New Mexico’s tales of the American West

It’s been more than 20 years in the making but this month finally sees the opening of the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe.

The 96,000 sq.ft museum opens its doors on May 24 offering the state’s first comprehensive effort to tell the stories of more than 400 years of interactions among cultures.

This will be done with many artifacts long held in storage, archival photographs, maps, paintings and wiz-bang interactive exhibits.

Across the centuries, the museum’s supporters have charted victories and tragedies, accomplishments and accommodations, coloured by the legacies of indigenous Native American peoples, Spanish explorers, cowboys, outlaws, railroad workers, painters, writers, scientists and more.

Other events in Santa Fe include a new art fair, a cross-country road rally and the start of the city’s 400th anniversary commemoration later this year.

www.museumofnewmexico.org