The Museum was interesting and there is something for everyone. We explored for about 2 hours there and it was still not enough time to see everything. I think we only saw 3 out of 6 exhibits. The best part was that we went when it was free(maybe caz Sunday ) If you stay ABQ you better to stop by here ! read more

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We went to the museum to see the Jim Hensen exhibit. I've never been to this museum before and honestly had no idea what type of museum it was. We were greeted with a huge mural of Jim and all the muppets on the exterior wall. It was very welcoming on the inside with a clean feel. The exhibit was amazing everything was well spaced so we were able to navigate through with ease and no pressure to move forward from other patrons. The rest of the museum was also interesting to walk through. A variety of pieces from NM artists and history. I enjoyed our visit very much. read more

Albuquerque Museum - Slimy the worm. Jim Henson exhibit - Art Museums Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Love it. The museum is free on Sundays until 1:00, so we got free entrance and just paid the $5 upcharge for the special exhibit. Then we attended a free lecture on the exhibit. Downside - should have gone to the lecture FIRST, to get some info on the exhibit and put it all in context, *or* it would be nice if they didn't hold their docent-led tours at the exact same time as their lectures (2:00)! But, that's on us as guests who don't go there frequently enough!! Remember too that with a public library card you can check out an entrance pass. There are SO many ways to enjoy this museum on a tight budget! read more

Awesome art museum that's NM true! Lots of neat things to see! Showcases a great timeline of history. Great experience! read more

Albuquerque Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Great museum with art unique to New Mexico (or at least with a NM connection). Many stunning works beautifully exhibited. And many sculptures displayed outside. A real gem in Albuquerque. read more

Albuquerque Art Museum! This is such a great museum- it has a varied collection of art from across the Abq area that showcases the diverse history and culture of the area. It serves as a place to learn about the colorful history of the area, from the local Indian tribes, through the Spanish conquests, into the nuclear age, and the future! The museum does a great job of showcasing all the great things that Albuquerque has going for it. They have cool old sets of armor, and movies that tell you about the ecology and art of the area. Cool! When I went, they were hosting a temporary exhibit on Southwestern jewelry, with examples from all the local tribes, set into different cases based upon the type of jewelry. The museum could have done a much better job of identifying the work of art shown. Often, there was no placard with info, or they just had a number where you had to hunt down a program to find out what you're looking at. Rarely was the significance of a work of art mentioned. They could have used a proof-reader on the placards they did have up. "Texas" lacked the capital "T" in one of their displays, offending this Texan. The admission price was quite reasonable, especially considering the quality and cleanliness of the place. They certainly could use more benches to sit and admire the works of art from. The outdoor sculpture garden is worth a visit alone, and is free! Parking is easy, with a dedicated (pay) lot or ample street parking. The museum shop is fun, with lots of NM artwork and generic museum books that highlight works of art that have never been in this museum. read more

I am such a crass boob. I had no right penning a review about this museum when I hadn't even visited for, oh, about a year. I didn't think I needed to, I thought I'd seen all there was to see, and most of the touring exhibitions as of late weren't intriguing in the least. Boy, was I missing out. We recently visited on a Saturday, after 3pm it was free for residents (call and check on this before you go), which was #winning just for starters. We brought our kiddo, because we'd heard on the radio (Children's Hour KUNM) that they offered kids art activities. They did, and Iris constructed a masterpiece. Then it was on to a huge exhibit featuring work made in Albuquerque, and I was absolutely astounded at the quality, depth and range of the exhibit; this is exactly the kind of work that this museum needs to convey to the world, it was so fun, so dynamic, wonderful. I'll be back. Oh, and the kid had a place to draw while we looked at everything, so it was totally easy to actually pay attention to the canvasses. And then our toddler found the music. Three dudes plucking and banging out Caribbean sounds in a small chamber in the center of the facility. Wow! This is officially on our to-do list, as well as our to-bring-kids-to list, which is pretty astonishing considering it is, indeed, an art museum. And the addition of Slate Street's cafe makes it a terrific spot to grab a bite to eat. If you haven't been by this museum lately, it's time to take another look. You'll be impressed. I believe Sundays are free to residents from 9am-1pm, but double-check before you go. read more

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Nice place. I can't say I'm an art aficionado but had a pleasant time. Some exhibits I spent several minutes at. Some I breezed past. It's worth taking a date to. read more

