The Hall of Mexico and Central America features the diverse art, architecture, and traditions of Mesoamerican pre-Columbian cultures through artifacts that span from 1200 BC to the early 1500s. On display are collections of monuments, figurines, pottery, and jewelry from the Maya, Toltec, Olmec, Aztec, and other Mesoamerican cultures, which offer clues about the political and religious symbols, social characteristics, and artistic traditions of the respective groups.

Works on view in this hall include ninth-century Mayan stone carvings that depict warrior-lords bearing weapons. These carvings offer invaluable insights into the ancient Mayan civilization, a collection of independent city-states that alternately warred and traded with each other.

Another remarkable artifact is a 3,000-year-old jade sculpture known as the Kunz Axe. Made from one of the most precious materials in the region, the part-human, part-jaguar figure is one of the largest jade objects ever found in Mesoamerica.