New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

What it is

A museum devoted to natural history and science, owned by the State of New Mexico and managed as a state agency under the cultural affairs department. It runs as a public facility that charges admission, which helps pay for its work. The museum is set up with families in mind and welcomes children.

It is one of three museums grouped together near Old Town Albuquerque. The others are ¡Explora!, a hands-on science center, and the Albuquerque Museum, which covers art and local history. Together they make this corner of the city one of the easiest places along the New Mexico stretch of Route 66 to spend a rainy or very hot day indoors, with science, natural history, art and history all within a short walk.

A bit of history

The museum opened its doors in 1986 as a state institution. In 2013 it joined ¡Explora! and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in hosting the annual conference of the Association of Science-Technology Centers, a national network of science museums, which met in Albuquerque that year.

Visiting tips

Allow one to two hours, longer if you plan to move on to the neighboring museums. There is parking on site, restrooms inside, and the building is wheelchair accessible. Expect an admission fee.

¡Explora! is about 0.1 miles away and the Albuquerque Museum about 0.2 miles, so it is simple to park once and walk between all three. For a Route 66 photo stop nearby, the Tower Court, a retro roadside property, is about 0.5 miles from the museum.