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Historic downtown Santa Fe is a beautiful place to take a walk. There’s plenty of things to see and do, including restaurants, art galleries, and shopping, and the architecture is amazing.
This entry includes just a handful of highlights in downtown Santa Fe outside the Santa Fe Plaza, which is covered in another entry. The Loretto Chapel, Saint Francis Cathedral, and New Mexico History Museum are also covered in separate entries.
Museum of Contemporary Native Arts
The first building I walked past after leaving the Saint Francis Cathedral is the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA). It’s run by the Institute of American Indian Arts and is open daily except Tuesdays. Adult admission is US$5 for residents of New Mexico and US$10 for nonresidents (as of May 2024). Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to visit.
The museum was founded in 1972. In 1992, the collection moved to the former Santa Fe Federal Building and old post office, which was built in 1922.
109 East Palace
Across the street on Palace Avenue is 109 East Palace. Starting in 1943, it served as the Santa Fe office of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Anyone involved in the Manhattan Project creating the first atomic bomb passed through the office on the way to their secret mission in Los Alamos. A commemorative plaque sits on the building.
Santa Fe Public Library
Next, I walked to Santa Fe Plaza before heading north on Washington Avenue, passing the Santa Fe Public Library.
U.S. District Court
From there I continued north and passed Marcy Street before coming to the Santiago E. Campos U.S. Courthouse. It belongs to the U.S. District Court of New Mexico.
City Hall
I then turned back south down Lincoln Avenue, passing the Santa Fe City Hall. It features a statue of St. Francis of Assisi out front.
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Once I hit Santa Fe Plaza, I walked down West Palace Avenue and made my way to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. It’s the largest collection of works by American artist Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986), including some of her most important works. The collection includes over 1,200 items.
The museum opened on July 17, 1997, and also runs tours to the Georgie O’Keeffe Home and Studio in Abiquiu. Adult admission is US$22 (as of May 2024) and it’s open daily from 10am to 5pm. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. I made it a point to visit and enjoyed it very much.
