Mexican real estate firm Muúk Karant has announced that it is building the first pre-Columbian museum within a cenote, as part of a new residential project in Valladolid with the same name.
Cenotes are underground natural pools found throughout Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche, the three states that make up the Yucatán Península.
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According to the real estate firm, the museum will house a private collection of over 300 pre-Columbian artifacts at the heart of a cenote with vaults that reach 15 meters high. The firm has said the museum seeks to preserve and enhance “the culture and ancestral roots” of Mexico.
Curated in chronological order, the museum will showcase pieces from the region and other parts of Mexico, including wooden carvings used in rituals, ceremonial knives, vases, pre-Columbian musical instruments and jade and obsidian figures.
Images shared by the developer show that access to the museum will be through a spiral staircase that descends into the cenote’s crystal-clear waters. At the top, a grate will allow natural light to filter in.
The residential project of Muúk Karant will feature 604 residential lots over 84 hectares, in addition to four natural cenotes, one of which will house the museum. The development will also feature a boutique hotel, artificial swimming pools, lush greenery, an amphitheater, a sports area, a spa and more.
“The Muúk Karant residential area was designed to preserve and enhance the cenotes and the extensive vegetation that cover this large development, creating harmony with nature,” the company has said.
The project, located just a few kilometers from the colonial-era city of Valladolid, is expected to open in 2026.
Founded over 20 years ago, Muúk Karant develops real estate in Mexico’s southern region. The company is also developing residential projects under the same name in Tulum and Mérida.
With reports from La Magazine and Certeza Diario
