It is the merging of the old and the new! The New Mexico History Museum and the Palace of the Governors in downtown Santa Fe are now connected. The Palace of the Governors is one of the oldest occupied government buildings in the U.S. and has witnessed four centuries of history. A 96,000 sq.ft. New Mexico History Museum has been added next to it that displays ancient artifacts, modern-day films, different scopes of exhibits.

Visit these two sites and learn about New Mexico’s native people — from the Spanish colonizers to the Mexican settlers.

New Mexico History Museum entrance lobby.

New Mexico’s civil war exhibits.

A 1915 Stopped Clock.

A bullet pierced this Seth Thomas wall clock at the rail station duting the Villistas’ raid on Columbus, New Mexico.

The Hard Times.

The lower floor exhibits showcased the hard times in New Mexico.

Palace Courtyard.

To go to the Palace of the Governors, you can take the exit door in one side of the New Mexico History Museum. There is a shady Palace Courtyard.

Crackling floors.

Once you enter the Palace of the Governors, you immediately realize how old the building is. The floor rambles in every step you take.

It was one of the very interesting buildings I have visited.

Portions of the floor were opened to reveal century-old underground rooms.

Ancient artifacts found include this jar, dated 1500.

A Must-See.

If you happen to be in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this place should not be missed. Did I already mention that the museum houses the largest collection of pinhole photographs in the United States?

Travel Contact.

Address: 113 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone Number: (505) 476-5200

Where to park downtown.

See this listing of parking lots in downtown Santa Fe.

Admission Fees.

– Admission to the New Mexico History Museum and Palace of the Governors costs $6 for New Mexico residents and $9 for non-residents.
– A $25 CulturePass allows you to visit us and each of the state museums and historic sites once during a 12-month period
– Museum members and children 16 and under are always admitted free.
– Sundays are free for New Mexico residents with ID.
– Wednesdays are free for New Mexico resident seniors with ID.
– Some special shows may require an additional fee

Hours.

Mondays: May through October 10am-5pm. Closed November through April.
Tuesdays – Sundays: 10am-5pm
Fridays: Open for free 5 to 8 pm, May through October, and first Friday of the month, November through March.
The Museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Find your way.

Will you travel and visit the New Mexico History Museum and the Palace of the Governors?

See more of my New Mexico travels.

See also: My other travel adventures.