Santa Fe (New Mexico) Sights: Museums

Full Santa Fe Travel Guide »    Santa Fe Interactive Map »    Print This Article »

Santa Fe has a variety of interesting museums, most in the downtown area and easily reached on foot. Museum Hill www.museumhill.org, south of downtown, is accessible via public transportation. The first five listed below are sub-units of the Museum of New Mexico, www.museumofnewmexico.org, for which you can buy a shared pass for $20 that allows access to all four museums and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art within a four-day period. If you only have time for one, individual passes are available.

• Palace of the Governors, 105 E Palace Ave (on Santa Fe Plaza), +1 505 476-5100, www.palaceofthegovernors.org. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM .The oldest public building in the United States, this 17th-century building houses a historical museum and museum shop. Local Native American artists sell their work beneath the portal www.newmexicoindianart.org $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• New Mexico History Museum, 113 Lincoln Ave (behind the Palace of the Governors) +1 505 476-5200, www.nmhistorymuseum.org. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM. Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now,is divided into six sections. Five represent chronological periods from the pre-colonial era to the present. The sixth offers a panorama of New Mexico today, presented primarily through the voices and stories of its people. As the section titles imply, each is set apart by time frames and contrasting views from first-person accounts of the people who lived during the different periods. $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W Palace Ave (just west of the Palace of the Governors), +1 505 476-5072, www.mfasantafe.org. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. It has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, but has a somewhat more diverse, although still New-Mexico-centric, collection. The Museum's St. Francis Auditorium is one of the primary venues in town for concerts, particularly of a classical or folk flavor. $9 adults, youth 16 and under free. (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• Museum of International Folk Art, 706 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 476-1200, www.internationalfolkart.org. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM. Of particular delight in this museum is its massive Girard exhibition, which contains many large, colorful displays of toys, textiles, village scenes, and traditional arts from around the world. The museum also features changing exhibits, many of which are fascinating. Home of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market www.folkartmarket.org held in July (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (several discounts and occasional free days; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, 710 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 476-1250, www.indianartsandculture.org. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM.In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM. A large museum with American Indian artworks and exhibits on their culture and history. $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (several discounts and free admission on occasion; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies.

• SITE Santa Fe, 1606 Paseo De Peralta, +1 505 989-1199, www.sitesantafe.org. Th-Sa 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-7PM, Su 12PM-5PM. SITE Santa Fe is a private contemporary arts organization. It meets this commitment by providing an ongoing venue for exhibitions of artists who merit international recognition, as well as offering education and multidisciplinary public programs. Its International Biennial is a crucial part of this mission. $10.

• Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, 750 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 982-2226, www.spanishcolonial.org. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Newest of the Museum Hill museums, this museum showcases many Hispano artworks and sponsors the Spanish Market www.spanishmarket.org (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). $6 (discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson Street (just north of downtown), +1 505 946-1000, www.okeeffemuseum.org. Sa-Th 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. Devoted to the 20th-century artist who settled near Abiquiu, a small town north of Santa Fe. $8 (senior/youth discounts, free Friday nights after 5PM).
• Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, 704 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), Toll-free: 800-607-4636, www.wheelwright.org. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Excellent Native American art collection, with a quaint little gift shop, the Case Trading Post, that sells superb examples of Native arts that reflect the quality of the collection. Frequent special events. Free.
• Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, 108 Cathedral Place (downtown across the street from St. Francis Cathedral), +1 505 983-8900 or +1 888 922-4242 (toll free), www.iaiamuseum.org. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. The Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA, www.iaia.edu) is a long-standing Santa Fe institution that helps to promote the Santa Fe Indian Market www.swaia.org(see under "Do"/"Festivals"). Adults $5, students and seniors (62+) $2.50; discounts for New Mexico residents and tribal members.
• Rancho de los Golondrinas, 334 Los Pinos Road (well outside the center of town), +1 505 471-2261, Fax: +1 505 471-5623, www.golondrinas.org. June-Sep W-Su 10AM-4PM. A massive outdoor "living history" museum portraying Spanish colonial days. In May you'll be dodging swarms of bored children on school field trips; visiting in the fall is better. Adult $5, Senior/Teen 13-18/Military $4, Children 5-12 $2 (more during special events).
• Santa Fe Children's Museum, 1050 Old Pecos Trail (a mile or so south of downtown), +1 505 989-8359, Fax: +1 505 989-7506, children@santafechildrensmuseum.org, www.santafechildrensmuseum.org. W-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Many participatory exhibits and various accessible critters. $8 (discount for residents); adults should be accompanied by children (sic!).