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Albuquerque Museums

Albuquerque is fortunate to have a wide variety of museums. In addition to museums devoted to art, science and culture, you'll find other diverse topics, such as balloons, rattlesnakes, telephones, even a miniature wooden world. No matter your mood and inclination, there's a great place to spend a bit of time while in Albuquerque.

Find out which museums offer free admission, or when they offer special free days.

1. Albuquerque Museum of Art and History

The museum offers in depth looks at regional art and history, as well as traveling exhibits and shows. Located in the heart of Old Town, it is across the street from some of Albuquerque's other well known museums, such as Explora and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Permanent exhibits on Albuquerque's history and art in New Mexico.

The museum houses a gift shop and Slate Cafe. Walking gallery tours are offered Tuesday - Sunday at 2 p.m., and no reservation is necessary. Sculpture garden tours are offered April through November at 10 a.m. Walking tours of Old Town are offered Tuesday - Sunday at 11 a.m., mid-March through mid-December.

Location: 2000 Mountain Road NW
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday
Admission: NM resident: $2 seniors 65+, $3 adults, $3 youth 13 - 16, $1 children 4 - 12.
Out of state resident: $2 seniors 65+, $4 adults, $3 youth 13 - 16, $1 children 4 - 12.

General admission is free every Sunday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., and from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month. Fees for special exhibits and events still apply.

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2. Balloon Museum

The Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum features real hot air balloons, balloon baskets, information on the history of ballooning, as well as facts and information on the balloons themselves. Find out what the Albuquerque Box is all about, and take a ride in a virtual hot air balloon. The museum is hands-on, interactive and overlooks the Balloon Fiesta Park.

Location: 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday (closed Mondays)
Cost: $4 adults ($1 discount for NM residents_, $2 seniors 65+, $1 children ages 4 - 12.

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3. Explora

Photo © Aileen O'Catherine

Explora is a kid's paradise, with hands-on, interactive fun. From young toddlers to adults, there are games, puzzles, exhibits and galleries that offer exploration into the concepts and ideas of science. A live theater and special exhibits keep the content fresh and ever-changing. Find out how to fly a plane, take a high wire bicycle ride, make a film, or explore one of the other many exhibits, all of which explore science.

Location: 1701 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Cost: $8 adults, $5 seniors 65+, $4 children 1 - 11.

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4. Geology and Meteorite Museums

The Silver Family Geology Museum was started in the 1930s and is in Northrop Hall on the University of New Mexico campus. Its exhibits of fossils, minerals and rock specimens represent a percentage of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences collection. See displays of a late Cretaceous Mososaur, a real-time display of worldwide earthquakes, and the special collection of fluorescent minerals. Kids enjoy the museum, and its neighbor down the hall, the UNM Meteorite Museum.

Location: Northrop Hall, Room 124
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed noon - 1 p.m. Closed Saturdays, Sundays and all UNM Holidays. Call (505) 277-4204 to be sure the museum is open.
Cost: Free.

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5. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

The museum's permanent exhibit features a history of the Pueblo world and original artwork from each of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. The museum also features changing exhibitions, a Pueblo House, dance performances, lectures, classes and featured Pueblo artists. A gift shop and restaurant are on site.

Location: 2401 12th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cost: $6 adults, ($4 New Mexico residents with ID), $5.50 seniors 62+, $3 students w/ID, $3 children 5-17.

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6. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology

The museum has two permanent exhibits which look in depth at our ancestors and origins of human evolution, and the people of the southwest. Other exhibits change, but all look closely at the peoples of the Americas. The museum has talks, special events and educational programming for children. A gift shop is on site.

Location: 500 Redondo West Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free, with donations welcome.

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7. Museum of Archaeology and Material Culture

Along the Turquoise Trail Scenic Byway, the museum features a 12,000 year Native American timeline with both a scientific and Native American point of view. Find out about Sandia Cave and turqoise mining.

Location: 22 Calvary Road, Cedar Crest
Hours: Open May through November. Call (505) 281-2005 for details.

8. National Hispanic Cultural Center

Photo © Aileen O'Catherine

The National Hispanic Cultural Center promotes the advancement of Hispanic arts and culture. Its campus houses an art museum, a museum store, a torreon, educational programs, special events, a research library, genealogy resources and many special programs. Torreon tours take place Sundays at noon; see the fresco that depicts more than 3,000 years of Hispanic history.

Location: 1701 Fourth Street SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.
Cost: Art museum, $3 adults, $2 seniors, free for children 16 and under. Free on Sundays.

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9. National Museum of Nuclear Science and History

The museum provides insight into the atomic age, from its early research through today's uses of nuclear power. There are permanent as well as changing exhibits. Visitors can also explore an outdoor field of planes and rockets. Find out about nuclear science, from its pioneers to its current uses.

Location: 601 Eubank NE, Albuquerque, NM 87123
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cost: $8 Adults, $7 Seniors 60+, veterans and youth 6-17, children 5 and under free.

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10. New Mexico Holocaust and Intolerance Museum

The museum has exhibits on the many faces of hatred and intolerance. While many of the exhibits look at the holocaust and its effects on Jews, there are also exhibits on the genocides of Rwanda, Native America, the Battan Death March, and more.

Location: 616 Central SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Cost: Free; donations welcome.

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