Guided walking tours of Old Town start here. An excellent example of a city-specific museum, with a large permanent collection of Southwestern art, changing art exhibitions, artifacts from the history of colonial New Mexico and Albuquerque through the years (with some pretty neat items, like conquistador armor and antique cars), and an outdoor sculpture garden. The Albuquerque Museum also operates tours of the historic home of Casa San Ysidro in the nearby village of Corrales, which offers a glimpse into Spanish colonial life in the valley.
Tue–Sun 9AM–5PM except major holidays·$4, $2 seniors, $3 teens, $1 children, under age 4 free (admission free first Wednesday of the month and every Sunday 9AM–1PM)
Albuquerque's small but pleasant aquarium is well-curated, with exhibits designed to simulate the Rio Grande and the saltwater marshes of the Gulf of Mexico before moving on to ocean species. Among the sea creatures on display are jellyfish, seahorses, eels, and plenty of colorful reef fish, with the highlight being a huge tank at the end with sharks, sea turtles, and rays. Divers enter the big tank every day from 2–3PM to feed the fish.
9AM–5PM daily, except major holidays·$12.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children, under age 3 free (includes admission to Botanic Garden; train rides require separate admission, unless you have a combo ticket)
This splendid museum has well-constructed geological and paleontological displays which illustrate a "journey through time", covering everything from the birth of the planet to the Ice Age. There's plenty of dinosaurs around, from the statues outside the main entrance, to a T. rex in the atrium, to one massive hall with several complete (and massive) dinosaur skeletons. Additionally, an entire wing of the museum is devoted to astronomical exhibits, and there's also an exhibit about the birth of the personal computer, which happened right here in Albuquerque. A planetarium and a large-screen theater are also in the building.
Wed–Mon 9AM–5PM, closed Tue (closed on major holidays)·$8 for adults 18-59, $7 for seniors (60 and above) and children 13-17, $5 for children 3-12, under age 3 free. Separate fee required for planetarium and DynaTheater
It may not be as big as your average big city zoo, but this zoo is surprisingly comprehensive for its size, with most of the popular species you can expect to find at any good zoo: polar bears, lions, zebras, tigers, giraffes, elephants, gorillas, etc. And like any good zoo, the animals are in nice, naturalistic exhibits. The highlight exhibit areas are the seals, the polar bears, a large Africa area, and a large elephant enclosure. Every day there are scheduled feedings of the seals and the polar bears; during the warmer months more feeding times, activities, and outdoor concerts are scheduled. A small narrow-gauge train runs through the zoo (Tu–Su 10AM–3:30PM at 20-min intervals), with a conductor pointing out some of the animals and explaining what goes on behind-the-scenes. A separate train line runs to the Aquarium/Botanic Garden.
9AM–5PM daily, except major holidays·$12.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children, under age 3 free (train rides require separate admission, unless you have a combo ticket) · Entry 20 USD;
