Belize · Belize District

Belize
City.

The Museum of Belize, the zoo and Altun Ha

4 places
4 unconfirmed
checked Oct 2026
15 sources

Before you go,
understand the place.

Belize City gathers the Museum of Belize, run by the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) in the former prison, and the private attraction Old Belize; outside the city, The Belize Zoo, at mile 29 of the George Price Highway, and the Maya site of Altun Ha, north of the city.

Best time to go: The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, although a cyclone can form outside that period (Government Press Office, 28 May 2026). The United Kingdom advises following warnings from the National Meteorological Service of Belize and the NEMO emergency agency. Canada places the rainy season from May to November, with flooding that can cut roads; the United Kingdom mentions flooded temporary bridges in the south, particularly in Stann Creek and Toledo.
Getting there: This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is 10 miles from downtown; its taxis, run by the Ladyville Airport Taxi Union, operate from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., according to the airport. Domestic flights also leave from the municipal airport, a mile from downtown, according to Tropic Air. Water taxis to Caye Caulker and San Pedro leave from the San Pedro Belize Express and Caribbean Sprinter terminals, which offer transfers from the international airport: US$25 for the first person and US$10 for each additional person, and US$15 per person, respectively, according to each operator; prices unconfirmed.

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4 places with their status. Open a pin for details and sources, or use the list.

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Status unconfirmed

Groups: the number in the middle is the total of places; the ring shows their statuses. Open a group to see the breakdown.

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Map: © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

Two ways to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

2 places
Museum and Old Belize
The Museum of Belize, run by NICH, and the private attraction Old Belize, both with unconfirmed status.
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2 places
Zoo and Altun Ha
The Belize Zoo and the Maya site of Altun Ha, outside the city, with unconfirmed status.
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The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

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Showing 4 of 4 · 4 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 1

WildlifeStatus unconfirmed
The Belize Zoo
Mile 29 of the George Price Highway, halfway between Belize City and Belmopan, according to the zoo. The pin is the zoo in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.30.2 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
international adult BZ$40
Hours
Mon–Sat 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A not-for-profit zoo with native animals that were rescued, confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade or transferred from other centres; its paths are wheelchair-accessible, according to the zoo.
Status not confirmed: the zoo publishes its hours and fees on undated pages and notes that its website is under construction. Check before you go.
Source: The Belize Zoo – Plan Your Visit (consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2
Practical details and sources
Entry
International visitors: BZ$40 per adult and BZ$10 per child aged 3 to 12; Belizeans: BZ$10 and BZ$2, according to the zoo (fees in force since 1 December 2024, according to the press).
Hours
Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last entry 4:00 p.m.), and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last entry 3:30 p.m.); closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day, according to the zoo. Its home page applies the Sunday hours to public holidays as well.
Tip: The public bus stops at the entrance, with buses roughly every half hour; there are fewer on Sundays and public holidays, according to the zoo.
Sources: The Belize Zoo – Plan Your Visit (consultada oct. 2026) · The Belize Zoo (consultada oct. 2026) · BelizeHub – Nuevas tarifas del Belize Zoo desde el 1 dic. 2024 (31 oct. 2024)

