This pueblo revival-style building has been hosting New Mexico's fine art since 1917. Inside you will find a number of permanent, as well as traveling, exhibitions. There are over 20,000 works of art on display, and much of the focus is on artists from the Southwest. Docent tours are offered daily from 10:30a to 2:00p, and are free with admission. Other free perks include free admission on Fridays 5:00p to 8:00p, and free admission for New Mexico residents on Sundays.
This much-anticipated addition to Santa Fe's museum resources opened in May 2009 to great acclaim. The opening day attracted 7,000 visitors and included ceremonies involving the Spanish and Mexican ambassadors to the United States, the New Mexico governor, and several state cabinet secretaries. The New Mexico History Museum is comprised of three floors of temporary and permanent exhibits and seeks to challenge the way the world thinks about New Mexico and the American West.
If your children are bored and antsy at the historic sites in and around Santa Fe, treat them with a trip to the Santa Fe Children's Museum. The museum is packed with hands-on exhibits like a climbing wall, obstacle course, bubbles, music, and a working greenhouse featuring daily scavenger hunts. For the fearless, there are even snakes on exhibit. The gift shop has an array of educational toys, puzzles and games to remember your trip by.
One of the four major museums operated by the State of New Mexico, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture is located on tranquil Museum Hill, where you can combine your visit with dining and exploring the other major museums set against the beautiful mountain backdrop. Docent tours of the many exhibits are offered, and those with educational or research interests can take advantage of the museum's field trips, lectures, workshops, classes, archives, library, and Laboratory of Anthropology. The Museum is community-minded, professing a commitment to serving the communities of the native peoples whose histories and artwork are displayed within its walls.
The Museum of International Folk Art features artists who represent traditions from Hispanic and Latino cultures. The museum opened to the public in 1953 and was the brainchild of Florence Dibell Bartlett, who was a folk art collector. The exhaustive collection is unique and is believed to be one of the world's largest collections of folk art. Over 130,000 artifacts form the basis for exhibitions in four distinct wings: Bartlett, Girard, Hispanic Heritage and Neutrogena. The Museum of Spanish Colonial Arts, Museum of International Folk Art, and Museum of Indian Arts & Culture are all on Museum Hill. Additionally, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of the Governors are worth a visit as well.