Facing the Correo Nacional at the far end of the pedestrian street is the Museo de la Identidad Nacional (corner of Calle El Telégrafo and Av. Miguel Barahona, tel. 504/238-7412, www.min.hn [1], 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun., US$2.60), the newest attraction in Tegucigalpa [2]’s historic center.
The Museo de la Identidad Nacional’s permanent installations recount Honduras [3]’s geologic, cultural, and political history, while other rooms offer temporary art exhibitions. A 20-minute video (in Spanish) showing a virtual tour of the Mayan ruins of Copán [4] is included in the admission price (shown at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Tues.–Sat., and at 11:30 a.m., and 2 p.m. Sun.).
While the permanent exhibitions include a significant amount of text printed on the wall, English-speaking guides are available free of charge, and they do an excellent job of pulling out the most compelling facts and bringing them to life.
The Museo de la Identidad Nacional is housed in a beautifully restored 125-year-old building that began as the General Hospital and then became the government Ministries Palace, prior to its conversion into the museum. School groups can visit free on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and do in droves—other days of the week you might have the museum to yourself.
Links:
[1] http://www.min.hn
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/honduras/southern-honduras/tegucigalpa
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/honduras
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/honduras/western-honduras/copan/the-ruins-copan