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The American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a fun and interesting place to visit, especially if you’re traveling with kids. It boasts the largest collection of different species of live rattlesnakes in the entire world.
Visiting
The American International Rattlesnake Museum is located in Old Town just south of the plaza. Adult admission is US$8.95 (as of May 2024). It’s open daily except Mondays from June through August, and closed Sundays and Mondays the rest of the year. The museum also closes for one week in January and February each year.
The Museum
The museum opened on May 5, 1990, and hosts an average of 50,000 visitors annually. It has appeared on several television shows and has been featured in many books.
There are 34 species of rattlesnakes on display in the museum, including western diamondbacks, tiger rattlesnakes, Costa Rican rattlesnakes, and Mexican lance-headed rattlesnakes.
There aren’t just rattlesnakes! Other snakes include vipers and even an albino ball python. Other reptiles on display are a gila monster, tortoises, salamanders,
The African spurred tortoises, as all turtles at the museum, are rescue animals. They either escaped from their owners or could no longer be kept as pets.
In addition to animals, there are hundreds of pieces of snake-related artwork and memorabilia scattered throughout the museum. They include, toys, games, books, movie posters, paintings, photos, stamps, coins, religious items, movies, snakebite kits, advertisements, license plates, and more.