Things to Do in New Mexico

Seven miles north of Santa Fe in the desert, hiding in plain sight and looking directly at the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rockies, the Santa Fe Opera House is found. Built in 1956 in a newly purchased guest ranch, founder John Crosby created the opera house as a place to teach young American singers new repertoires, in a relaxed atmosphere, away from everything, providing enough time and space to rehearse and prepare.

The shows became popular for offering a perfect spot to dine and watch the sunset, while enjoying an open air theatre. Since its inception, every season has presented five operas including a world premiere or rarity, a Mozart, and a Richard Strauss, as well as other titles by composers like Handel, Verdi, Puccini, Britten, and Janacek.

301 Opera Dr, Santa Fe, NM 87506, Phone: 505-986-5900

Founded in 1986, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science exists to tell the story of the Earth, from the Big Bang to the Ice Age, in its permanent exhibits: Origins, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Jurassic Super Giants, New Mexico Seacoast, Age of Volcanoes, Evolving Grasslands, Cave Experience, and New Mexico’s Ice Age. The museum is one of the top New Mexico tourist attractions.

They also have a planetarium and two galleries dedicated to space exploration and astronomy. Some of its most outstanding features are the complete skeletons of four dinosaurs, including one of the biggest T-Rex ever to be found. Another enlightening exhibit is STARTUP, which tells the story of the personal computer, based on the story of Microsoft, which was founded in Albuquerque.

1801 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, Phone: 505-841-2800

Located in Taos, New Mexico, the Millicent Rogers Museum was founded in 1956 by the Millicent Rogers family, and holds a large collection of Hispanic, Anglo-American, and Native American art, including pottery, paintings, photography, graphics, arts, crafts, and jewelry.

It became known in 1980 for being the first to house Hispanic and Native American art collections, including more than 1,200 pieces of jewelry and more than 50 textiles. It also features work from Taos Pueblo potters and painters, portraying the lives of the Pueblo people.

1504 Millicent Rogers Rd, El Prado, NM 87529, Phone: 575-758-2462

Acoma Pueblo, 60 miles west of Albuqerque, New Mexico, is made out of three villages: Sky City, Acomita, and Mcartys, that make up the Acoma Indian Reservation. The Acoma Pueblo, a federally recognized tribal entity, is made up of 4,989 individuals according to the 2010 United States Census, which have been there for more than 2,000 years.

In 2008, they opened the Sky City Cultural Center & Haak'u Museum, in order to share their culture and gain income through tourism. It is without a doubt one of the best places to connect with indigenous cultures, due to the fact that they are still there, and manage the place.

Haaku Rd, Acoma Pueblo, NM 87034, Phone: 505-552-7861

The first thing you must wonder about Ghost Ranch is the origin of its name. As it turns out, in order to keep people from digging into their stolen stuff, cattle thieves spread the rumors of evil spirits haunting the land. Thus, it became known as Ghost Ranch. It is a beautiful, vast, natural place, formed by miles of dessert, cliffs, mesas, vistas, cottonwood trees, and mountains.

Its landscape, made famous by Georgia O’Keeffe, englobes 21,000 acres of rock walls, and people come from all over the world for spiritual development, writing, painting, hiking, horseback riding, completing fossil or archeological research, visiting the museums, or just resting and enjoying the views.

Ghost Ranch 280 Private Drive 1708, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 877-804-4678

Meow Wolf in Santa Fe is not just your standard art exhibit. Meow Wolf is a hands-on experience for all ages. When author George R.R. Martin purchased the building he had a vision of an interactive exhibit where patrons could choose what they wanted to see and how it makes them feel.

The House of Eternal Return lets visitors experience art through senses of touch, sight, and sound through different dimensions. Meow Wolf also hosts concerts, events, and workshops for all ages.

1352 Rufina Cir, Santa Fe, NM 87507, Phone: 505-395-6369

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the most popular of the national parks in the southwest region of the United States. 250 million years ago, the Caverns used to be a shoreline for an inland sea, so when the sea evaporated, it left sediments that created caves.

At the entrance, there is a 1.25 mile trail where visitors can walk and explore different "rooms" (open areas in the caverns). There are stalagmites, stalactites, and giant boulders that make the caverns look like something from an Indiana Jones movie. If they look closely, visitors can even see the bats who call the caverns home. The tour offers a glimpse into the ways the world was millions of years ago.

Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour, 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM, Phone: 575-785-2232

In the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost point of the Rocky Mountains, the town of Red River awaits. Located in Taos County, its population in 2010 was only 477, even though in its time, thousands inhabited the land and worked on the mines.

There, in the 1950s, the Red River Ski & Summer Area was founded with the intention of making it a great getaway destination. Outdoor activities in the area include trout fishing, skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling in the winter, and hiking, biking, fishing, and horseback riding in the summers.

400 Pioneer Rd, Red River, NM 87558, Phone: 575-754-2223

Home of the largest collection of international folk art in the world, the Museum of International Folk Art is a must-see when in New Mexico. Founded by Florence Dibell, this state-run institution in Santa Fe opened its doors to the public in 1953. It now has over 130,000 objects on display, from more than 100 countries, and it is based on the belief of its founder, that folk art would generate “an appreciation of the culture and craft of other countries.”

She also believed that the museum would serve as “one avenue for a closer understanding between men,” since traditional folk arts from all over the world was a way of demonstrating a common bond. The different galleries represent cultures from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, and North America, with a deeper focus on Contemporary Hispano and Latino Art, Spanish Colonial Art, and Textiles and Dress.

706 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone: 505-476-1200

The Palace of the Governors, located on Palace Avenue on the Plaza of Santa Fe, is the oldest public building continuously occupied in the United States. It was built in 1610 by Pedro de Peralta, governor of the Spanish colony that is today most of the American Southwest, including New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, California, Texas, and Nevada. Since that time, it has changed hands many times such as during the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, the reconquest in 1693, Mexican independence in 1821, and it has been under American possession since 1848.

This adobe structure that is today the New Mexico History Museum was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and an American Treasure in 1999. Collections are separated into the Spanish Colonial period (1540 to 1821), the Mexican period (1821 to 1846), the U.S. territorial period (1846 to 1912), and the statehood period (1912 to present). It consists of 15,000 objects including such highlights as the Segesser Hide Paintings, State Seal, Silver Service, “Pancho” Villa Clock, 19th Century Desk, and 16th century Morion helmet.

New Mexico History Museum, 113 Lincoln Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501, Phone: 505-476-5200