Santa Fe, New Mexico
One of the 100
Great Towns of America
Museums
Santa Fe has an impressive collection of museums. Among the most notable are the following:
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
(505)946-1000
217 Johnson St.
Georgia O’Keeffe found her muse in the Upper Rio Grande Valley during the 1920s and over more than half a century produced some of America’s most distinctive paintings. They range from stark, brightly colored landscapes and buildings to complex voluptuous abstractions of flowers. This museum has an extensive collection of her art attractively displayed in a number of large rooms. The simply sophisticated setting complements the colorful and timeless art of one of New Mexico’s most important painters. Open 1-5 daily.
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
(505)476-1250
710 Camino Lejo - Museum Hill
The State displays an elaborate collection of Indian art and artifacts here. In addition to regular and rotating exhibits, lectures and breakfast sessions are scheduled, along with one-day archaeology field trips, plus longer field seminars to various significant sites. Open 10-5. Closed Mon. except in summer.
Museum of International Folk Art
(505)476-1200
706 Camino Lego - Museum Hill
Arguably the world’s largest collection of folk art from around the globe includes more than 130,000 objects from more than 100 countries. This has become an important resource for scholars of past cultures here to study this extensive art collection. Open 10-5. Closed Mon. except in summer.
Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
(505)982-2226
750 Camino Lejo - Museum Hill
This museum is housed in a classic example of the “Pueblo Revival” architectural style. Inside, a collection of 3,000 objects comprises a truly comprehensive compilation of Spanish Colonial art from all media, dating from the Middle Ages to the present. Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Mon.
New Mexico History Museum
(505)476-5200
113 Lincoln Av.
Opened on Memorial Day in 2009 is an expansion of the Palace of the Governors in the heart of Santa Fe. The rich history of this region and the people who have inhabited it is now portrayed in permanent and rotating exhibits. Attractions include hands-on history, where interactive high-tech techniques put visitors into the sights, sounds and actual feel of the stories told by the displays. A shop is dedicated to New Mexican artists and writers, and an auditorium features special events. Open 10:00 to 5:00 p.m. Closed Mon. Free on Friday evenings from 5-8 p.m.
New Mexico Museum of Art
(505)476-5059
107 W. Palace Av.
Now restored to its early 1900s classic “Pueblo Revival” appearance, this state-operated museum houses traditional and contemporary works by major New Mexican painters and sculptors. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10-5; daily in summer.
Palace of the Governors
(505)476-5100
105 W. Palace Av.
Built in 1610, the oldest public building in continuous use in America was the seat of regional government for almost 300 years. When Lew Wallace was governor of the territory (1878-1881), he wrote part of Ben Hur here. The long, low adobe structure is now a major state-operated museum. On the porch-shaded sidewalk overlooking the plaza, Pueblo Indians continue to display and sell their pottery and jewelry as they have for many decades. Open 10-5. Closed Mon. except in summer. Open until 8pm Fridays.
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
(505)982-4636
704 Camino Lejo - Museum Hill
Housed in a structure shaped like a Navajo hogan is an extensive assortment of art objects reflecting Southwestern Indian culture and the Case Trading Post full of related arts and crafts for sale.