Santa Fe Tourist Attractions
Like many towns initiated by the Spanish, Santa Fe has a central square that is a gathering place for all types. For hours of entertainment, pull up a bench and people watch; you'll rapidly gain an appreciation for how the "City Different" nickname applies. Especially nice in the summer evenings as the temperatures drop (although rain may drop as well) and the people come out.
Santa Fe Southern Railway, 410 S. Guadalupe St., +1 505 989-8600. Offers sightseeing railroad rides from the railroad station in the middle of town, to Lamy to the south (with the Amtrak station). The good news is that there are several departures, some involving food service (check the web site), and the train itself is interesting and colorful. The bad news is that the route that it follows, although advertised by the railway as featuring "the subtle beauty of the high desert," is generally not as scenic as the really scenic high country to the north and east, or simply walking around the downtown area. Fares start at $32 round-trip for adults, with discounts for seniors and children.
Museums
Santa Fe has a variety of interesting museums, most in the downtown area and easily reached on foot. Museum Hill, south of downtown, is accessible via public transportation. The first four listed below are sub-units of the Museum of New Mexico, for which you can buy a shared pass for $18 that allows access to all four museums and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art within a four-day period. If you only have time for one, individual passes are available.
- Palace of the Governors, 105 E Palace Ave (on Santa Fe Plaza), +1 505 476-5100. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. The oldest public building in the United States, this 17th-century building houses a historical museum and museum shop, the latter with better Hispanic crafts than Native American. $8 (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
- New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W Palace Ave (just west of the Palace of the Governors), +1 505 476-5072. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. It has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, but has a somewhat more diverse, although still New-Mexico-centric, collection. The Museum's St. Francis Auditorium is one of the primary venues in town for concerts, particularly of a classical or folk flavor. $8 (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
- Museum of International Folk Art, 706 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 476-1200. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Of particular delight in this museum is its massive permanent collection, which contains many large, colorful displays of toys, textiles, village scenes, and traditional arts from around the world. The museum also plays host to changing exhibits, many of which are fascinating. $8 (several discounts and occasional free days; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
- Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, 710 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 476-1250. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. A large museum with many American Indian artworks and exhibits on their culture and history. Includes the Laboratory of Anthropology. $8 (several discounts and free admission on occasion; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
- Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, 750 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 982-2226. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Newest of the Museum Hill museums, this museum showcases many Hispano artworks and sponsors the Spanish Market (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). $6 (discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
- Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson Street (just north of downtown), +1 505 946-1000. Sa-Th 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. Devoted to the 20th-century artist who settled near Abiquiu, a small town north of Santa Fe. $8 (senior/youth discounts, free Friday nights after 5PM).
- Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, 704 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), Toll-free: 800-607-4636. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Excellent Native American art collection, with a quaint little gift shop, the Case Trading Post, that sells superb examples of Native arts that reflect the quality of the collection. Frequent special events. Free.
- Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, 108 Cathedral Place (downtown across the street from St. Francis Cathedral), +1 505 983-8900 or +1 888 922-4242 (toll free). M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. The Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA) is a long-standing Santa Fe institution that also sponsors the Santa Fe Indian Market (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). Its museum is in an old building on the National Register of Historic Places. Adults $5, students and seniors (62+) $2.50; discounts for New Mexico residents and tribal members.
- Rancho de los Golondrinas, 334 Los Pinos Road (well outside the center of town), +1 505 471-2261, Fax: +1 505 471-5623. June-Sep W-Su 10AM-4PM. A massive outdoor "living history" museum portraying Spanish colonial days. In May you'll be dodging swarms of bored children on school field trips; visiting in the fall is better. Adult $5, Senior/Teen 13-18/Military $4, Children 5-12 $2 (more during special events).
- Santa Fe Children's Museum, 1050 Old Pecos Trail (a mile or so south of downtown), +1 505 989-8359, Fax: +1 505 989-7506, children@santafechildrensmuseum.org. W-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Many participatory exhibits and various accessible critters. $8 (discount for residents);
Photogenic Attractions
Churches & Cathedrals: There are several photogenic churches in town, most of them open for visits during daylight hours when no church services are in progress (please be respectful and don't attempt flash photography):
- St. Francis Cathedral, 213 Cathedral Place (downtown area), +1 505 982-5619. One of the "must-see" places in town. A tip for the photographer: the main facade faces west, so photographing the exterior (including several striking sculptures such as the one at the top of this page) tends to be most rewarding, atypically for Santa Fe, in the middle of the day, particularly the afternoon.
- Loretto Chapel, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 982-0092, [23]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10:30AM-5PM. Intriguing legend of The Miraculous Staircase.
Santa Fe's origins as a venture of early Spanish colonists have made it the home of a number of legends, myths and stories mixing indigenous and Catholic themes, one of the most famous being the legend of the Miraculous Staircase. The choir loft at Loretto Chapel is reached by a winding staircase with two complete revolutions, and no obvious means of support; it looks like it floats in the air. Legend says that a mysterious carpenter built this staircase single-handed in the 1870s, then vanished without a trace before he could be paid or even identified. Some say that this carpenter was none other than St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters, come to earth. When you visit Loretto Chapel, take a good look at the staircase and decide for yourself whether it requires divine intervention to stay intact.
- San Miguel Mission, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 983-3974. Su 1PM-4:30PM, Summer M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM, Winter M-Sa 10AM-4PM. Thought to be the oldest surviving mission church in the United States. Admission: donation.
- Santuario de Guadalupe, 100 Guadalupe (downtown area). A favorite musical venue.
- Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta (north of downtown but within walking distance of the Plaza). Startling, bright pink.
- The State Capitol Building, corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and Paseo de Peralta (south of downtown), +1 505 986-4589, [24]. Self-guided tours M-F 7AM-6PM, call for guided tours. One of the country's most unusual and striking state capitol buildings, and is usually open to visitors during working hours. It's known locally as "the Roundhouse," and even a casual look will tell you why. Free.
- An enormous number of Santa Fe structures are on the National Register of Historic Places. Rather than recapping the whole list here, visit the web site. A good way of sampling the Historic Places is to start at the Plaza (itself one of the designated places) and work your way out. At least 40 places on the Register can be reached conveniently from here.
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