Things to see in Santa Fe
Attractions
SITE Santa Fe
Anchoring the Railyard arts district, the façade of this contemporary art museum is itself a work of art. Set it a renovated warehouse, it was founded in 1995 to stage the only international biennial of contemporary art in the country. In addition to the biennials, which attract top artists from around the world, SITE curates exhibitions and events year-round. This is the best place to see thought-provoking, cutting-edge art in Santa Fe.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 989 1199.
Opening times:
Thu 1000-1700, Fri 1000-1900, Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700; Wed 1000-1700 (Jul-Aug).
Website: http://sitesantafe.orgAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Museum of International Folk Art
Part of the Museum of New Mexico, and perhaps the most visually intriguing of Santa Fe's museums, this facility holds the world's largest collection of folk art. It encompasses an outstanding assortment of objects from around the globe, ranging from dolls, toys and masks to textiles, paintings and religious art. The highlight is the Girard Foundation Collection, a re-creation of villages from 100 nations, made with miniature buildings, streets, and marketplaces, and filled with tiny people and animals arranged in evocative scenes of everyday life and celebrations. The Spanish Colonial folk art collection occupies an entire wing. There are also regularly changing exhibitions.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 476 1200.
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700 (May-Oct), Tue-Sun 1000-1700 (Nov-Apr).
Website: http://www.internationalfolkart.orgAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
Showcasing the work of one of the nation's most important artists, this space just off the Plaza houses more than 1,000 of O'Keeffe's paintings, drawings, pastels, watercolours, and sculptures. Exhibitions are regularly refreshed with different pieces from the collection and the museum stages themed shows in context with her contemporaries, such as Ansel Adams. O'Keeffe fell in love with the landscape of this region and spent her later years in an old adobe house in Abiquiu. Her work shone a spotlight on the beauty of northern New Mexico. Don't miss the film shown frequently throughout the day.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 946 1000.
Opening times:
Sat-Thurs 0900-1700, Fri 0900-1900 (Memorial Day in May-mid-Oct); Sat-Thurs 1000-1700, Fri 1000-1900 (mid-Oct-Memorial Day in May).
Website: http://www.okeeffemuseum.orgAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Museum of Contemporary Native Arts
Housed in a striking Pueblo Revival-style building near the Cathedral, this is the only museum in the country dedicated to showcasing the work of contemporary Native American artists. Its galleries display changing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture and mixed media pieces which blend traditional and modern themes into impressive works that range from the whimsical to the political. The museum is part of the Institute of American Indian Arts, whose collection comprises some 7,500 artworks by many prominent artists.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 983 8900.
Opening times:
Mon 1000-1700, Wed-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700.
Website: http://www.iaia.edu/museumAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
With a stunning location on Museum Hill, this institution focuses on traditional Native American arts and culture. The stories of Navajo, Apache and Pueblo communities in the southwest are told through the voices of tribal elders, teachers, writers and artists in an atmospheric setting that evokes the deep spirituality of the indigenous people. A superb collection of Pueblo pottery and examples of rock art and petroglyphs are complemented by changing exhibitions that highlight topics such as Native American music, photographic portraits and the significance of turquoise stone.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 476 1250
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700 (May-Oct), Tue-Sun 1000-1700 (Nov-Apr).
Website: http://www.indianartsandculture.orgAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Palace of the Governors
Built as a government house by the Spanish in 1610, this adobe landmark is the oldest American public building still in use. Beneath the long portal (arcade) facing the Plaza, local Pueblo Indian artisans sell jewellery and traditional handicrafts. Inside, period rooms and exhibits from an extensive collection highlight key events in Santa Fe and regional history. The Palace is the cornerstone of the New Mexico History Museum, which is set in a bright, contemporary building next door. Its engaging exhibits present a fresh look at south-western US history from a variety of perspectives.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 476 5100.
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700 (May-Oct), Tue-Sun 1000-1700 (Nov-Apr).
Website: http://www.palaceofthegovernors.orgAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
New Mexico Museum of Art
There are more than 20,000 pieces of art in the state's oldest art museum whose collection showcases south-western artists and includes major pieces by Georgia O'Keeffe. The 1917 building, on the western corner of the Plaza, is in a Pueblo Revival architectural style. Along with many of its original paintings, the museum stages exhibitions that highlight a broad range of contemporary artists. It also features two sculpture gardens. This is a good place to begin exploring art of the southwest.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 476 5072.
Opening times:
Sun-Thurs 1000-1700, Fri 1000-2000 (May-Oct), Tue-Sun 1000-1700 (Nov-Apr).
Website: http://www.nmartmuseum.orgAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Canyon Road
Stretching for nearly a mile, Canyon Road is Santa Fe's premier arts district, home to more than 100 top-end art galleries. Offerings range from works by early Santa Fe and Taos artists circa 1900 to Native American and Western art as well as contemporary masters. Formerly a dirt track used by Indians and early settlers, Canyon Road is a picturesque place to stroll. Many of the galleries are set in beautifully decorated adobe homes over a century old. Look out for charming gardens and courtyards, towering chestnut trees at El Zaguán, and the kinetic sculptures at Mark White Fine Art.
Address: , , ,Telephone:
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700.
Website: http://www.visitcanyonroad.comAdmission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
San Miguel Mission
Dating from around 1610, this Santa Fe landmark is said to be the oldest church in the United States. Although it was burned and rebuilt a century later, the original dirt floor and adobe steps can still be seen in front of the altar, as can the great wooden roof beams, restored in 1692. Behind the charming adobe facade, the simple sanctuary is evocative and moving, with carved wooden statues and altarpiece, and paintings on deer and buffalo hides. The mission stands in the Barrio de Analco district, designated a National Historic Landmark. Next door is Santa Fe's oldest house, which dates to the 1600s and can be visited too.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 983 3974.
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 1000-1400, Sat 1100-1500, Sun 1400-1700.
Website:Admission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
Saint Francis Cathedral
Started in 1869 and finished by 1886, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is the exquisite creation of Archbishop Lamy, the city's first archbishop. Created in a French Romanesque style rather than the usual Spanish, it is easily one of the greatest landmarks in New Mexico. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, housing a wooden Virgin that came to Santa Fe in 1625, is all that remains of La Parroquia, the earlier adobe church structure at this site. The cathedral's light stone facade is especially beautiful when it glows in the late afternoon light.
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 982 5619.
Opening times:
Daily 0600-1800.
Website: http://www.cbsfa.orgAdmission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau
Address: , , ,Telephone: +1 505 955 6200.
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0800-1700.
Website: http://www.santafe.orgInternational visitors can also contact the Santa Fe Council on International Relations, Room 281 at La Fonda Hotel, 100 East San Francisco Street (tel: +1 505 982 4931). Check the website for special savings offered at various lodgings, restaurants, and shops.
Tourist passes
The Museum of New Mexico offers passes to the four Santa Fe museums within its system. These include the New Mexico Museum of Art, the New Mexico History Museum, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art. A four-day pass giving unlimited admission to all four museums, and a one-day pass giving admission to any two museums, are available from any of the above attractions.
