Museums Near Me in Mosquero
Billy the Kid Museum
1435 East Sumner Avenue, Fort Sumner, NM
Does history bore you with all those dates? Not here! Billy the Kid Museum is where history suddenly comes to life and shows you that it is not just a list of dull dates. History is about people—who they were, how they lived, and in some cases, how they died. Come in and find out about the folks who lived and died and fought in the Old West.
The best-known figure is Billy the Kid. We have his rifle, chaps and spurs, the original Wanted poster, and even locks of his hair. Was he really as bad as everyone says? You can decide that for yourself after you've seen our display.
Our other displays include the military cavalry sword of John Chisum, more than 150 firearms of varying ages, and antique automobiles ranging from 1914 fire trucks, Model Ts, and Model As to 1956 classic cars.
Rex Historical Museum
300 West Historic Route 66 Avenue, Gallup, NM
Get a sense of Gallup’s rich and colorful heritage at the Rex Museum. Once a brothel and later a grocery, the museum building houses exhibits detailing a wide swath of local history, exploring the culture of the area’s earliest inhabitants, mining and railroad activities through to present-day Gallup. Researchers will find a number of important historical resources including an inventory of the graves at Hillcrest Cemetery, photographs, newspapers, artifacts and books about Gallup’s past.
Museum Of Indian Arts And Culture
710 Camino Lejo off Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology is to inspire appreciation for and knowledge of the diverse native arts, histories, languages, and cultures of the Greater Southwest.
Vision Statement:
We have an integrated, effective staff who perform our mission with high morale and dedication through effective teamwork and sharing responsibility for projects.
Our state-of-the-art-exhibits continue to excite and inspire people to learn more about Native cultures and the anthropology and archaeology of the Greater Southwest.
We are viewed as a leader in our field resulting in increased recognition by international scholars, our funders, our stakeholders, accrediting agencies, and other museums.
We strive to improve our facilities and increase access through the digitization of our collections and the development of the Center for New Mexico Archaeology.
About Us:
The Museum of Indian Arts & 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.
More than 65,000 visitors come to the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture each year, of which 30% hail from New Mexico, 50% from other states, and 20% from foreign countries. It is MIAC's mission to provide cross-cultural education to the many visitors to Santa Fe who take part in our programs and to New Mexican residents throughout the state. It is especially important that MIAC serve the Indian communities in our state and throughout the Southwest whose contemporary and ancestral cultures are represented in the museum's collections.
Museum Of International Folk Art
706 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Museum of International Folk Art is to enrich the human spirit by connecting people with the arts, traditions, and cultures of the world.
The Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) explores the dynamics of artistic expression in the context of cultural change. Through its collections, exhibitions, publications, and educational programs, the museum expands perceptions of folk art and encourages dialogue about traditions, cultural identity, community and aesthetics.
Honoring the vision of its founder Florence Dibell Bartlett that "the art of the craftsman is a bond between the peoples of the world," MOIFA is committed to increasing cultural understanding by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and presenting diverse and shared artistic traditions. MOIFA recognizes that the term folk art suggests a range of meanings»-- and that a diversity of viewpoints can foster discussion and creativity. In doing so, MOIFA offers a museum experience that encourages lifelong learning and global perspectives.
MOIFA cares for its collections in order to preserve them for future generations while making them accessible to present day visitors in accordance with professional standards. MOIFA invites visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to engage with ideas and objects. Adhering to the best practices of the museum profession, MOIFA's award-wining exhibitions, based on current research and multidisciplinary scholarship, appeal to the senses as well as to the intellect.
Santa Fe Children's Museum
1050 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM
Mission:
Discovering the joys of learning, play and community.
