21 Best Sights in Santa Fe, New Mexico

This iconic cathedral, a block east of the Plaza, is one of the rare significant departures from the city's nearly ubiquitous Pueblo architecture. Construction was begun in 1869 by Jean Baptiste Lamy, Santa Fe's first archbishop, who worked with French architects and Italian stonemasons. The Romanesque style was popular in Lamy's native home in southwest France. The cleric was sent by the Catholic Church to the Southwest to influence the religious practices of its native population and is buried in the crypt beneath the church's high altar. He was the inspiration behind Willa Cather's novel Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927). In 2005 Pope Benedict XVI declared St. Francis the "cradle of Catholicism" in the Southwestern United States, and upgraded the status of the building from mere cathedral to cathedral basilica—one of just 36 in the country.

A small adobe chapel on the northeast side of the cathedral, the remnant of an earlier church, embodies the Hispanic architectural influence absent from the cathedral itself. The chapel's Nuestra Señora de la Paz (Our Lady of Peace), popularly known as La Conquistadora, the oldest Madonna statue in the United States, accompanied Don Diego de Vargas on his reconquest of Santa Fe in 1692, a feat attributed to the statue's spiritual intervention. Each new season, the faithful adorn the statue with a new dress. Take a close look at the keystone in the main doorway arch: it has a Hebrew tetragrammaton on it. It's widely speculated that Bishop Lamy had this carved and placed to honor the Jewish merchants of Santa Fe who helped provide necessary funds for the construction of the church.

This 5,000-square-foot art space in the ever-transforming Baca Street neighborhood presents itself as both museum and art gallery. It is owned by the duo behind Turner Carroll Gallery, who aim to present eclectic and significant artwork from around the world. Their global relationships facilitate and attract influential stars in the art world to exhibit, speak, and share with like-minded aficionados in Santa Fe.

In a striking, high-ceilinged space, EVOKE ranks among the more diverse contemporary galleries in town. It veers away from the standard Southwestern focus seen in many Santa Fe galleries and more toward modern pieces that evoke (wink, wink) conversation and personal reflection. Single artist and group exhibitions rotate through the schedule, featuring creatives from around the globe. Intriguing lectures on varied topics also draw crowds.

One of many East Coast artists who visited New Mexico in the first half of the 20th century, Georgia O'Keeffe, today known as the "Mother of American Modernism," returned to live and paint in northern New Mexico for the last half of her life, eventually emerging as the demigoddess of Southwestern art. At this intimate museum dedicated to her work, you'll find how O'Keeffe's innovative view of the landscape is captured in From the Plains, inspired by her memory of the Texas plains, and in Jimson Weed, a study of one of her favorite plants; additional highlights include selections from O'Keeffe's early days as an illustrator, abstract pieces from her time in New York City, and iconic works featuring floating skulls, flowers, and bones. Special exhibitions with O'Keeffe's modernist peers, as well as contemporary artists, are on view throughout the year—many of these are exceptional, and just as interesting as the museum's permanent collection, which numbers some 3,000 works (although not all are on display as the museum is surprisingly small). The museum also manages a visitor center and tours of O'Keeffe's famous home and studio in Abiquiú, about an hour north of Santa Fe.

Sitting just a block from the Plaza, this fascinating museum is part of the esteemed Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and contains the largest collection—some 7,500 works—of contemporary Native American art in the United States. The paintings, photography, sculptures, prints, and traditional crafts were created by past and present students and teachers. In the 1960s and 1970s, it blossomed into the nation's premier center for Native American arts and its alumni represent almost 600 tribes around the country. The museum continues to showcase the cultural and artistic vibrancy of Indigenous people, helping to expand what is still an often limited public perception of what "Indian" art is and can be. Be sure to step out back to the beautiful sculpture garden. Artist Fritz Scholder taught here, as did sculptor Allan Houser. Among their disciples were the painter T. C. Cannon and celebrated local sculptor and painter Dan Namingha.

Founded in Baltimore in 1995, owner Dianna Lennon, an educator and advocate for Ukrainian art, opened this space in Santa Fe in 2003. Originally called the Art of Russia, she has since changed the name to spotlight generations of influential Ukrainian artists. A native of Kyiv herself, her focus is on contemporary artists and old masters from her home country.

This longtime Santa Fe art dealer is a leader in both contemporary and modern art, with a dramatic 14,000-square-foot neo-industrial building across from the farmers' market. You'll also find a dazzling collection of abstract sculptures, photography, and paintings by up-and-coming regional and international talents.

Located atop Museum Hill, this museum delights visitors of all ages with its permanent collection of more than 130,000 objects from about 100 countries. In the Girard Wing, you'll find thousands of amazingly inventive handmade objects such as a tin Madonna, a devil made from bread dough, dolls from around the world, and miniature village scenes. The Hispanic Heritage Wing rotates exhibitions of art from throughout Latin America, dating from New Mexico's Spanish-colonial period (1598–1821) to the present. The exhibits in the Neutrogena Wing rotate, showing subjects ranging from outsider art to the magnificent quilts of Gee's Bend. Lloyd's Treasure Chest, the wing's innovative basement section, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the museum's permanent collection and explores the question of what exactly constitutes folk art. The innovative Gallery of Conscience explores topics at the intersection of folk art and social justice. Each exhibition also includes educational activities for both kids and adults. Allow time to visit the outstanding gift shop and bookstore.

