List of museums in New Mexico facts for kids
New Mexico is a big state in the southwestern United States. It's home to many amazing places where you can learn about history, art, science, and nature! These special places are called museums.
A museum is like a treasure chest filled with cool stuff. They collect and take care of objects that teach us about the past, different cultures, scientific discoveries, or beautiful art. Then, they show these collections to everyone who visits.
This list will tell you about some of the awesome museums you can explore in New Mexico!
Contents
Cool Museums to Explore
Science and Space Adventures
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Ever wondered about hot air balloons? This museum is all about the history, science, and art of ballooning and other ways people have flown in the air! It's super fun and interactive.
* Where: Los Alamos * What you'll find: This museum shows off the amazing science and history of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. You can learn about how scientists work and what they've discovered.
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Get ready for hands-on fun! Explora is a science museum with tons of interactive exhibits. You can touch, play, and discover how things work. It's great for all ages!
- Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum and Natural Sciences Laboratory
* Where: Tucumcari * What you'll find: Love dinosaurs? This museum has real and copied fossils from the time of the dinosaurs. It's part of Mesalands Community College.
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Learn about the "Atomic Age" and how nuclear science has shaped our world. It covers the scientific, historical, and cultural parts of this important time.
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Explore fossils, learn about geology (how the Earth is made), look at the stars in the astronomy exhibits, and even see the history of personal computers!
* Where: Alamogordo * What you'll find: Blast off into space history! This museum has displays about space travel and the Space Age. It even includes the International Space Hall of Fame.
* Where: Magdalena * What you'll find: This isn't just a museum, it's a working astronomical radio observatory! You can take tours and see 27 giant radio antennas that scientists use to study space. It's truly impressive!
History and Culture Journeys
Native American Heritage
* Where: Zuni Pueblo * What you'll find: Discover the rich heritage of the Zuni people.
* Where: Aztec * What you'll find: The visitor center here has exhibits about the ancient Pueblo structures. You can learn about the people who lived here long ago.
* Where: White Rock * What you'll find: See ancestral Pueblo homes, ceremonial structures called kivas, and ancient rock paintings. The museum has artifacts from the Pueblo people and art from the Civilian Conservation Corps.
* Where: Farmington * What you'll find: This park has amazing archaeological artifacts from the ruins of ancient Chacoan structures.
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Learn all about the history, culture, and art of the Pueblo Indian people. It's a great place to understand their traditions.
- Jemez State Monument
* Where: Jemez Springs * What you'll find: Explore ancient Pueblo ruins and a visitor center that tells their story.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: This museum focuses on the art and culture of Native Americans from the southwestern United States.
* Where: Pojoaque Pueblo * What you'll find: Discover the arts and culture of the Pueblo people, especially the Tewas of northern New Mexico.
* Where: Farmington * What you'll find: Visit the ruins of an 11th-century Chacoan great house and explore the museum.
- Western New Mexico University Museum
* Where: Silver City * What you'll find: Part of Western New Mexico University, this museum has a special collection of Mimbres pottery and information about their culture.
Local and Regional History
* Where: Alamogordo * What you'll find: This museum shares the local history of the Tularosa Basin area.
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: This museum covers art from the Southwest and over 400 years of Albuquerque's history.
- Billy the Kid Museum
* Where: Fort Sumner * What you'll find: If you're interested in the Old West, this museum has items from the famous outlaw Billy the Kid, plus old firearms and cars.
- El Camino Real Historic Trail Site
* Where: Socorro * What you'll find: Learn about the history and heritage of the people who traveled along the El Camino Real trail way back in the 18th century.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: Step back in time at this living history museum! It's a recreated 18th-century Spanish Colonial ranch where you can see how people lived long ago.
* Where: Las Cruces * What you'll find: Discover New Mexico's 3,000-year history of farming and ranching. See old tools, learn about different crops, and meet farm animals!
- Palace of the Governors
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: This historic building shares important events and ideas from New Mexico's past. It's one of the oldest public buildings in the United States!
- Smokey Bear Historical Park
* Where: Capitan * What you'll find: Learn about forest health, wildfires, and the famous Smokey Bear! This park teaches you how to prevent forest fires and protect our natural spaces.
- Tinkertown Museum
* Where: Cedar Crest * What you'll find: This unique museum is filled with amazing folk art creations. You'll see thousands of tiny, hand-carved wooden figures, miniature towns, old arcade machines, and more! It's a truly special place.
Military History
* Where: Las Cruces * What you'll find: Explore the ruins of a mid-19th century Army post and learn about frontier and military life.
