An artist's conception of the New Mexico History Museum
An artist's conception of the new museum

The New Mexico History Museum in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico is celebrating its grand opening on Sunday, May 24, 2009. The only museum dedicated exclusively to New Mexico historical education and research, its mission is to fundamentally change the way visitors understand the history of the state and the nation as a whole. The New Mexico History Museum has been in the planning stages for over 20 years; obtaining land and funding was a huge struggle, but ground was finally broken in 2006. Together with the historic Palace of the Governors and the Fray Angelico Chavez library, it’s part of an amazing campus that covers 500 years of New Mexico history. The new museum boasts over 30,000 feet of exhibition space, as well as an auditorium, a learning center, a conservation lab, and even a snack bar (which I very much hope will serve Frito Pie, a New Mexico classic).

And in honor of the grand opening, the museum staffers are ready to party! There will be three full days of grand opening events on Saturday, May 23, Sunday, May 24, and Monday, May 25. So if you’re in Santa Fe, head on down to the Plaza for the official ribbon-cutting, a lowrider car exhibition, live music, dancing, and an interfaith service at the St. Francis Cathedral. Check out the full schedule of events here.

This is a really exciting time for Santa Fe, my hometown, and for me personally – that’s because the museum director, Dr. Frances Levine, is also my mom. She’s worked incredibly hard to make this happen, and I’m so proud of her. So yes, this is a shameless plug for my mom’s work- but it’s also going to be a fun event at an awesome museum, so come on out! And if you won’t be in town for the opening, but plan on visiting Santa Fe this summer, pay them a visit. It’s at 113 Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of downtown. And if you see my mom, make sure to say hi!

My beautiful mother, Dr. Frances Levine
Dr. Frances Levine