Albuquerque Museum - Checking out art - Art Museums Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Super cool building, grounds and amphitheater. All sorts of sculptures outside and neat exhibits inside! Ive been to plenty of galleries and museums and I think we are lucky to have this place in ABQ. Almost over but worth seeing is the Miniatures & More exhibit featuring many different styles of art, photography and sculpture all relatively small in size. Each artist is allowed three pieces in the show to illustrate their work. I'm definitely going at the beginning dates next year because its all for sale. --Runs thru Dec. 2. FREE admission on Sundays here. The Machine Wilderness exhibit is up until Jan 7 and has some interesting takes on technology. You might want to see for yourself. There is a Cafe if you are craving a snack or beverage. The Albuquerque Museum is a nice way to spend a couple hours jogging the mind. read more

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It's real good, man! Like I was not expecting the most from this museum, but left feeling envious of ABQ. Our History connection in Ohio has little to nothing compared to your amazing exhibits for the City of ABQ and your history. The architecture of the exhibit rooms were just breath-taking and done so beautifully. I left myself only an hour to view this museum before a mad dash to the airport, but the artwork was really good. Not as large as most museums in larger cities, but it had such wonder quality of localized works that I was incredibly impressed and took all the pictures! The areas describing New Mexico and the city of Albuquerque were enchanting like the state motto itself. Be proud, ABQ. You've got one heck of a museum. It's not just the boring prehistoric, fossilized, beaten to death war commemorative museums that are a dime a dozen. I highly recommend. read more

I am taking this review, from the point of you of someone who uses a cane and is a bit wider than the average person but not massively so. Going into the museum was easy and seem to be accessible from many ways. They have the electric push button doors to assist entering. They have a coat check / locker area where you can leave your purse and not carry it around. I felt it was well worth it to use it. Depending on the day my mobility really varies. Today I used to my teen son to assess in my mobility. I use his shoulder to help with support. I really appreciate it that there was plenty of space between each display for more than one family to get a view. At a few points, there were a guy in a wheelchair and me with my cane and I was easily able to maneuver around him and still have space. I enjoyed the various displays and art they had. Some more than others. Many of the interactive displays needed a refill or refreshing of the items someone may participate. At many locations there were embossing seals yet there were no unused paper to be found. The folk art area, did not have clear indicator of what was available to use. With limited mobility, I really appreciated bench placement throughout the whole gallery. I was able to sit when I needed to and also when I just wanted to enjoy a piece of art. Today before 1p was a free entry day for ABQ residents. One of the things I learnt by asking, it is that you can park for free in the lot outside the museum if you are using the museum. The other positive I noticed is as there was more than one handicap stall in the restrooms. Those of us that use them know what a major blessing that can be. Waiting for handicapped restaurant to open is often A trial in patience. read more

I really enjoyed this museum for its beautiful art! Thanks for making the admission price of $6 so affordable. We spent about two hours. Great gift shop and there's no sales tax too because it's a nonprofit. A must if you are visiting Albuquerque! Free parking with admission. Closed on Mondays. read more

First time checking this place out and I'm impressed! Sorta been avoiding this "traditional" museum because I thought my mini-me would be bored but since we were talking about arts like Picasso's, I thought to bring her to see different types of art. She was intrigued, mesmerized, and so interested in all they had to offer. It's a airy, spacious, & bright museum with several different exhibits with paints, photographs, artifacts, videos, scriptures, etc. The best part was the hands on room where kids could create their own art! They had a bare lampshade where you can make your own with paper and cellophane; another with mini bust form so you can make your own fashion with newspaper and patterns. We had so much fun just doing that!! We had only a little time to explore the rest so we have to go back to seethe rest. We did enjoy the big room where there was a photograph of Albuquerque covering the entire floor, finding where we work, live, & go to school. Can't wait to go back for more Highly recommended! read more

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The art and exhibits were awesome. My complaint was the noise. In the "When Modern was Contemporary," there were TWO groups with docents. Not only did the docents' voices carry but the crowds were talking loudly. There was no where to go to just examine the art where it was quiet. It would have been quieter in a McDonald's. In the Common Ground exhibit there was another docent with a small group. What made that particularly irritating was that after the tour was over, she CHATTED with a couple for 20 minutes. She was particularly loud. When I come to an art museum, I am used to people using hushed tones, respecting the people around them, and allowing visitors to just BE with the art. The works were so amazing, I wished I could have had that kind of experience. read more

