, children $16
Family $40 (1 adult/2 children), $60 (2 adults/2 children)
MV Members: adults $14, concession $12, children $8
Free entry for children under six years old
Tickets on sale now via phone: 13 11 02 or visit www.museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum
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For further media information, interviews or images, please contact:
Lynnette Foo on 8341 7726, 0403 296 647 or [email protected]
This exhibition was developed by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in partnership with the National
Council for Culture and the Arts, and the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico, (CONACULTAINAH), as well as the Australian Museum and Museum Victoria.