Albuquerque Museum of Art and History
Also adjacent to Old Town, the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History features a permanent collection dedicated to American Southwest art and the history of Albuquerque. Opened this spring, the immersive exhibit “Only in Albuquerque” takes visitors through a state-of-the-art experience with videos, a mobile app and plenty of interactive displays.
“This new exhibit focuses on key aspects of community life from 10,000 years ago to today,” said curator of education Elizabeth Becker. “Integrated into the four galleries are early maps, conquistador armor, weavings and numerous artifacts that tell the story of colonial life in New Mexico.”
In addition, the sculpture garden displays approximately 60 works that range from figurative to abstract pieces. A self-guided cell phone tour of the garden is available, as well as docent-led tours of the garden and museum. Also included in admission is a one-hour walking tour of Old Town.
“Our docents unlock the history of those buildings and some of the people who lived there,” said Becker. “We’ve been giving tours of Old Town for 30 years, longer than anyone else in the city.”
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in April 2016, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is undergoing a major museum renovation before that event. The renovation will include a new permanent exhibition with six thematic areas that explore the Pueblo perspective, their way of life, ancestral migration and an understanding of the Pueblo’s original instructions from the creator. People will have the chance to hear an audio of the Pueblo language and learn about numerous social issues dating from the 1680 Pueblo revolt to the present.
“Our Pueblo communities are very unique to New Mexico and the Southwest, and our people are very connected to land, place and community,” said museum and cultural engagement director Travis Suazo, whose ancestry includes the Laguna Pueblo, Taos and Acoma tribes. “We want to educate our visitors and engage them in a well-rounded experience while giving them a heightened sense of the arts. We accomplish that through the decor, murals and overall structure of the center that is modeled after Bonito Pueblo in Chaco Canyon.”
A special exhibition that examines Pueblo governance and sovereignty, “The Original Instructions: A Prescribed Way of Life,” will be on display through August 2016. Each weekend, native traditional dances are held in the center’s plaza area. The second annual IPCC Pueblo Film Festival takes place as part of Native American Heritage Month, November 21-22.
The Pueblo Harvest Café serves a fusion of native and Southwestern food and offers a lovely outdoor patio. At Party on the Patio, live music entertains diners while they enjoy appetizers and all-you-can-eat pizzas that are baked in a traditional Pueblo horno oven. Also on the menu are stews replicating those served in Pueblo homes — red and green chili, mutton and posole — plus native pies, cookies and bread baked daily.
Red or Green?
The question asked most often in Albuquerque is “Red or green?”
The translation is “Which chili sauce do you prefer?” For a native the correct answer is “Christmas,” meaning both red and green. Green chilies taste fresh, like a touch of springtime. Red chilies are simply green chilies that have been dried, which brings out their savory, complex flavor. There are many varieties, but the legendary Hatch chilies are grown in 12 counties and shipped nationwide.
Throughout the city, restaurants prepare fresh chili sauces and salsa daily. They range in taste from mild to smoking hot. El Pinto restaurant offers expansive patio dining, live music, family recipes and a number of sauces bottled on-site. Another Albuquerque tradition, Sadie’s of New Mexico, caters to groups, serves authentic New Mexican cuisine and bottles its own sauce. A highlight for groups is the restaurant’s chili-roasting demonstration.
For more information go to visitalbuquerque.org.