Free Sunday 9-12, so we didn't pay. Normally it's like $4. Super nice place to get to know more about the city of Albuquerque and the past history. The part about the Indians was sad. Reminds me a bit of the Parks & Recreation show. Kinda like Pawnee & its struggles. I love this museum though, it's full of character. I also enjoy the traveling exhibit they have now. Some cool modern art and American art from the past 100 years on loan. Generally speaking, I am not a Georgia Okeefe (spelling?) fan, but the one by her here is stunning right now. Great place. Nicer than you would expect. read more

Excellent museum for the local exhibit, the art installation as well as the traveling exhibits. We have been here several times with school trips as well as with out of town guests. I highly recommend read more

So we checked out the Musuem Discovery Pass from the front desk at the Tony Hillerman Library, and when we got there...it was free day! I parked across the street around the park for free as well. The current traveling exhibit is about movies and television in New Mexico and it is pretty fun. We arrived around 2 and a tour with a Docent was just starting which was quite informative. There is a temporary installation by Virgil Ortiz that has a mural and several life-size futuristic warrior figures. They are there through June. read more

Albuquerque Museum - If you go to the front desk of the Albuquerque Public Library, you can check out a Museum Discovery Pass for 4 people for a week. - Art Museums Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Very interesting. We were there on a field trip and we had a docent guided tour. The docent was great, even with all the crazy kids. The front desk staff, however, were super grumpy, rude, and generally put out by everything. They have free admission once a month for residents. read more

We visited this museum yesterday and LOVED it! We went to see the Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera exhibit, which was stunning and way more than expected. I was very impressed by the exhibit and other artwork at this museum. I found a few artists I want to look up just by seeing their stuff here; they were that good. The staff and security were superb and helpful (so knowledgeable too)! Highly recommend a visit - the Frida exhibit did not disappoint! read more

Wow, the new ABQ museum is amazing. I hadn't been there in years and back then, it was kind of small, cramped and antiquated. Now the first phase of renovation is done and that means a gorgeous new front entrance, beautiful, airy lobby and cute little cafe where you can sit and have a nice cup 'o joe before or after your cultural encounter. The second phase of the renovation has yet to happen but will fix up the halls that house the permanent, historical collections. Can't wait to see it! Currently, there's a show of New Mexico artists (or people who came from somewhere else who currently reside here) that's really good. Featuring an incredible piece by sculptor Timothy Horn that can only be described as a giant, glowing, silicone jellyfish chandelier (http://www.timothyhorn.net/), and a standout painting by neo-surrealist Antonio Roybal (http://www.antonioroybal.com/2008mainpage.htm), the show is full of diverse and interesting contemporary art - not merely a collection of kokopellis and howling wolves. read more

Free for residents on specific days and times, check the website. Always different exhibits ranging from photographs to paintings and sculpture. Cute gift shop featuring a variety of cool gifts to include placements and napkins from NM own SilveradoHome. Cafe but I haven't tried it. It was a nice day so ventured around the corner to old town for a local brew. Free parking if you get to the museum early. Well worth a visit inside as well as outside. read more

Albuquerque Museum - Cool napkin ring and cloth napkin found at the gift shop (from SilveradoHome a NM woman owned business) - Art Museums Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Sunday mornings and occasional Saturday afternoons are free!!! I just love the museum. Its great. The events there are always first class, especially the salsa Fridays in summer, and the people are always nice. The shop is a great place to get presents! read more

I REALLY want to give this place a 6-star review! The building is contemporary and full of light. The permanent collection is spectacular. I really enjoyed their Hollywood Southwest: New Mexico in Film and Television, Chasing the Cure to Albuquerque: Tuberculosis and Social Change, and The Leekya Family: Master Carvers of Zuni Pueblo exhibits. The museum does a phenomenal job of celebrating the state of New Mexico and those artists who honor it in their work. The gift shop is bright and chock full of wonderful gifts. While it didn't use it, I was happy to see a cell phone charging station. read more

