Santa Fe's Inclusive New Mexico History Museum
Embracing Ancient Puebloan, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo Culture
Jul 8, 2009
Thought the New Mexico capital didn’t need another museum? Think again. The newest addition to Santa Fe’s world class art and life collections knits together all the threads of thousands of years of history from before the earliest humans, to the rise and fall of ancient Indian cities, to the entrance of Spanish conquistadors, to Mexican independence and the takeover by the United States, then all the way to the atomic bomb building during World War II and today’s vibrant culture.
That’s a long journey, but this brilliantly utilized space near the Plaza behind the iconic territorial Palace of the Governors describes New Mexico's natural, political, artistic and social progress in a permanent exhibit, "Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now."
Arrows, Billy the Kid, Atomic Bomb
A sculpture high on a wall shows an array of hundreds of 17th century arrows sticking out from a wall like a porcupine’s hide. It greets visitors in a room that tells the story of the revolt of native Pueblo peoples that erupted in 1680 and drove out the Spanish conquerors. Members of today’s Pueblo tribes explain in taped interviews how their people have inhabited the arid Southwest for many centuries.
A room labeled "Outlaws and Heroes" asks "which is more dangerous – a six shooter, a law book or the influence of a friend in Washington?" There are objects representing the Santa Fe ring, which controlled the territory in the late 19th century, and the spurs belonging to Billy the Kid.
In exhibits devoted to more modern developments, there is a video of Navajo code talkers, who used their language to help the United States in World War II, a room representing the scientists at Los Alamos who put together the first nuclear bomb, and a set of reminiscences by present day residents indicating how varied their backgrounds and experiences are.
Shows Negative As Well As Positive Political and Religious History
The museum gives full voice to disparate, disruptive and negative aspects of the state’s history, such as the conflicting loyalties of residents during the Civil War, the forced conversion of many Indians to Christianity, the Long Walk that pushed Navajo people off their ancestral lands and the "Indian schools" that tried to change Indian children into faux white people.
In short, the New Mexico History Museum is an ideal starting point for a tour of more specialized art museums, galleries, and crafts exhibits throughout Santa Fe and New Mexico. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $9 for out-of-state visitors, $6 for New Mexico residents. It is free on Sunday to all New Mexico residents, free Wednesday to New Mexico seniors, and always free to children under 17, and to everyone Friday evenings 5 to 8 p.m.
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