Best Museums to Visit in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is home to many famous museums, with nearly 20 different museums located around the city! Whether you’re an art lover, history buff, or just looking to soak up as much of Santa Fe’s culture as possible, a visit to a museum is at the top of many visitor’s lists.
If you’re looking for a place to stay, our Santa Fe vacation rentals are perfect for art lovers, history buffs, and anyone that wants to enjoy an authentic Southwest experience!
Georgia O Keeffe Museum
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, in Santa Fe, New Mexico honors one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. Georgia O’Keeffe’s images are instantly recognizable and 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 has over 3,000 works including 140 O’Keeffe oil paintings, nearly 700 drawings, and hundreds of additional works dating from 1901 to 1984. A visit to the O’Keeffe Museum offers insight not only into the artist’s paintings but also her creative process and the light and landscape that inspired her. Educational programs at the Museum serve more than 7,100 students and adults per year with a robust slate of workshops, lectures, conversations, and classroom activities.
Museum of International Folk Art
The Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe is the largest folk art museum in the world! Here you will be able to view many works of art that represent Santa Fe’s unique culture and style that embodies the essence of the Southwest!
Not only will you be able to view works of art, but you can also take part in creating it as well. There are art-making classes, programs, and demonstrations that welcome art lovers of all ages. Additionally, the museum is one of Santa Fe’s top venues for hosting weddings and private events.
Santa Fe Children’s Museum
The Santa Fe Children’s Museum is one of the city’s top attractions for families with children up to 12 years old. Here you will be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities that include interactive exhibits that are both fun and educational!
Be sure to check the museum’s calendar of events and attend one of the many scheduled programs that include art, science, and even star gazing!
New Mexico History Museum
Relatively new to the city, the New Mexico History Museum has become one of Santa Fe’s top places to visit in only a decade of existence.
Here you will be able to learn about New Mexico’s past 400 years of history, including indigenous people, the arrival of the Spanish, Mexican influence, and more modern history after becoming the 47th state in 1912. By understanding the area’s history, you can see the origin of the area’s unique influences that has made Santa Fe famous for its cultural and artistic qualities.
After spending a day at one of the many museums, we highly recommend checking out the many incredible restaurants in Santa Fe before returning to one of Santa Fe rentals.