* Where: Watrous * What you'll find: See the ruins of three forts and visit a center with exhibits. Sometimes, they even have living history programs!
- New Mexico Veterans Memorial
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: This is an outdoor park with monuments and a museum honoring New Mexico's veterans.
- Pancho Villa State Park
* Where: Columbus * What you'll find: This park is on the site of a former military camp. You can see examples of vehicles and technology used by General John J. Pershing during his raid against Pancho Villa.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park
* Where: Angel Fire * What you'll find: This park has a memorial and visitor center dedicated to Vietnam War veterans.
- War Eagles Air Museum
* Where: Santa Teresa * What you'll find: See historic aircraft from the World War II and Korean War eras. It's a great place for aviation fans!
Art and Creativity
- Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art
* Where: Roswell * What you'll find: This museum features modern art.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: See beautiful works by the famous artist Georgia O'Keeffe. You can also take tours of her home and studio in Abiquiú.
* Where: Taos * What you'll find: This museum showcases historic and modern art and culture from the Taos region.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: Discover amazing contemporary (modern) fine art created by Native American artists.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: This museum has a huge collection of folk art, popular art, toys, and textiles from over 100 different countries!
* Where: Taos * What you'll find: Explore the art and culture of historic and modern Northern New Mexico.
- Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: This museum focuses on Hispano art forms from the Spanish Colonial period.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: Enjoy a wide range of fine art.
- Site Santa Fe
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: This place hosts exciting contemporary art exhibitions.
* Where: Taos * What you'll find: See art from early 20th-century Taos, located in the studio and home of artist Nicolai Fechin.
* Where: Santa Fe * What you'll find: This museum features both modern and historic Native American art.
Unique and Fun Museums
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Get up close (but not too close!) with live snakes, snake art, and lots of snake-related exhibits.
- International UFO Museum And Research Center
* Where: Roswell * What you'll find: This museum explores the famous Roswell incident, crop circles, UFO sightings, Area 51, and more!
* Where: Alamogordo * What you'll find: All aboard! This museum has amazing scale model and miniature railway trains.
- Turquoise Museum
* Where: Albuquerque * What you'll find: Learn all about turquoise, from how it's mined to how it's shaped and used in jewelry and art.
Other Interesting Museums
- ASRT Museum and Archives (Albuquerque): History of medical imaging and radiation therapy.
- Artesia Historical Museum & Art Center (Artesia): Native American artifacts, period kitchen, farm & ranch displays, oil & gas industry, and art.
- Aztec Mill Museum (Cimarron): A mid-19th century grist mill.
- Aztec Museum & Pioneer Village (Aztec): An open-air museum.
- Black Range Museum (Hillsboro): Local history.
- Bolack Electromechanical Museum (Farmington): Antique electrical, radio, communication, industrial, and agricultural items.
- Bolack Museum of Fish & Wildlife (Farmington): Wildlife displays from five continents.
- Bond House Museum (Espanola): Local history.
- Boy Scout Museum & Westward Ho Trading Post (Raton): All about scouting.
- Branigan Cultural Center (Las Cruces): Local history and changing cultural exhibits.
- Carlsbad Museum & Art Center (Carlsbad): Local history, Native American art, and modern art.
- Casa San Ysidro (Corrales): A recreated 19th-century rancho.
- Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum (Cerrillos): Mining equipment, rocks, and antique collections.
- Chimayo Museum (Chimayo): Local history.
- City of Las Vegas Museum (Las Vegas): Local history, Santa Fe Trail, and the Rough Riders.
- Cleveland Roller Mill Museum (Mora): A three-story, water-powered flour mill with local history exhibits.
- Columbus Historical Museum (Columbus): Local history in a historic depot.
- Corona Museum (Corona): Local history.
- Coronado State Monument (Bernalillo): Reconstructed kiva ruins and artifacts.
- Couse/Sharp Historic Site (Taos): Home of artist E. Irving Couse.
- Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (Chama): A heritage railroad with old trains on display.
- Deming Luna Mimbres Museum (Deming): Mimbres pottery, rocks, dolls, war items, and local history.
- E3 Children's Museum & Science Center (Farmington): A museum just for kids!
- Dr. Anthony “Tony” Gennaro Natural History Museum (Portales): Exhibits and live plants and animals from New Mexico.
- Elizabethtown Museum (Elizabethtown): History of a late 19th-century mining ghost town.
- El Rincon Trading Post (Taos): A store with a museum display of Native American and Western artifacts.
- Ernest L. Blumenschein Home & Museum (Taos): Home of artist Ernest L. Blumenschein.