Our mission is to build upon a child's natural sense of joy and discovery by cultivating habits of inquiry in the arts, sciences and humanities. The museum's informal learning environment fosters interactions among children and families and encourages active participation in the learning process through interactive exhibitions and programs. As an educational institution, we provide leadership on issues concerning children. Through its exhibits, programs, staffing and governance, the museum recognizes and reflects our community's economic, ethnic and cultural diversity. The Santa Fe Children's Museum is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Values:
Among the many types of museums in the world today, children's museums stand alone in providing an environment distinctly different from other institutions. The Santa Fe Children's Museum is based on a simple idea: children learn by doing. As a compliment to classroom education, this museum provides an informal environment for children to use their hands and minds together. As a site for family outings, children and parents are brought together in the spirit of challenging play.
Indeed, the Santa Fe Children's Museum is all about discovery! Given the fact that children are growing up in a world whose future cannot possibly be anticipated or defined, the museum staff believe that they must give children the opportunity to develop a sense of wonder and curiosity that will always be with them. Basic to the museum philosophy is the conviction that children learn best when they can be self-motivated, have fun and experience the enjoyment of seeking and searching for answers to the questions they formulate for themselves.
To that end we have created a place of warmth and color, a learning laboratory whose exhibits and programs are designed to cultivate habits of inquiry that will last a lifetime.
Palace of the Governors Museum
120 Washington Avenue, Santa Fe, NM
About US :
Originally constructed in the early 17th century as Spain's seat of government for what is today the American Southwest, the Palace of the Governors chronicles the history of Santa Fe, as well as New Mexico and the region. This adobe structure, now the state's history museum, was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark in 1960 and an American Treasure in 1999.
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
217 Johnson Street, Santa Fe, NM
Mission Statement:
The Museum is dedicated to the artistic legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe, her life and American modernism.
History:
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, opened to the public in July 1997, eleven years after the death of the artist from whom it takes its name. Welcoming more than 2,225,000 visitors from all over the world and being the most visited art museum in the state of New Mexico, it is the only museum in the world dedicated to an internationally known American woman artist.
One of the most significant artists of the 20th century, Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was devoted to creating imagery that expressed what she called “the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it.” She was a leading member of the Stieglitz Circle artists, headed by Alfred Stieglitz, America’s first advocate of modern art in America. These avant-garde artists began to flourish in New York in the 1910s. O’Keeffe’s images - instantly recognizable as her own - include abstractions, large-scale depictions of flowers, leaves, rocks, shells, bones and other natural forms, New York cityscapes and paintings of the unusual shapes and colors of architectural and landscape forms of northern New Mexico.
The Museum’s collection of over 3,000 works comprises 1,149 O’Keeffe paintings, drawings, and sculptures that date from 1901 to 1984, the year failing eyesight forced O’Keeffe into retirement. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is the largest single repository of O'Keeffe's work in the world. Throughout the year, visitors can see a changing selection of these works. In addition, the Museum presents special exhibitions that are either devoted entirely to O’Keeffe’s work or combine examples of her art with works by her American modernist contemporaries. The Museum also organizes exhibitions of works by her contemporaries, as well as by living artists of distinction. Over 140 artists other than O’Keeffe have been exhibited at the Museum, such as Arthur Dove, Sherrie Levine, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Research Center opened in July 2001 as a component of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. As the only museum-related research facility in the world dedicated to the study of American Modernism (late nineteenth century - present), it sponsors research in the fields of art history, architectural history and design, literature, music and photography. Its annual, competitive stipend program awards six stipends to qualified applicants who can spend three to twelve months at the Research Center, which makes its library, collections and unique archives accessible to researchers worldwide as well as to its in-house scholars.
The Museum and its Research Center are both Pueblo Revival-style buildings located two blocks from the historic Santa Fe Plaza and were renovated in 1997 and 2001, respectively, by Gluckman Mayner Architects, New York.
SITE Santa Fe
1606 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM
Vision:
SITE Santa Fe nurtures innovation, discovery, and inspiration through the art of today.
