Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a city filled with various cultural influences and a storied past. Those elements support a range of museums that will satisfy the interests of every visitor. The next time you plan a trip to Santa Fe, add the following fun, educational, and inspiring museums to your itinerary.
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Image via Flickr by stereogab
Georgia O’Keeffe was one of the most important artists of the 1900s, and her pieces focused on the tempting imagery of the natural world.
Today, O’Keeffe’s titular museum features more than 3,000 total works, including 700 drawings and 140 oil paintings. You can browse collections based around her abstract nature creations as well as her New York and New Mexico works. If you’re feeling more ambitious, take a tour of her home and studio, located in the nearby village of Abiquiu. The museum also hosts monthly lunch art talks where you can get an in-depth lecture on one of the pieces currently on display.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is open at 10 a.m. every day and closes at 5 p.m. On Fridays, it closes at 7 p.m.
New Mexico History Museum
Not a fan of art? Don’t worry: The New Mexico History Museum is an alternate way to spend your time. It’s on the historic Santa Fe Plaza and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except November through April, when the museum is closed on Mondays.
The goal of the museum is to provide visitors with a keen insight into the history of New Mexico. It focuses solely on crafting exhibits centered around the heritage of the Southwest. During your visit, you may catch exhibitions such as “Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now,” “Santa Fe Found: Fragments of time,” and “Setting the Standard: The Fred Harvey Company and Its Legacy.”
Santa Fe Children’s Museum
If you add young kids in the mix, they’ll love the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, which was recently ranked as one of USA Today’s 10 Best Museums in Santa Fe. This museum specializes in programming for kids ages 0 to 12 and includes 35 outdoor and indoor exhibitions to keep them occupied. Perhaps the museum’s most exciting feature is the 1.5-acre outdoor educational garden where kids can explore nature without getting lost.
Naturally, the museum features several regularly scheduled programs. Every Wednesday, activities focus on parents and toddlers. Thursdays feature the Seeds and Sprouts program from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. This museum program allows kids to practice their gardening skills.
The Santa Fe Children’s Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
If you plan to visit these museums, you can search for great Santa Fe hotels using Hotel Planner. When you do, you’ll be able to find a great deal on your Santa Fe accommodations close to these museums.
While you may not be able to explore all three of the museums during any one visit, the allure of this Southwest destination will have you planning a return trip to New Mexico soon.
