Gran Museo del Mundo Maya de Mérida

   

I took the image above recently at the new Gran Museo del Mundo Maya or Grand Museum of the Mayan World that opened in September 2012 in the city of Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. This spectacular venue celebrates the history, cultures, spirituality, and geography of the Mayab,  the land of the ancient and contemporary Maya. Depicted in the photo is a statue of a Maya man using a traditional conch shell horn to summon visitors to the museum. The innovative museum building in the background is modeled after a giant Ceiba tree, which was sacred to the ancient Maya and a symbol of their complex cosmology. The Ceiba tree's roots reach deep into the nine levels of the Mayan Underworld, and its branches extend into the realms of the gods.You will find this image and numerous others of the museum and its exhibits in my Gran Museo del Mundo Maya gallery.

Stanley Theatre, Vancouver

The Stanley Theatre on Granville Street is one of the few remaining community theatres in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. This handsome Moorish style art deco building first opened as a movie house in December 1930 and screened films for over sixty years before financial problems forced it to close its doors in 1991. Fortunately, the Stanley escaped commercial redevelopment, and it was renovated as a stage theatre in 1997–1998. The theatre was subsequently designated a protected heritage building, and it now hosts musicals and classical productions from around the globe.

You will find this image in my Vancouver Heritage Buildings gallery. This collection is a work in progress. During the coming months, I plan to photograph more of Vancouver's heritage and other historical buildings, many of which are being threatened by the city's real estate boom and uncaring developers.