Living culture · 3

CultureStatus unconfirmed
Museum of Belize
Belize City. The pin is the museum in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.20.7 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident BZ$14
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
A museum of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) founded on 5 February 2002 in the building of the country’s former main prison; it keeps the last remaining cell and shows Maya jades, among other collections, according to NICH.
Status not confirmed: NICH sells tickets in its shop, but publishes neither the museum’s hours nor a dated confirmation of visits. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Museum of Belize, entradas (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-residents BZ$14 and residents BZ$7; minors and students, BZ$0, according to NICH’s official shop, which does not define the age of a «minor» or the requirements for «student».
Nearby: Old Belize (7.5 km)
Sources: NICH – Museum of Belize, entradas (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026)
CultureStatus unconfirmed
Old Belize
Mile 5 of the George Price Highway, Belize City, according to the operator. The pin is the place named «Old Belize» in OpenStreetMap, classified there as a restaurant; it is not the entrance.16 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
adult US$10 (train)
Hours
Train: Tue–Fri 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sat–Sun 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A private attraction at mile 5 of the George Price Highway: a 15-minute train ride through Belize’s ecological, archaeological, industrial and political history, in English, Spanish and Mandarin, next to Kukumba Beach, according to the operator.
Status not confirmed: the operator publishes prices and hours on undated pages. Check before you go.
Source: Old Belize – Old Belize Train Tour (operador; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2
Practical details and sources
Entry
Train: US$10 per adult and US$5 per child; Kukumba Beach: US$15 per adult and per child over 5 ft tall, US$5 between 3 and 5 ft and free under 3 ft; residents pay half, according to the operator.
Hours
Train: Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; the last ride ends 30 minutes before closing; closed on Mondays except public holidays. Kukumba Beach: Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and weekends, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; closed on Mondays. According to the operator.
Tip: Outside food and drinks are not allowed at Kukumba Beach, according to the operator.
Nearby: Museum of Belize (7.5 km)
Sources: Old Belize – Old Belize Train Tour (operador; consultada oct. 2026) · Old Belize – Kukumba Beach (operador; consultada oct. 2026) · Old Belize (operador; consultada oct. 2026)
CultureStatus unconfirmed
Altun Ha
Off the Old Northern Highway, north of Belize City (30 or 31 miles, depending on the NICH page). The pin is the site’s area in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.23.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident adult BZ$20
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
An ancient Maya trading and ceremonial centre of the Classic Period, where the Jade Head, the largest carved jade in Mesoamerica, was found, according to NICH, which runs the site.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Altun Ha, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-residents: BZ$20 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents: BZ$10, free for children under 12 and for Belizeans aged 65 or over, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour starts one hour before closing, according to NICH.
Tip: NICH asks for footwear for rough ground, to stay on marked trails and not to jump on the monuments; each guide takes at most 15 visitors.
Sources: NICH – Altun Ha, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Altun Ha (13 jun. 2024)

Belize City · Practical guide

Practical tips

NICH prices (museum and Altun Ha) are in Belize dollars; Old Belize’s are in US dollars: compare them in the same currency.
The public bus stops at the zoo entrance, with buses roughly every half hour and fewer on Sundays and public holidays, according to the zoo.
At Altun Ha the last tour starts at 4:00 p.m., one hour before closing (5:00 p.m.), according to NICH.

Safety and precautions

The United Kingdom (June 2026) notes that Belize has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world and that gang violence is concentrated in Belize City, particularly south of the Haulover Creek (Southside); tourists are not normally the targets, but anyone nearby could be affected. It warns of theft from tourists in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Ignacio, and of armed criminals in remote forested areas near the border with Guatemala, which are patrolled by the Defence Force, with no reported incidents involving tourists.
Canada (15 June 2026) advises a high degree of caution throughout Belize due to high levels of violent crime and to avoid non-essential travel to Southside Belize City, south of the Haulover Creek, due to gang and drug-related violence. It notes higher crime in border areas such as Melchor de Mencos and Chetumal, and near the Caracol ruins, close to the border with Guatemala.
Emergencies: 911 (Belize Police Department); 922 for anonymous reports. The United Kingdom also lists 90 for ambulance, fire and police.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the entry to Altun Ha?

According to NICH’s official shop: non-residents BZ$20 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents BZ$10.

What are The Belize Zoo’s hours?

Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day, according to the zoo, which publishes its hours on an undated page.

How much is the Museum of Belize?

BZ$14 for non-residents and BZ$7 for residents, according to NICH’s official shop; the museum’s hours were not read.

Belize City · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

Before you go,understand the place.

Themed guides

Museum and Old Belize

Zoo and Altun Ha

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 1

The Belize Zoo

Living culture · 3

Museum of Belize

Old Belize

Altun Ha

Practical tips

Safety and precautions

Frequently asked questions

Sources consulted

Other destinations

Before you go,
understand the place.