Literature Conference "Pakal the Great: The King Who Transformed Palenque"

This lecture will take place in Spanish at the Mexican Cultural Institute on Tuesday, October 7 at 7:00PM. Admission is free, but registration is required.

The Mexican Cultural Institute is honored to host a special literary lecture by renowned scholar Laura Filloy Nadal, exploring the life and legacy of one of the most celebrated rulers of the ancient Maya world.

In Pakal el Grande: The King Who Transformed Palenque, Filloy invites us to journey into the splendor of the Classic Maya period, uncovering how Pakal’s reign reshaped the city of Palenque through monumental architecture, artistic innovation, and political vision. Drawing on decades of research in archaeology, conservation, and museum curation, she illuminates the vibrant cultural networks that continue to inspire scholars and audiences today.

About Laura Filloy Nadal

Curator, Arts of the Ancient Americas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Born in Mexico City, Laura Filloy Nadal joined the staff of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at the Met Museum in 2022. Her current projects include the renovation of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, where she reenvisioned the ancient Americas galleries for local and international audiences. She co-curated the exhibition The Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art (2022-2023). Previously, she was a senior conservator and researcher at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City, where she studied the cultural biography of objects—how they were made and used, and, what they mean. She holds a BA from Mexico’s National School of Conservation, Restoration, and Museography, and earned her MA and PhD in archaeology at the University of Paris, Panthéon-Sorbonne.