- Ernie Pyle House/Library (Albuquerque): Home of reporter Ernie Pyle, now a library with his items.
- Farmington Museum (Farmington): Local history.
- Folsom Museum (Folsom): Exhibits on the Folsom site, cowboy George McJunkin, and train robber Black Jack Ketchum.
- Fort Stanton State Monument (Fort Stanton): A mid-19th century military fort.
- Florence Hawley Ellis Museum of Anthropology (Abiquiú): Anthropology exhibits at Ghost Ranch.
- Gadsden Museum (Mesilla): Local history.
- Gallup Cultural Center (Gallup): Native American art and culture, trains, weaving, and Route 66 history.
- Georgia O'Keeffe Home and Studio (Abiquiú): Tours of Georgia O'Keeffe's home.
- Geronimo Springs Museum (Truth or Consequences): Natural and cultural history of Sierra County, including fossils and Apache artifacts.
- Governor Bent House and Museum (Taos): Home of New Mexico's first governor, with Western art.
- Grandma's Trading Post and Museum (Truchas): Local history.
- Haa'ku Museum (Acoma Pueblo): History, art, and customs of the Acoma people.
- Hacienda de los Martinez (Taos): An 1804 Spanish Colonial adobe great house.
- Hamilton Military Museum (Truth or Consequences): Military artifacts, including Buffalo Soldier items.
- Harvey House Museum (Belen): History of the Fred Harvey Chain, Santa Fe Railway, and Belen.
- Herzstein Memorial Museum (Clayton): Local history.
- Historical Center for Southeast New Mexico Museum (Roswell): A 1912 home with period furnishings and local history displays.
- Hubbard Museum of the American West (Ruidoso Downs): Local and regional arts, history, and culture, with horse gear and old vehicles.
- Jicarilla Arts and Crafts Shop Museum (Dulce): Native American basketry, beadwork, and leatherwork.
- Kit Carson Home & Museum (Taos): Home of frontiersman Kit Carson.
- Kit Carson Museum (Rayado): Shows 1850s frontier life and history of Kit Carson.
- Klipsch Museum (Las Cruces): Items from inventor Paul W. Klipsch, including antique audio equipment.
- Las Cruces Museum of Art (Las Cruces): Changing modern art exhibits.
- Las Cruces Museum of Nature and Science (Las Cruces): Natural history, science, and the environment of New Mexico.
- Las Cruces Railroad Museum (Las Cruces): Railroad history of Las Cruces.
- Lea County Museum (Lovington): An open-air complex with historic buildings.
- Lincoln State Monument (Lincoln): A Western town with 17 historic buildings, six of which are museums.
- Lordsburg Hidalgo County Museum (Lordsburg): Local history.
- Loretto Chapel (Santa Fe): A former church with a famous spiral staircase.
- Los Alamos Historical Museum (Los Alamos): Local history.
- Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts (Los Lunas): Local history and art.
- Maxwell Museum of Anthropology (Albuquerque): Prehistoric history of the Southwest and early humans.
- McBride Museum (Roswell): History of the New Mexico Military Institute.
- Meteorite Museum (Albuquerque): Meteorite specimens, part of the University of New Mexico.
- Miles Mineral Museum (Portales): Mineral exhibits, part of Eastern New Mexico University.
- Moriarty Historical Society and Museum (Moriarty): Local history.
- Museum of New Mexico (Santa Fe): This is a group of five state-run museums and six state monuments.
- Museum of Southwestern Biology (Albuquerque): Research and teaching facility with collections of insects, birds, fish, and more.
- Museum of the American Military Family (Tijeras): Focuses on military families.
- National Hispanic Cultural Center (Albuquerque): Art and culture from Hispanic communities.
- National Scouting Museum (Cimarron): History of the Boy Scouts of America, local history, art, and natural history.
- New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources Mineral Museum (Socorro): Located at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
- New Mexico History Museum (Santa Fe): Focuses on New Mexico's past.
- New Mexico Holocaust & Intolerance Museum (Albuquerque): History of the Holocaust and other forms of bullying and genocide.
- New Mexico Military Museum (Santa Fe): Stories, artifacts, and art about New Mexico's military history.
- New Mexico Mining Museum (Grants): All about mining.
- New Mexico School for the Deaf Museum (Santa Fe): History of education at the New Mexico School for the Deaf.
- New Mexico Ski Museum and Hall of Fame (Albuquerque): History of snow skiing in New Mexico.
- New Mexico State University Art Gallery (Las Cruces): Contemporary visual arts.