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I was in ABQ for a work conference, and had an afternoon to explore. I'm so glad I made this Museum my first stop. I was absolutely blown away by the art hanging on the walls. As a bonus, it happened to be the first Wednesday of the month, so free admission. I would have gladly paid the entrance fee though. If you are interested in art, or the history of Albuquerque, I recommend this Museum. read more

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I most enjoyed the Albuquerque Now exhibit - modern art from local artisans. It was really good and inspired me to think about decorating our house. However, I was disappointed in that you couldn't take pictures or was there a book about the exhibit for sale. The rest of the museum was ok - nicely done, just did not interest me very much. You certainly could soak up a lot of local history here. The price was very reasonable and they had coat racks and lockers. I would go back again in the future. read more

History museum?? Really? A Wikipedia page is more informative and entertaining than this place. I liked the Vivian Vance exhibit, but even that lacked any depth. read more

I love the exhibits wish I had seen the high heels exhibit Looking forward to upcoming exhibit There is nothing like seeing art To nourish the soul read more

Being new to the area we wanted to learn everything about Albuquerque. We went on a Saturday and it was not too busy. It's only $3 if you're an adult resident of NM. There are other exhibits (photography, painting, and some cool modern sculptures). read more

One of the worst places I been into. I was texting my wife and a security guard who had a Nepolian complex was thinking I was taking pictures. Most reputable gallery's let you but I was texting my wife then he asked me for my phone . I told him to fuck off and walked away. He gave me the new Mexico "deer in headlights look " and followed me the rest of the time. I didn't see anything that was spectacular just a lot of Spanish Colonial crap explaining why the killed natives in the 1600s , trash cans with pictures I found my wife to leave then the AssHat asked for my phone again . so he was a little closer I had to look down and tell him to fuck off again. I asked for the manager so as they do around here he took off I was going to have my art put up there and cancelled. I'll never go there again read more

I'm 50/50 on this museum. I think it has potential to be better. When I went back in October, it was under remodeling so a lot of the exhibits were closed off. I think I finished within an hour, which is super fast. I enjoyed the limited collection from France. They had a book as you walk in that explains each painting and had a few postcards of several pairings around for you to take, which I appreciated. The sculpture garden was small and interesting. Another exhibit I liked as well was the Vivian Vance (Ethel from I Love Lucy) you normally only see Lucille Ball exhibits so it was a nice change to see Vivian Vance. read more

This is a small but very interesting museum. The entrance fee was very cheap. You had to pay a tad more if you wanted to go into the temporary exhibit. The temporary exhibit was Visions of the Hispanic World and included art from Spain. The museum contains art, historical info, and a sculpture garden outside. It was a neat place to go. read more

Recently visited ABQ for the first time, and loved it! Had a few days to explore the city, and we were so glad we took time to see this museum! It was one of the highlights of our trip! Wonderful way to experience the historical artistic depth of this area! We got there late in the afternoon, so only had about an hour and a half to linger -- we would have loved to have spent the entire afternoon there - and that still wouldn't have been enough time to see everything! We will definitely make a point to come back any time we are in town! read more

They have great and educational exhibits. The last one on the art of Spain was a wonder! Ro be able to see a letter from Elizabeth I and Charles V was wow! read more

Due to a flight delay, I had an unexpected 8 hours in Albuquerque. A quick yelp search landed me in Old Town Albuquerque (4 miles from the airport). I was absolutely impressed with the Albuquerque Museum, especially the Africa Fashion exhibit. See the Africa exhibit before it's gone! read more

