Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
thelargearea onceoccupied bytheancient city.Youarefreetoexplore thetemple mounds
outside (steps are built into them). A few more temple mounds can be found in the vicin-
ity of the museum, having been completely closed in by one of the city's larger shopping
complexes. Among the latter are the ever-growing Galerías Miraflores, Paseo Miraflores,
and Las Majadas.
ThisareawasoncethesiteofalargefarmknownasLaAurora,whichtodaygivesitsname
to the zoo and airport. A future phase of the airport's renovation and expansion will sup-
posedly bring about the creation of a city park on the grounds of what was once a horse-ra-
cing track. Details on the project are sketchy but it's expected to include sporting facilities
and spacious grounds for strolling.
Zona 13 also houses a number of fairly good museums, all adjacent to each other in a
large complex, and the city's zoo.
La Aurora Zoo
Guatemala City's La Aurora Zoo (Boulevard Juan Pablo II Zona 13, tel. 2475-0894, lau-
rorazoo.
centroamerica.com
,
9 A.M.-5 P.M. Tues.- Sun., $2.50 adults, $1 children) is mod-
ern and well run. Its grounds are a popular weekend destination for city dwellers from all
walks of life. About 900 animals representing 110 species are housed in re-creations of
their natural habitats, including African savannah, Asia, and tropical forest. There are leo-
pards,lions,giraffes,Asianpachyderms,Bengaltigers,andjaguarsandotherspeciesfound
in Guatemala's tropical forests. A project is under way to remove all cages from the park
so as to provide visitors with the opportunity to see the animals free of visual obstructions.
Check out the English tea house dating to 1924.
Children's Museum
Right across the street is the Museo de los Niños (5a Calle 10-00 Zona 13, tel. 2475-5076,
www.museodelosninos.com.gt
,
8 A.M.- noon and 1-5 P.M. Tues.-Thurs., 8 A.M.-noon and
2-6 P.M. Fri., 10 A.M.-1 P.M. and 2:30-6 P.M. Sat.-Sun., $5), housed in a pyramidal build-
ing, with educational exhibits and hands-on learning on themes such as civic values and
teamwork. You'll also find a giant jigsaw puzzle of Guatemala, a hands-on music room,
and trampolines. It's closed yearly from mid-December to mid-January and is a popular
school field trip.
Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología
