National Institute of Anthropology and History

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The National Institute of Anthropology and History (Spanish: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH)) is a federal government bureau established in 1939 to guarantee the research, preservation, protection, and promotion of the prehistoric, archeological, 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 Centers 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 of Mexico's estimated 200,000 pre-Columbian archeological zones found throughout the country. 150 of the archeological sites are open to the public.

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