We visited the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History this morning. We'd never been there before. It's a generously proportioned building w/ high ceilings, lots of glass, brick and wood floors shiny w/ a urethane finish and many changing exhibits. One of the coolest exhibits is Sensory Crossovers: Synesthethsia in American Art. It opened August 29 and will close January 2. I was so glad we were able to see it, even though it made me very sad I don't experience art or music so multidimensionally. Some artists created abstract representations of their experiences, while others painted more representational photos. Some leaned toward classical music while others leaned toward jazz. One woman, Teresa Bernstein, painted Lil Hardin and Louis Armstrong in on painting and Charlie Parker in another. One man's pencil and pastel sketches made me feel some of what he must have. I forget his name. He wasn't well known, but he captured his subject in a way that worked for me. There were a couple of Georgia O'Keefe paintings, which were a surprise and a delight. It's a difficult exhibit to capture in words, but I enjoyed it and recommend it. Another exhibit was Common Ground: Art in New Mexico. Pieces in the exhibit ran the gamut from folk art to fine art and they were interesting and some were fun. It was a well curated exhibit. On the lower level was an exhibit of the history of Albuquerque. On the mezzanine was an exhibit of the Golden Age of Aviation, photos of early airplanes and their connection to Albuquerque. Another exhibit was of historic quilts from the museum's collection. In an adjacent hallway was an exhibit of Native American jewelry from early days to contemporary times. Another hallway contained portraits of famous New Mexicans, one of whom was John Lewis, founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet. There is a cafe and the requisite Museum Shop. In this case the shop showed a lot of jewelry as well as scarves and art glass. There was a section of games and books and activities for children and of cards and books for adults. The museum admission is very reasonable, $4 general, $2 seniors. There was a large group or maybe a couple of groups who arrived in buses about the time we did. One woman complained loudly in the Synesthesia exhibit that she didn't like it and wasn't interested in it. Several others conversed loudly throughout the other exhibits. They definitely didn't have the concept of a museum as a place for contemplation and appreciation, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves, unlike the other woman. Tours were led of the sculptures outdoors, which ranged from the representational to the abstract. This is a very nice, welcoming museum that deserves a visit when you're in Albuquerque. read more

This gorgeous museum is a treasure troVe of both art and history! The museum is worth visiting whether you are just visiting or a resident! read more

Well worth the $4 admission price! The museum has year round exhibits specific to Albuquerque's history that include artifacts from old trade routes, giant floor map of the city, and more. They also have a gallery of paintings and sculptural items from Alb locals or visitors depicting the place and people. This gallery gives hints to the viewer to question who owns the cultural motifs used, and explanation placards address the controversy behind some of the individual paintings. It's also noteworthy that one of the few historical portraits I've seen of an African-American woman was in this gallery as well. The visiting exhibit featured Contemporary African art, and was well curated from artists around the continent, representing a myriad of different cultures. The artworks were highly varied with different intentions and perspectives, and showcased the various materials that could be used in the making of art. At the end of the exhibit was the opportunity to make some of your own art inspired by Cyrus Kabiru's art glasses. Overall there's a lot to see here, from local Albuquerque to greater New Mexico and beyond! read more

So I have a complaint. Sometimes you just have to get it out to get over it. We had family in town and we were walking around old town, and on our way over to explora. Gramma, being old, wanted to get out of the heat, so went into the lobby at the Albuquerque museum while we looked at the statues outside. While in there, she bought us all tickets not understanding we were going to a different museum. It was literally as she was stepping away from the counter that I realized she did ths. I asked if they could refund her money, the cantankerous lady at the counter got real ruffled and said no refunds. I was dumbfounded that they couldn't just give an old lady back the cash she just paid. Instead of calling the manager she called security(!) on me and they came to throw me out! I had never raised my voice, sworn, or otherwise caused a scene, but by golly, if you call security out for a simple request, you are going to get a scene. But I still never swore or yelled, but man i wanted to. I eventually talked to the manager who was just as unbending, but after arguing for 15 minutes and causing a huge line he said he'd give gramma the money out of his pocket, I said no, that I wanted her money back, but gramma walked right up to him, took his 25 bucks and put it right in her bra and walked out. Ha! Those people need to loosen up a bit. And fire grumpy old ladies who work the tickets. Security?! I was holding a baby! Did she think I'd start throwing punches? No suit of armor that has been there since I was in elementary school is worth dealing with insanity. read more

Thank you Yelpers for leading me to this museum! Beautiful setting and amazing collection. I started with the Common Ground (Art of New Mexico) exhibit, ran out of time, and loved it so much I came back the next day. Wished I had time for When Modern Was Contemporary, the Sculpture Garden, and the walking tour of Old Town. Top admission price is $4 and free every Sunday 9AM-1PM! read more

4.5 stars: I was in Albuquerque for a weekend of a wedding, and we had a few hours of downtime to explore the historic Old Town district. Since the goal of going to museum is to get educated, that was accomplished in dramatic fashion--I had no idea New Mexico was such a powerhouse in film (both for filming location as well as as a fictional setting). My only qualm was that I didn't get to see any Georgia O'Keefe. Unclear whether it was hidden away somewhere else or they simply didn't have any by the famous NM artist... read more