Meet life-size dinosaurs in Pachuca’s interactive family museum, which also has a planetarium, observatory, science lab, cactus garden and Mesoamerican statues.
Travel millions of years back in time in El Rehilete Museum to an era when dinosaurs still roamed our planet. Visit its Science Lab, Planetarium and the Observatory, then stroll through its Botanic Garden and see pre-Colombian sculptures in the Archeological Passage.
El Rehilete Museum (Museo el Rehilete) is aptly named. After all, Pachuca is “the Beautiful Windy City” and rehilete means pinwheel, a traditional children’s toy that works on wind energy. The museum’s hands-on exhibits are spread out over 4 levels.
By far its most popular attraction is El Dinoparque, where the whole family can walk among life-size models of dinosaurs, saber-tooth tigers, fish of the deep, crocodiles and tortoises. Browse the displays in the exhibits covering the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, then discover fossils like a real paleontologist and, finally, jump ahead to the natural world of the present time. While the kids explore the prehistoric giants, they learn about all the names and habits of the species that once thrived on the American continent.
Discover the universe in the on-site Planetarium and Observatory. In the Science Lab, let the kids get inside a giant bubble, lie on a bed of nails without feeling a pinprick and experiment with various laws of physics. For the little ones, there is a pre-school hall full of hands-on scientific machines and toys.
Outside, follow the Archeological Passage with its 50 replica statues to get familiar with the different cultures of Mesoamerica. In this region, ancient societies flourished long before the Spanish arrived and their artists were highly respected. Take a guided tour of about half an hour, to ask all your questions while admiring the art.
The museum’s Botanic Garden shows the cacti of the region. Learn how these hardy plants help preserve the local culture and the desert’s ecosystem.
El Rehilete Museum is located in the south of Pachuca, along the motorway to Mexico City. Reach the museum by car, taxi or bus. Buy a combined pass to see all sections, or buy separate tickets. Children get a discount.
