The Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia ("National Institute of Anthropology and History", known as INAH from its Spanish-language abbreviation) is a federal government bureau established in 1939 to guarantee the research, preservation, protection, and promotion of the prehistoric, archaeological, anthropological, historical, and paleontological heritage of Mexico. Its creation has played a key role in preserving the Mexican cultural heritage.

Currently, the INAH carries out its work through a Technical Secretariat which supervises the performance of its main duties and whose tasks are distributed among its seven National Coordination Offices and 31 Regional Centres throughout the states of the Mexican Republic. This bureau is responsible for the over 110,000 historical monuments, built between the 16th and 19th centuries, and for 29,000 pre-Columbian archaeological zones found all over the country, Of these 29,00, 150 are open to the public; in total, Mexico is estimated to have some 200,000 sites with archaeological remains.

The INAH also supervises over a hundred museums. These are found across the country and are categorised according to the extension and quality of their collections, geographical locations, and number of visitors.

External link

• INAH website (in Spanish)