History:
SITE Santa Fe creates significant experiences for visitors by presenting the most innovative visual art of our time in new and engaging ways. Since its opening in 1995, SITE Santa Fe has been committed to supporting new developments in contemporary art, encouraging artistic exploration, and expanding traditional museum experiences. SITE's year-round schedule of exhibitions serves as a platform for experimental curatorial approaches, innovative exhibition design, and projects by emerging and established artists. SITE also hosts an Art & Culture series of lectures and performances, as well as an extensive education and outreach program for local schools, all of which attract 20,000-30,000 local, national and international visitors.
Launched in 1995 to organize the only international biennial of contemporary art in the United States, SITE soon expanded its programming to include exhibitions year round, often accompanied by highly acclaimed catalogues. SITE has since presented nine international biennial exhibitions. Each has drawn global attention and brought important contemporary art to the Santa Fe community and beyond. Conceived to bring the global contemporary art dialogue to the art-rich Southwest, and as a major event on par with such renowned exhibitions as the Whitney Biennial and the Venice Biennale, it has become an integral event for contemporary art aficionados, attracting many visitors from around the world. Past biennial curators have gone on to hold significant roles in the contemporary art world, a testament to SITE's forward-thinking vision. Following their SITE Santa Fe Biennial guest curatorships, Francesco Bonami (1997), Rosa MartÃÂnez (1999) and Robert Storr (2004) were chosen to organize the Venice Biennales in 2003, 2005, and 2007, respectively. Dave Hickey received the coveted MacArthur "Genius Award" after organizing SITE's Biennial in 2001. Klaus Ottmann (2006), Lance Fung (2008) and Sarah Lewis and Daniel Belasco (2010) have all garnered significant praise for their respective biennials, and have gone on to exciting posts and projects worldwide.
Roswell Museum and Art Center
100 West Eleventh Street, Roswell, NM
Mission:
The Roswell Museum and Art Center inspires discovery, creativity, and cultural understanding of the art and history of the American Southwest and beyond.
History:
The Roswell Museum and Art Center was founded in 1935 through an agreement between the City of Roswell, Works Progress Administration (WPA), Federal Art Project (FAP), Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society, and the Roswell Friends of Art. The Museum opened in 1937, deriving its initial support from the WPA as part of a Depression era project to promote public art centers nationwide. Today, the Roswell Museum and Art Center is among a handful of these Federal Art Centers that remain in operation. In its proposed plan, the WPA established that “the root of the community art center idea is participation by the entire community in all forms of art experience…” The stated purpose of the Museum was “to serve the art needs of Roswell [through] continuously changing exhibitions in the fine and practical arts, lectures and gallery talks [music programs and an art school where classes were offered free to the public].
International UFO Museum and Research Center
114 North Main Street, Roswell, NM
History:
In July 1947, something happened northwest of Roswell during a severe thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon? What happened?
The answer is nothing for many years until leading UFO researcher Stanton Friedman came across the story in the early 1980s and began the search for information and witnesses. That research brought him to Roswell looking for the public information officer at Roswell Army Air Field in 1947. That officer was Lt. Walter Haut. He still lived in Roswell and remembered the press release and the orders from his commanding officer. Friedman's investigation also led to many others both military and private who had information to add to the Roswell Incident story. Stepping into the picture very strongly in the late 1980s were Don Schmitt, Kevin Randle and Tom Carey. Schmitt and Carey dedicate their research to Roswell.
The debris recovered by rancher WW Mack Brazel was gathered up by the military from the Roswell Army Air Field under the direction of base intelligence officer Major Jesse Marcel. On July 8, 1947, public information officer Lt. Walter Haut issued a press release under orders from base commander Col. William Blanchard that said basically we have in our possession a flying saucer. The next day another press release was issued but this time from Gen. Roger Ramey stating it was a weather balloon. That was the start of the best know and documented UFO cover-up.