One of the Southwest's premier galleries, Matteucci Galleries exhibits works by California regionalists, members of the early Taos and Santa Fe schools, and masters of American impressionism and modernism. Spanish-colonial furniture, Indian antiquities, and a fantastic sculpture garden are other draws of this well-respected establishment. Visitors can also find jewelry, pottery, and books. The old adobe building that the gallery is in is a beautifully preserved example of Santa Fe–style architecture. Matteucci also owns Morning Star Gallery around the corner at  513 Canyon Road.

This impressive, modern museum anchors a campus that encompasses the Palace of the Governors, the Palace Print Shop & Bindery, the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library, and Photo Archives (an assemblage of more than 1 million images dating from the 1850s). Behind the palace on Lincoln Avenue, the museum thoroughly explores the early history of Indigenous people, Spanish colonization, the Mexican Period, and travel and commerce on the legendary Santa Fe Trail. Inside are changing and permanent exhibits. By appointment, visitors can tour the comprehensive Fray Angélico Chávez History Library and its rare maps, manuscripts, and photographs (more than 120,000 prints and negatives). The Palace Print Shop & Bindery, which prints books, pamphlets, and cards on antique presses, also hosts bookbinding demonstrations, lectures, and slide shows. The Palace of the Governors is a humble one-story neo-Pueblo adobe on the north side of the Plaza, and is the oldest public building in the United States. Its rooms contain period furnishings and exhibits illustrating the building's many functions over the past four centuries. Built at the same time as the Plaza, circa 1610, it was the seat of four regional governments—those of Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy, and the U.S. territory that preceded New Mexico's statehood, which was achieved in 1912. It served as the residence for 100 Spanish, Mexican, and American governors, including Governor Lew Wallace, who wrote his epic Ben Hur in its then drafty rooms, all the while complaining of the dust and mud that fell from its earthen ceiling.

Dozens of Native American vendors gather daily under the portal of the Palace of the Governors to sell pottery, jewelry, bread, and other goods. With few exceptions, the more than 500 artists and craftspeople registered to sell here are Pueblo or Navajo Indians. The merchandise for sale is required to meet strict standards. Prices tend to reflect the high quality of the merchandise but are often significantly less than what you'd pay in a shop. Please remember not to take photographs without permission.

Designed by Isaac Hamilton Rapp in 1917, this museum is one of Santa Fe's earliest Pueblo Revival structures, inspired by the adobe structures at Acoma Pueblo. Split-cedar latillas (branches set in a crosshatch pattern) and hand-hewn vigas form the ceilings. The 20,000-piece permanent collection, of which only a fraction is exhibited at any given time, emphasizes the work of regional and nationally renowned artists, including Georgia O'Keeffe; realist Robert Henri; the Cinco Pintores (five painters) of Santa Fe (including Fremont Ellis and Will Shuster, the creative mind behind Zozóbra); members of the Taos Society of Artists (Ernest L. Blumenschein, Bert G. Phillips, Joseph H. Sharp, and E. Irving Couse, among others); and the works of noted 20th-century photographers of the Southwest, including Laura Gilpin, Ansel Adams, and Dorothea Lange. Rotating exhibits are staged throughout the year. Many excellent examples of Spanish-colonial-style furniture are on display. Other highlights include an interior placita (small plaza) with fountains, WPA murals, and sculpture, and the St. Francis Auditorium, where concerts and lectures are often held.

A 12-acre expanse that helped redefine the neighborhood, Railyard Park is an urban park with orchards, a community garden, a bird and butterfly garden, children’s play areas, picnic areas, and some fantastic public art. In summer, there are free outdoor evening movies. The park runs past SITE Santa Fe to the Railyard Plaza via the walkable and bikeable “Rail Trail.”

At the end of Upper Canyon Road, located at the mouth of the canyon as it wends into the foothills, the 135-acre Randall Davey Audubon Center harbors diverse birds (nearly 200 species have been identified) and other wildlife. Free guided nature walks are given most Saturday mornings at 8:30; there are also two major hiking trails that you can tackle on your own. The home and studio of Randall Davey, a prolific early Santa Fe artist, can be toured on Friday afternoon. There's also a nature bookstore, and be sure to check out the treehouse and seed library. No pets are allowed other than leashed service dogs.

If you'd like to bring the flavors of the Southwest to your own kitchen, consider taking one of the wildly popular and fun cooking classes at the Santa Fe School of Cooking. Regular classes are taught during the day, with some evening classes available. There are also the ever-popular walking tours of Santa Fe's most notable restaurants, which usually include special visits with the chefs. Reservations are advised. The school also has a cookery story and operates an online market where you can purchase all sorts of New Mexico culinary goods and gifts. And check the schedule for Dave's Jazz Bistro pop-up dinners which happen a few times each year.

