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10 Specialty Museums in New Mexico That You Shouldn't Miss
With its rich cultural heritage from Native American and Spanish settlers, New Mexico has been both a Spanish colony and a Mexican colony, and still retains a strong individual identity within the United States. The landscape is breathtaking, the food incredible, and there is a thriving cultural scene, all of which makes New Mexico, and Santa Fe in particular, a great place all year long.
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1. New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 196 reviews
The volunteers of the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society are completely restoring the 1944, 4-8-4 Santa Fe (AT&SF) Steam Locomotive No. 2926 to full running order. Seventeen + years in the restoration process and now under steam as of August 20, 2018 - this is not a museum. This is a working restoration operation staffed with skilled volunteer welders, pipe-fitters, mechanics and many other trades. Free tours are available to visitors on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You'll be issued a hard hat and a personal guide who will present a hands-on introduction to this very large locomotive, cab, and its tender! You may call ahead to see if the operation is closed due to adverse weather. Parking is free and donations are important to keep the restoration moving forward. Adults, children and groups are welcome for tours, 9AM - 2PM. Merchandise is available for purchase from the gift shop. Bring your camera. Visit our website to learn more! NMSL&RHS is a non-profit 501(c)3.
Reviewed By Specialstay
The 2926 is a steam engine and tender rebuilt with a great team of dedicated old rail enthusiasts. Their love of this old train and the thousands of people who come to watch the progress of reconstruction is evident to everyone who visits their site on Saturdays while they are open. History is alive on the rails of the 2926! Come see it for yourself and bring your children to experience hospitality while the volunteers rebuild a piece of equipment which helped build this country.
2. The Zuhl Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 90 reviews
The Zuhl Museum: Where Rocks Come Alive! Part art gallery, part natural history museum, the Zuhl collection at New Mexico State University showcases thousands of beautiful specimens of petrified wood, fossils and minerals. The Zuhl Collection contains petrified wood, fossils, rocks and minerals. The Zuhl Museum is easily accessible to local citizens, school groups and visitors to the university and southern New Mexico. New hours: Tuesday-Friday 12-4pm and Every Second Saturday of each month 12-4pm.
Reviewed By toad94 - Lakewood, United States
Our son loves rocks and says he wants to be a geologist when he grows up, so this museum was a given for our family. But even our daughter who is less interested in geology was still impressed by the magnitude of these slabs. They are huge. The kids liked learning about how the petrified wood was formed. It doesn't take long to go through the rooms but we're definitely glad we visited this place.
3. Mabel Dodge Luhan Historic House
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 44 reviews
Reviewed By SKP62942 - Amarillo, United States
I met up here with two friends from SMU Bank School... We have been traveling together every year in September since we graduated in 1989. THIS PLACE is one of the best!! It is so historic and wonderful. We each had our own room in Juniper House, with our own bath. A fireplace in every room and plenty of good lighting to read or write. The wooden floors creak, but they were covered with colorful rugs. Beds were comfy. And the breakfasts were delicious and amazing. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Wifi was available near the main house. We felt so welcome as we lounged in the library and played Mexican Train and as we had wine and snacks in the courtyard and as we relaxed in the arbor. The whole property was open to us and we enjoyed the peace and beauty. And then when we wanted to go into Taos, it was a short drive. I will return.
4. Miniatures and Curious Collections Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
More than 123 running feet of miniatures, room boxes, and displays to delight all ages! Curious Collections exhibitits rotating quarterly! Gift shop, kids play area, workshops for all ages.
5. Tinkertown Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 355 reviews
A "museum" built out of concrete and 55,000 bottles that houses 20,000 handcarved miniatures.
Reviewed By TravelChickSA - Adelaide, Australia
What an amazing museum.... we happened to stop in and have a look on our way home from Sandia Crest Cafe... and it turned out to be the highlight of the day. What an amazing labour of love by Ross over 40 years. Fascinating reflection of entertainment in the turn of the century.. miniature models in such minute detail that there is so much to look at, you don't know what to look at first! The one man band is a beautiful reflection of exquisite craftsmanship that will be lost if not for places like this. Wonderfully preserved by Ross' widow, well worth a stop - we spent nearly an hour wandering through a time capsule of epic proportions.
6. Millicent Rogers Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 750 reviews
This impressive museum has more than a dozen galleries with some 5000 pieces of Native American and Hispanic art, including furniture, weaving, paintings, pottery and a celebrated collection of Native American jewelry.
Reviewed By WC-Travelers-75
We knew nothing of this museum other than it was listed in the AAA TourBook before we visited. Because we allowed extra time in our travel to Taos, we took it in. What a surprise! An extensive collection of Southwestern art of many cultures and mediums. The jewelry collection was memorable, with some pieces you wonder if they were meant to be worn given their size. We lingered to take it all in as best we could. This museum is a gem! We would visit again if in Taos since exhibits change.
7. American International Rattlesnake Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 426 reviews
This museum houses the world's largest collection of different species of live rattlesnakes and aims to correct common reptilian misconceptions.
Reviewed By maman823 - Albuquerque, United States
Quite a terrific immersion into the world of these amazing reptiles along with other exhibits of world known naturalists. Loved it. Certainly worth the admission
8. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,029 reviews
Re-opening April 8, 2021. See website and purchase tickets before visiting. https://indianpueblo.org/welcome IPCC was founded in 1976 and is jointly owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. Located in the historic Albuquerque Indian School District just minutes from Downtown and Old Town Albuquerque, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is a world-class museum and cultural center created to be a place where we, Pueblo people, can tell our story. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is the only place in North America to host traditional Native American dances every weekend year round and also offers an exciting schedule of cultural and community activities, including rotating museum exhibits, events with Native American artists, hands-on children’s programs & art festivals. Visitors can also experience the award-winning Native Sourced, Pueblo Inspired cuisine of Pueblo Harvest and shop at the Indian Pueblo Store, a trusted destination for authentic handcrafted Native American art.
Reviewed By rrpd - Rochester, United States
From an excellent full service restaurant, to a sampling of native American culture & arts, this makes for an excellent stop for families & individuals when traveling into the Albuquerque area.
9. Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 375 reviews
The museum features changing exhibitions of contemporary and iconic Native American art with an emphasis on the Southwest.
10. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 857 reviews
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, one of four museums in the Museum of New Mexico system, is a premier repository of Native art and material culture and tells the stories of the people of the Southwest from pre-history through contemporary art. The museum serves a diverse, multicultural audience through changing exhibitions, public lectures, field trips, artist residencies, and other educational programs.
Reviewed By kendak999 - Durban, South Africa
Another of the NM museums on the Culture Pass, I visited mid-December, hoping to get some insight into Native American culture and history. I was not disappointed. The Here, Now and Always exhibition is quite large and beautifully curated, giving you a glimpse of the life and ways of several Native American tribes who are/were in the NM region, including day to day items as well as art. Some of the pieces date from 500 AD! On the Art side, there are several galleries exhibiting Native American pottery, again, with some pieces magnificently conserved and dating back over 1000 years. What I particularly liked, both in the culture and art exhibitions, was the curation of real-people accounts from Native Americans, their remembrances and views on many aspects of the exhibits.