El Rancho De Las Golondrinas
334 Los Pinos Road, Santa Fe, NM
About Us:
El Rancho de las Golondrinas is a living history museum located on 200 acres in a rural farming valley just south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The museum, dedicated to the history, heritage and culture of 18th and 19th century New Mexico, opened in 1972. Original colonial buildings on the site date from the early 1700s. In addition, historic buildings from other parts of northern New Mexico have been reconstructed at Las Golondrinas. Villagers clothed in the styles of the times show how life was lived on the frontier in early New Mexico. Special festivals and weekend events offer visitors an in-depth look into the celebrations, music, dance and many other aspects of life in the Spanish, Mexican and Territorial periods of the Southwest.
Bradbury Science Museum
1350 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM
Primary Mission:
To interpret Laboratory research, activities and history to official visitors the general public and Laboratory employees.
To promote greater public understanding of the Laboratory's role in national security programs.
To assist the taxpaying public in making informed judgments in these matters.
And to contribute to visitors knowledge of science and technology and to improve the quality of math and science education in northern New Mexico.
History:
In 1953, Robert Krohn, who was in charge of early nuclear tests at Los Alamos National Laboratory, decided that the Laboratory needed a museum to house historical weapon-research artifacts. Krohn convinced Norris Bradbury (Laboratory director, 1945-1970) that a museum could preserve the Laboratory's history while at the same time providing a place for official visitors to learn about the Laboratory's weapon programs.
An old ice house on the bank of Ashley Pond across from Fuller Lodge became the first Laboratory museum. Already fitted with a vault door, the ice house satisfied security standards for housing the classified exhibits Krohn wanted to preserve. The ice-house museum opened to official visitors in 1954.
In 1963, Robert Porton, director of community relations at the Laboratory, expressed an interest in adding unclassified exhibits to the museum. Bradbury approved the transfer of unclassified exhibits to an area open to the public, and soon World War II era documents and photographs tracing the development of the town and the Laboratory were displayed with scientific memorabilia and working models of unclassified research projects. In its first year, 14,000 visitors from 50 states and 40 countries visited the museum.
In 1965, the museum was moved to larger quarters. The range and number of exhibits grew rapidly and included many hands-on models contributed by scientific groups and divisions within the Laboratory.
In 1970, the museum was renamed the Norris E. Bradbury Science Museum, honoring the Laboratory's second director. Eventually, the Museum's official name was shortened to the Bradbury Science Museum. Major renovations to the Museum took place in 1981. Informal, donated exhibits gave way to professionally designed exhibits in a formal museum atmosphere. Videotapes, videodisks, and interactive computer programs were introduced. New artifacts included a Mark 12A warhead, models of Vela and Navistar verification and communication satellites, and an air-launched cruise missile.
By 1987, annual attendance had reached 80,000, and parking space for visitors was disappearing. Laboratory officials began exploring options for relocating the Museum site. In April, 1993, the Museum moved into its new and present location in the heart of downtown Los Alamos. The building was designed by William Agnew and Associates and is leased by the Laboratory from a private owner.
Today, approximately 40 interactive exhibits trace the history of the WWII Manhattan Project, highlight the Laboratory's current and historic research projects related to defense and technology, and focus on Laboratory research related to national and international economic, environmental, political, and social concerns. These exhibits together with extensive educational and community programs draw nearly 100,000 visitors a year.
Los Alamos Historical Museum
1050 Bathtub Row, Los Alamos, NM
About Us:
The Los Alamos Historical Society preserves, promotes and communicates the remarkable history of Los Alamos and its people for our community, for the global audience and for future generations.
The Society maintains the Los Alamos Historic Museum and Shop as well as the Los Alamos Historical Archives. We also publish a variety of books on the history of Los Alamos and the surrounding region, sponsor monthly historical lectures and provide a variety of activities to promote the history of Los Alamos. The Historical Society owns and maintains historically significant properties, such as the Romero Cabin and the J. Robert Oppenheimer house, in Los Alamos for the purposes of preservation and education.