- New Mexico State University Arthropod Museum (Las Cruces): A collection of insect specimens.
- New Mexico State University Museum (Las Cruces): Exhibits on Southwestern and Mesoamerican pottery.
- Old Coal Mine Museum (Madrid): Mining and railroad equipment, vintage vehicles, and more.
- Percha Bank Museum (Kingston): Local history in a 19th-century bank building.
- Pioneer Store Museum (Winston): An 1880s general store with original items.
- Picuris Pueblo Visitor's Center and Museum (Picuris Pueblo): History, culture, and art of the Picuris people.
- Ramah Museum (Ramah): Local history.
- Raton Museum (Raton): Regional artifacts about ranching, coal mining, railroads, and pioneer life.
- Red Rock Museum (Church Rock): Exhibits on the prehistoric Anasazi and present-day Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo.
- Rex Museum (Gallup): Local history.
- Roosevelt County Historical Museum (Portales): Local history.
- Roswell Museum (Roswell): Art and history of the American Southwest, plus a planetarium.
- Route 66 Auto Museum (Santa Rosa): Vintage cars and Route 66 items.
- Ruidoso River Museum (Ruidoso): Artifacts related to famous figures of the Old West.
- Runnells Gallery (Portales): Art exhibits.
- Ruth Hall Museum of Paleontology (Abiquiú): Triassic dinosaur fossils at Ghost Ranch.
- Sacramento Mountains Museum & Pioneer Village (Cloudcroft): An open-air museum.
- San Ildefonso Pueblo Museum (San Ildefonso Pueblo): Pueblo history, culture, and art.
- Santa Fe Children's Museum (Santa Fe): A fun museum for kids!
- Santa Fe Trail Interpretive Center (Las Vegas): Photos and artifacts from the Santa Fe Trail.
- Santa Fe Trail Museum (Springer): Local history and art exhibits.
- Silver City Museum (Silver City): Local history.
- Silver Family Geology Museum (Albuquerque): Mineral, fossil, and rock specimens at the University of New Mexico.
- Space Murals Museum (Organ): Artifacts, art, and photos about the space program.
- Telephone Museum of New Mexico (Albuquerque): History of telephones and communication.
- Trinity site (Socorro): The location where the world's first nuclear weapon was put together.
- Tucumcari Historical Museum (Tucumcari): Local history.
- University of New Mexico Art Museum (Albuquerque): Art by modernist painter Raymond Jonson and his students.
- Unser Racing Museum (Albuquerque): Celebrates the racing achievements of the Al Unser family.
- US Southwest Soaring Museum (Moriarty): History of gliding in the western United States.
- Villa Philmonte (Cimarron): A 1920s ranch manor on the Philmont Scout Ranch property.
- Walatowa Visitor Center (Jemez Pueblo): History, art, and customs of the Towa people.
- Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame (Hobbs): Cowboy culture and heritage.
- Western New Mexico Aviation Heritage Museum (Grants): Commemorates early air transport.
- White Sands Missile Range Museum (White Sands): History of America's missile and space development, with an outdoor missile park.
- Zuhl Museum (Las Cruces): Thousands of petrified wood, fossil, and mineral specimens.
National Parks and Monuments with Visitor Centers
Many national parks and monuments in New Mexico also have visitor centers with exhibits that act like small museums. They help you learn about the area's natural and cultural history.
- Blackwater Draw Museum & Archaeological Site (Portales): Artifacts related to the Clovis culture.
- Capulin Volcano National Monument (Raton): Exhibits about the volcano and the area's geology and history.
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park (Carlsbad): Exhibits about bats, geology, and the cave's history.
- El Morro National Monument (Ramah): Exhibits about the cultural and natural history of El Morro.
- Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (Silver City): A visitor center and museum with Apache and Mogollon artifacts.
- Pecos National Historical Park (Las Vegas): Includes ruins of the Pecos pueblo and a mission church, plus a visitor center with exhibits.
- Petroglyph National Monument (Albuquerque): Learn about the volcanos, archaeological sites, and thousands of carved images.
- Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (Mountainair): Exhibits about the ruins of mission churches and pueblos.
- White Sands National Park (Alamogordo): Exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the desert.
Museums That Are No Longer Open
Sometimes, museums close down or move. Here are a few that are no longer open in their original locations:
- Log Cabin Museum, Las Cruces: Moved to Chloride, New Mexico, and is now called the Grafton Cabin.
- Million Dollar Museum, White's City: Its contents were sold in 2008.
- New Mexico Film Museum, Santa Fe: Closed in 2010.
See also
