San Felipe de Neri is the visual, geographical and spiritual heart of Old Town. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the original Pueblo-style building was constructed in 1793; the distinctive Gothic wooden steeples were added in 1861. Rose gardens welcome the visitor to the church's front courtyard. Stepping into the cool interior you will discover beautiful tin work, vigas (wooden beams) and five feet thick adobe walls.
This non-profit community theater company combines a staff of professionals and local talent who volunteer their time to produce comedies, musicals, dramas and mysteries. The 1000-plus seat building was designed by famed Southwestern architect John Gaw Meen and built in 1936, giving this theater a rich historical feel, but modern acoustics and lighting provide a quality night of entertainment. The theater is easy to find on the historic Route 66 in the Old Town area.
Take a walk through time from the big bang through the ice ages in one of the premier natural history museums in the country. Also, discover a great collection of massive dinosaurs while you watch technicians work on actual fossils. You can also experience the Dynamax Theater with its multi-story screen and super sound system. Step into the Time Machine and stop by the Lode Star Center that includes a high-tech, 175-seat theater, telescope and planetarium. The STARTUP Gallery tells the story of Albuquerque's role in the development of the computer. The Nature Works store in the museum features a unique inventory of items related to dinosaurs, birds, and various species of animals and scientific gadgets.
The historic Nob Hill area along Central Avenue (Route 66) in Albuquerque's university area is home to a recently revitalized community of local boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and bars. Some local favorites include Papers!, a stationary and art supply store, Beeps, a novelty gift store, and the Flying Saucer, one of the city's best coffee shop cafes. Visitors to the area will also find plenty of antique shopping, bookstores, and specialty shops selling everything from yarn to groceries. Many of the local restaurants and bars host live music events, and each year in December, the district puts on a Shop & Stroll holiday entertainment event.
This one of its kind museum features exhibits chronicling the history of ballooning, with a special focus on Albuquerque's contribution (as "Balloon Capital of the World") to this lighter-than-air art form. Famous history-making balloons are on display, as well as other intriguing exhibits like nineteenth-century Japanese ballooning outfits, German war-balloons used for bombing operations, and artifacts from the very beginning of hot-air ballooning in the late eighteenth century. The museum facility overlooks the field from which balloons take off during the world-renowned annual Balloon Fiesta.
With a rich historical background, the Guild Cinema is an old theater that was first opened in 1966 as a store. It underwent several changes and was passed down to many owners until 2004. Today, it is one of the only theaters in the city that showcases art films. The cinema calls itself the only independent theater in the city and takes pride in screening multiple-genre movies. It is also available for private hire for parties and other events. Fun for movie buffs doesn't end here- Guild Cinema plays host to popular film festivals like the Troma Dance, International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and Summer in the Dark Festival of Film Noir among others.
If you're growing tired of those stuffy, high-end live performances that you are obliged to applaud whether you liked them or not, here's an alternative. This is a small, intimate auditorium that operates through member support and box office revenue. Despite the small budget, this organization is able to book awesome talent from across the state for performances that range from jazz, classical and Native American music, to theater, poetry, and children's programs. The house is normally packed with a casual, and sometimes formal, audience. Check their website for schedules.
With more than 10 million curated items, this museum on the University of New Mexico campus offers a large collection regarding human history and culture. The museum houses two permanent exhibits. "Ancestors" showcases the four million year history of the evolution of humankind. "People of the Southwest" is an in-depth record of 11,000 years of Southwestern culture. Other dynamic exhibits and a lecture series offer interpretations of man's history across the globe.
It is believed that the University Art Museum has the biggest compilation of fine art works in the state. Established in 1963, the museum has about 30,000 items including photographs, prints, paintings, drawings, sculptures, and other works of contemporary art. Art works by Jerome Bowers Peterson, Beaumont Newhall, Theodore J. Labhard, Clinton and Mary Adams, and Raymond Jonson are housed in the museum. Located at the University of New Mexico, the museum is a haven for art lovers.
This 420 seat theater can be converted between proscenium and thrust staging and was designed by George Izenour, the renowned theater consultant. It forms part of the University of New Mexico Center for the Arts, which also contains Popejoy Hall, Theatre X and the UNM Department of Theater and Dance. The Department presents a high volume of student productions in Rodey, including the "Words Afire Festival of New Works", an annual staple held in April. The Department's partnerships with the National Institute of Flamenco and the Tricklock Theater Company mean that Rodey also plays host to top-quality international dance and theater events.
Albuquerque's largest performing arts facility has been remodeled in recent years and now offers near perfect acoustics on the stage, orchestra pit, mezzanine and balcony. The center features four theaters and an art museum containing five galleries that house a permanent collection of more than 28,000 photographs, paintings, drawings and prints. This center is located in Popejoy Hall on UNM campus, just north of Cornell and Central. Matinee shows and weekend performances vary, call for information.