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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, , the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in New Mexico on as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#29. Poeh Cultural Center

- Rating: 4.7/5 (68 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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#28. Mabel Dodge Luhan Historic House

- Rating: 4.8/5 (45 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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#27. Belen Harvey House Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (93 reviews)
- City: Belen New
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#26. New Mexico Route 66 Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (110 reviews)
- City: Tucumcari New
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#25. The Gallup Cultural Center

- Rating: 4.2/5 (78 reviews)
- City: Gallup New
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#24. National Hispanic Cultural Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (166 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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#23. B-Square Ranch

- Rating: 4.6/5 (27 reviews)
- City: Farmington New
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#22. Navajo Code Talker Museum

- Rating: 4.0/5 (75 reviews)
- City: Gallup New
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#21. New Mexico Mining Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (118 reviews)
- City: Grants New
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#20. Shroud Exhibit and Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (59 reviews)
- City: Alamogordo New
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#19. La Hacienda del los Martinez

- Rating: 4.4/5 (224 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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#18. Mesalands Community College's Dinosaur Museum and Natural Sciences Laboratory

- Rating: 4.7/5 (189 reviews)
- City: Tucu
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#17. The Zuhl Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (93 reviews)
- City: Las Cruces New
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#16. Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

- Rating: 4.4/5 (392 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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#15. Route 66 Auto Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (316 reviews)
- City: Santa Rosa New
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#14. Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (699 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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#13. Tinkertown Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (379 reviews)
- City: Sandia Park New
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#12. Russell's Truck and Travel Center

- Rating: 4.7/5 (250 reviews)
- City: Glenrio New
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#11. New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society

- Rating: 4.9/5 (207 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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#10. American International Rattlesnake Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (481 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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#9. New Mexico Museum of Space History

- Rating: 4.2/5 (610 reviews)
- City: Alamogordo New
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#8. Palace of the Governors

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,027 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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#7. Millicent Rogers Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (787 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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#6. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

- Rating: 4.6/5 (905 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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#5. Turquoise Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (575 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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#4. Museum of International Folk Art

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,147 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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#3. International UFO Museum And Research Center

- Rating: 3.8/5 (2,812 reviews)
- City: Roswell New
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#2. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,381 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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#1. Meow Wolf Santa Fe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (3,134 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.