The events at this 18,000 square foot nexus of international contemporary art include lectures, concerts, author readings, films, performance art, and gallery shows. The facility also hosts a biennial exhibition, SITElines, staged every even-numbered year. Exhibitions are often provocative, and the immense, open space provides an ideal setting for the many larger-than-life installations. The on-site museum store, Curated, offers a tasteful selection of unique, artist-made items.

Set on a hilltop with spectacular mountain views, this intimate oasis has 15 treatment rooms, some of the best-trained body workers and estheticians in the Southwest, and a full complement of salon services. You'll pay more at the Four Seasons Spa than at most other properties in town (it's $165 for a 50-minute massage), but there's a reason both hotel guests and locals rave about their experiences here. Specialties include regionally inspired treatments, like the Blue Corn and Honey Renewal body wrap. A few different private couples' retreat packages are offered, including the three-hour Mountain Spirit Initiation, which includes a sage smudge, clay body mask, foot and scalp massage, and a full-body hot-stone juniper-sage massage. Do stick around and enjoy time in the impressive fitness center or relaxing by the pool (closed winter). Many guests combine their spa day with lunch or dinner on the peaceful patio of the resort's outstanding restaurant, Terra. The resort's Adventure Center also offers all sorts of excursions designed to get your blood flowing, from mountain-biking to hiking at nearby waterfalls.

The first-rate 4,500-square-foot spa at this historic Downtown resort emphasizes regional ingredients in its extensive offerings of treatments and services, including a signature Spirit of Santa Fe body rub that uses ground blue corn as a skin exfoliant, and a body wrap using chocolate and red chiles from nearby Chimayó. The 15-minute Shea Butter facial wrap is a great way to combat the effects on the skin of New Mexico's sunny, high-desert climate. Hair and nail services are also available, and there's an expansive fitness center (24-hour access for hotel guests) with Cybex equipment and personal-training as well as private yoga sessions offered. After working out, or being worked on, go for a swim in the heated outdoor pool, or just soak up the Sangre de Cristo views on the rooftop terrace. There's also a poolside patio grill serving light fare. Rates start at $185 for an 80-minute massage.

This renowned Japanese-style spa with outstanding facilities and treatments is just 10 minutes north of Santa Fe toward the ski basin, nestled peacefully among the piñon trees on a sheltered hillside. Primarily a day spa—the private and communal hot tubs, especially nice in the evening under a starry sky, are a popular option—Ten Thousand Waves also has 14 sleek and inviting overnight casitas and a lovely izakaya-style restaurant, Izanami. The treatment rooms and spa facilities here are simple yet elegant, with a zenlike vibe—perfect for relaxing while undergoing a Yasuragi head and neck treatment, a salt-glow body exfoliation, or the Japanese organic facial, which includes a thorough neck and shoulder massage. If you've been skiing or hiking in the mountains up the road, stopping here on the way home is a great way to heal sore muscles. It's $119 for a 50-minute massage and $213–$473 for half-day packages. Nature walks are also offered.

Set in a dramatic and expansive Victorian redbrick schoolhouse on Canyon Road, Ventana has been at the forefront of Santa Fe's constantly shifting contemporary art scene since the mid-1980s. The gallery represents notable local talents as well as rising artists; the sculpture offerings, as seen both indoors and throughout the lovely gardens, are particularly noteworthy. The gallery has expanded to an additional location at 403 Canyon Road.

The newest outpost of the New Mexico Museum of Art, Vladem boasts a more modern approach to the artistic experience than the city’s historic buildings provide. The striking structure was purposefully designed to accommodate large-scale installations, multimedia exhibitions, performances, educational programs, and much-needed art storage, including a photography vault for fragile historic photos. With nearly 10,000 square feet of gallery space and over 2,500 square feet of outdoor space, plan to spend at least a couple of hours exploring the artwork and grounds. The $12 admission also gets visitors into its sister museum at 107 West Palace Avenue in the Plaza.

A private institution in a building shaped like a traditional octagonal Navajo hogan, the Wheelwright opened in 1937. Founded by Boston scholar Mary Cabot Wheelwright and Navajo medicine man Hastiin Klah, the museum originated as a place to house ceremonial materials. Those items were returned to the Navajo in 1977, but what remains is an incredible collection of 19th- and 20th-century baskets, pottery, sculpture, weavings, metalwork, photography, and paintings, including contemporary works by Native American artists, and typically fascinating changing exhibits. The Case Trading Post on the lower level is modeled after the trading posts that dotted the Southwestern frontier more than 100 years ago. It carries an outstanding selection of books and contemporary Native American jewelry, kachina dolls, weaving, and pottery. There are also several interesting educational programs for visitors and locals to enjoy.