The Los Alamos Historical Society is a non-profit, 501(c)-3 organization incorporated under the laws of the state of New Mexico. Membership is open to all persons interested in the purposes of the society.
Smokey Bear Museum and Gift Shop
102 Smokey Bear Boulevard, Capitan, NM
Smokey's Museum opened in 1961, having been dedicated in 1958, the rustic one room building almost bursts with Smokey memorabilia, photos and posters chronicling his life history. Engaging drawings by Rudy Wendelin and Harold Walter's enlarged photos catch visitors' eyes first. In one of Walter's photos, the cub Smokey looks up at the first poster of Smokey Bear. In another, the tiny Smokey crawls over Judy Bell's knee.
Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame
1 Thunderbird Circle, Hobbs, NM
The Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame
Founded in 1978, the Cowboy Hall of Fame was initially a long-time dream of Lea County rancher and professional roper, Dale "Tuffy" Cooper. Cooper's idea of a place to honor the ranching and rodeo heritage of Lea County was presented by Sylvia Mahoney, then New Mexico Junior College’s rodeo coach, to the college’s interim president, R.N. Tydings. President Tydings and the NMJC Board of Trustees strongly supported the idea. It was decided that the dream could become a reality and belonged on the NMJC campus where the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the rodeo program would complement each other.
The Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame soon outgrew its original location in Caster Gymnasium. In 2005, New Mexico Junior College erected a new museum facility and developed the museum that is today known as the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame. The Western Heritage Museum and the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame work together to give an over-all history of the region. This partnership has provided the opportunity to offer more educational programs, more cultural events, and explore the pre-history of the region up to the modern age of oil and gas.
The Western Heritage Museum is a multi-functional center dedicated to bringing people together, providing numerous educational experiences, and presenting the diversity of the cultural and natural histories of Southeastern New Mexico and the surrounding regions. The Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame is a 501 (c) 3 non profit corporation dedicated to the role of honoring those persons from Lea County, NM who have made outstanding contributions in the world of rodeo, ranching, and the ranching way of life. The Cowboy Hall of Fame honors individuals who have influenced the growth of our community through their leadership, and enhances and compliments the educational process at New Mexico Junior College.
National Museum of Nuclear Science and History
601 Eubank Boulevard South East, Albuquerque, NM
Mission:
The Museum’s mission is "To serve as America’s resource for nuclear history and science. The Museum presents exhibits and quality educational programs that convey the diversity of individuals and events that shape the historical and technical context of the nuclear age."
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
1801 Mountain Road North West, Albuquerque, NM
Mission:
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science preserves and interprets the distinctive natural and scientific heritage of our state through our extraordinary collections, research, exhibits and programs designed to ignite a passion for lifelong learning.
Vision:
We inspire a greater appreciation, understanding and stewardship of science and our natural world.
Albuquerque Museum
2000 Mountain Road North West, Albuquerque, NM
The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History has served as the city's cultural center since 1967. Located in the heart of Old Town, The Museum maintains a reputation for being one of the leading institutions for art, history and culture in the Southwest. Today, through the support of the City of Albuquerque, Cultural Services Department and the Albuquerque Museum Foundation, The Museum continues to celebrate the rich culture of the people, history and art through local, regional, national and international exhibitions.
Turquoise Museum
2107 Central Avenue North West, Albuquerque, NM
The Turquoise Museum and its collection of turquoise have been used as a source of information and pictures for over 40 years. Uncover the mystery of turquoise, delve into its’ rich history, learn about the different mines, specimens and stories of colorful characters at The Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Authors of books, magazines, articles and research papers have all used the museum as a source of information. Its’ rich repository of turquoise specimens from over one hundred mines, educations and histories make it a must see in its’ travel exhibits and permanent location in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The museum is still privately owned and operated to this day.
Belen Harvey House Museum
104 North First Street, Belen, NM
Our Mission:
To preserve and promote the history of the Harvey House and Harvey Girls, the history and role of railroads in the southwest, and local history about the Belen area.