Established in 1967, the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History was originally located in the Cutter Memorial Building south of downtown. It has been at its current location at 2000 Mountain Road in Old Town since 1979. In 2004 the Museum celebrated an expansion of 40,000 sq. ft. with a new lobby, two new galleries, new facilities for collections management and graphic design, a special reception space, café, and store. In addition, an outdoor amphitheatre that seats 200 hosts a series of jazz and salsa concerts
as well as plays and other events.

The permanent collection of the Albuquerque Museum began with a donation of 900 objects from the Albuquerque Historical Society. Today, the collection consists of more than 30,000 objects with the lion’s share making up the History Collection. A sampling of the most significant holdings on exhibit includes a 17th century wallhanging owned by the familyof the Dukes of Alburquerque, Spain, one of the country’s top collections of Spanish Colonial metalwork and weavings, and pottery from the ancestral Pueblo site of Tonque Pueblo.

Continually on display from the Art Collection are drawings and watercolor sketches from Territorial New Mexico (1846-1912); paintings from the Taos Society of Artists, such as Ernest L. Blumenschein and Joseph Sharp; American Modernists Georgia O’Keeffe and John Marin; members of the Transcendentalist School spearheaded by Raymond Jonson; and fine examples of Latino, Native American, and Anglo contemporary artists, such as Luis Jiménez, Luis Tapia, Fritz Scholder, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Larry Bell. Painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, and early 20th century retablos make up the core of the Art Collection. Also featured is the sculpture garden where over 50 works in bronze, steel, iron, and stone are on display free to the public.

In addition to the collections of art and history, the Museum’s Photo Archives comprise more than 125,000 images and ephemera related to Albuquerque’s history. And Casa San Ysidro: The Gutiérrez-Minge House, a Greek Territorial rancho located in the Village of Corrales, is open for public tours. The collections exhibited at Casa San Ysidro include one of the state’s top three collections of Pueblo and Spanish Colonial material culture including 17th-19th century historic pottery, retablos, furniture, and tinwork.

In its fortieth year, the Albuquerque Museum has presented the best in contemporary and past perspectives spanning more than 500 years of art and history associated with the City of Albuquerque, the State of New Mexico, and the Southwest, as well as art and culture from around the world.

Originally appeared in
The Collector’s Guide to Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque - Volume 22