Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

One of the "must-see" places in town, with an impressive interior and beautiful art both inside and out. A tip for the photographer: the main façade faces west, so photographing the exterior (including several striking sculptures out front) tends to be most rewarding, atypically for Santa Fe, in the middle of the day, particularly the afternoon.

The oldest public building in the United States, the Palace of the Governors is a 17th-century building that once served as the main capitol building and now houses an excellent historical museum and shop, with exhibits on the history of the building and a functioning antique print press. Behind the Palace is the New Mexico History Museum, with three floors of exhibits on the history of New Mexico, including numerous artifacts from the prehistory to the present. While the Palace is being renovated (as of 2022), disruptions are minimal most days and exhibits are displaced but available. Local Native American artists sell their work beneath the portal (covered facade) facing the Plaza. They are awarded a spot via an official lottery system.

Built in 1878 and modeled after the Gothic Sainte Chapelle in Paris. An intriguing legend - the Miraculous Staircase - is attached below and serves as the highlight on the church. The Loretto is also a popular romantic wedding venue.

Though it has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, this museum has a somewhat more diverse, although still New-Mexico-centric, collection. The Museum's St. Francis Auditorium is one of the primary venues in town for concerts, particularly of a classical or folk flavor.

At the New Mexico Museum of Art (see above).

Box-office. A converted movie theater with a pleasant atmosphere. As with most downtown sites, parking can be a pain, but there is a parking garage a block west that's usually OK in the evening.