Last updated on .
Roswell, New Mexico, is one of those places that initially comes off cheesy and only for UFO conspiracy lovers. In reality, it’s much more than aliens and UFOs.
Introduction to Roswell
Roswell was first settled by Van C. Smith, a businessman from Omaha, Nebraska, and his partner, Aaron Wilburn. They built two adobe buildings that became the city’s first general store, post office, and hotel. Smith filed a claim for the land around the buildings and named it after his father, Roswell Smith, a lawyer from Lafayette, Indiana.
Captain Joseph Calloway Lea bought out Smith and Wilburn’s claim in 1877. The town grew in 1890 after local merchant Nathan Jaffa discovered an aquifer in his backyard. Growth continued with the arrival of the Pecos Valley Railroad in 1892.
From 1941 to 1967, Roswell hosted Walker Air Force Base. During World War II, German POWs from a nearby camp were used to complete infrastructure work in the city. After the closure of the base, the city reinvented itself as a pleasant retirement community.
However, what really put Roswell on the map was a UFO incident that occurred in 1947. It has been the subject of conspiracy theories about military and government cover-ups and that the alien occupants were captured and studied.
Thanks to the infamous UFO incident, aliens and UFOs dominate the theme for most of the city, but Roswell also has cultural attractions and makes a great base for nearby natural destinations as well. I admit, we went for the aliens, but we’ll return for the nature one day. Nearby is Bottomless Lakes State Park, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and a bird sanctuary. There are recreational opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, ATVs, and more.
Getting to Roswell
While most people drive to Roswell, you also have the option to fly. Roswell Air Center, the city’s airport, is served by American Eagle with flights from Dallas (as of October 2025). The nearest major airports are in Albuquerque and El Paso.
Where to Stay in Roswell
We stayed one night and had a good experience.
Roswell Inn
We stayed one night at the Roswell Inn, which is just north of downtown on Main Street. They have clean, comfortable rooms at reasonable prices with a simple breakfast included. Staff was friendly and helpful. I would be happy to stay there again.
Where to Eat in Roswell
We had a delicious dinner on our one night in town.
Portofino
Our only meal in town was at Portofino, an Italian restaurant with delicious pasta dishes. I had a penne arrabbiata and enjoyed it very much. They also have pizza, chicken, seafood, and veal dishes.
International UFO Museum and Research Center
Whether you believe in aliens or not, the International UFO Museum and Research Center is a great place to visit if you’re passing through Roswell.
The museum is located on Main Street between 1st and 2nd Streets. Admission is US$7 for adults, US$5 for seniors and military, US$4 for kids age 5-15, and free for kids under 5 (as of October 2025). It’s open daily from 9am to 5pm except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
The Roswell Incident
The museum was created to tell the story of the Roswell incident. During the first week of July 1947, an unidentified flying object crashed on a ranch owned by W.W. Brazel near Roswell. On July 8, the Roswell Army Air Field put out a press release stating they had recovered a flying disc. Almost immediately, the Army retracted the statement and said that the disc was actually a crashed weather balloon.
The incident resurfaced in 1978 when retired lieutenant colonel Jesse Marcel, who was on the scene that day, was interview by ufologist Stanton Friedman (1934-2019). Marcel told Friedman he believed the debris he recovered and accompanied to Fort Worth, Texas, was extraterrestrial. This set off a wave of conspiracy theories that spawned books, movies, and TV shows.
Although there’s no known physical evidence that a UFO crashed near Roswell, extensive investigations have been made into the incident. The exhibit in the International UFO Museum and Research Center includes a very detailed timeline of the incident as well as quotes and eyewitness testimonies of the events surrounding it.
The exhibit is very interesting and intriguing to say the least. It’s fun to go through and gets you wondering if there really was a cover-up. There’s even an example of a test dummy that the army said was probably confused for an alien body.
Aliens
One popular audio-visual display turns on every half hour or so. It features aliens standing in front of a spinning UFO as well as sound, lights, and smoke. There are also models of alien bodies kept in capsules.
Another display depicts an alien autopsy. It comes complete with a doctor and a government official standing over an alien on a hospital bed. Warnings are posted on the wall behind them.
Ancient Cultures
Another exhibit delves into ancient cultures and their connections with extraterrestrial lifeforms. There are examples of works of art by the Mayans, Anasazi, and Aboriginal Australians supposedly depicting aliens.
Area 51
Another interesting section includes alleged information about the highly classified Area 51, which is located in Nevada. There are photos and documents as well as warnings of what happens if people approach the area.
Research Library
The International UFO Museum includes a research library full of books and other materials. UFO enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists are welcome to study all of the most up-to-date information available to the public.
Chaves County Courthouse
A couple blocks north is the Chaves County Courthouse, which was built in 1911. It was designed by Isaac Hamilton Rapp (1854-1933) in the Beaux-Arts style. The building is topped by a beautiful green-tiled cupola and continues to serve as the seat of Chaves County.
Roswell Museum and Arts Center
Note: The museum was devastated by a flood on October 19, 2024. It’s currently closed until further notice (as of October 2025).
The Roswell Museum and Arts Center, located at 11th and Main, is open daily from 10am to 6pm. It features both a museum and planetarium. Admission prices are current as of October 2025:
- Admission to the museum is US$10 for adult non-residents of New Mexico, US$7 for seniors and students over 16, and free for kids under 16.
- Admission to the planetarium is US$5 for adult non-residents of New Mexico, US$3 for seniors and students over 16, US$3 for kids age 4-15, and free for kids under 4.
Permanent Exhibitions
The museum contains a few permanent exhibitions as well as rotating temporary exhibitions. First is Robert H. Goddard: The Father of Modern Rocketry. It recreates the workshop of American engineer, physicist, and inventor Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945) and contains photos and artifacts related to his 56 test flights near Roswell between 1930 and 1942.
Next is West of Beyond: The Rogers and Mary Ellen Aston Collection of the American West. The fine collection of over 2,000 works of art and artifacts was bequeathed to the museum in 1999 by Rogers and Mary Ellen Aston. Rogers was a rancher and oil producer as well as a talented sculptor, and developed a deep interest in the American West during his lifetime. The exhibition opened on October 27, 2006.
The third is Hurd & Wyeth: Picturing the Hondo Valley, which contains paintings by Peter Hurd (1904-1984) and Henriette Wyeth (1907-1997). Their paintings are well-known for capturing the landscape and culture of southeastern New Mexico.
Temporary Exhibition
Finally, we were able to enjoy a temporary exhibition, Guitars from Club Muse. It featured incredible guitar sculptures by artist Roger Sweet, who’s based in Jemez Springs.
