Yalálag: A Mountain Village in Mexico

Yalálag: A Mountain Village in Mexico

This bilingual exhibit is set in the backdrop of an Oaxacan mountain village. Explore the daily life of the residents of Yalálag in the modern day.

Virtual Exhibit
3D Field Trip Coming Soon
Ages
5+
Admission
Included with General Admission
Perfect For
Creative Thinkers
Energetic Explorers
Make Believers
Location
First Floor
Accessibility
See Accessibility
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the state standards for Texas public schools from kindergarten to year 12.
TEKS
Social Studies
About the exhibit

Yalálag: A Mountain Village in Mexico is a 1,854 sq ft bilingual exhibit set in the backdrop of an Oaxacan mountain village that shows the customs, daily life and heritage of the people of Yalálag in the modern day. The realistic environments of the house, La Restaurante, La Miscelanea, Huarachería, school, and market provide authentic opportunities for visitors to "step into" life in Yalálag, and experience a culture that may be different from their own. Real artifacts, artwork, and video collected by museum staff on multiple trips to Mexico featuring the people and places in Oaxaca provide visitors with an even deeper level of engagement and understanding. The exhibit speaks to all children and their families living in the diversity of the modern world.  

Educators

Yalálag: A Mountain Village in Mexico represents one of the many cultural heritages of the visitors of the Museum and serves to engender cultural understanding as it facilitates children’s development. As a temporary exhibit in our How Are We Alike? gallery, this hands-on space allows children and families to compare and contrast Yalálag, Mexico and Houston, Texas in terms of culture, art, history, geography, economics, government, citizenship, and the technology of daily life. By providing children with opportunities to step into the life of a child from a culture that may be different from their own, our goals are to help break down the boundaries of culture in a non-threatening environment, encourage exploration and role-play that places children in settings that they have not encountered before, and promote respect for and a desire to understand people from various backgrounds.

Virtual Exhibit
3D Field Trip Coming Soon
Ages
5+
Admission
General Admission
Perfect For
Creative Thinkers
Energetic Explorers
Make Believers
Location
First Floor
disability Accessibility
See Accessibility
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the state standards for Texas public schools from kindergarten to year 12.
TEKS
Social Studies
CONSIDER WEARING A MASK
Please consider wearing a mask. Feeling sick? Come back when you feel better. Exposed to someone with COVID in the last 7 days? Please visit us another day. We remain committed to the safety of children, visitors, and our staff and follow CDC guidelines.
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Exhibit Features

There’s a lot to see and do in this exhibit—check out some of these unique activities!‍

Shop at la miscelánea

Check out what’s for sale in the variety store

La miscelanea is a variety store located near the market with a wide assortments of products. Visitors can role play as customers and shopkeeper.

Visit the school room

Lessons change out monthly

Check out the village’s school and imagine what a typical school day is like for the children of Villa Hidalgo as you read, play, and explore.

Make a pair of sandals

Try your skills as a shoemaker in la Huarachería

Head through the Zócalo, or town square, to the Huarachería Aquino. Use the tools provided to fashion your own pair of huaraches, a traditional sandal made by the residents of Yalálag.

What Can My Family Do?

Here are activity suggestions for specific age groups in this exhibit.

Toddler Activities

· “Drive” on a Combi, a VW bus in the central plaza.

·  Use the puppets and images to retell a story in the school room.

·  Look for all the different animals in the exhibit.

Preschooler Activities

· Head to la casa to prepare a meal in a typical Oaxacan house.

· Explore the manipulatives in the school room.

· Grab a shopping list and pick up groceries at la miscelánea.

Lower Elementary Activities

· Make and sell tortillas at La Tortillería

· Pick up some passengers on the bajaj mototaxi in the central plaza.

· Match Oaxaca herbs and foods to their fragrances in the mercado.

Upper Elementary Activities

·  Use your math skills to convert pesos into dollars in La Miscelánea

·  Learn how people in Oaxaca weave baskets and rugs in the central plaza.

·  Check out artifacts from the Oaxacan region at the Municipal Building.

Exhibit Guidelines and Rules

Thank You to Our Exhibit Sponsors
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Thank You to Our Exhibit Sponsors

Bring the Museum Home with You

Keep the inspiration, invention, interaction and imagination going.

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