Story and photography by Yvonne Yorke
Frederico Vigril fresco photo by Kim Jew
 

Many of us are familiar with Albuquerque’s abundant natural attractions, its historic Old Town, rich cultural heritage, and its ideal wind conditions for hot-air ballooning. However, not many know that this New Mexican city is also home to some of America’s most unusual to offbeat museums.

As the “Ballooning Capital of the World”, Albuquerque’s population almost doubles every October when over 700,000 visitors flock to the city to witness the spectacular sight of 750 hot-air balloons filling the sky during the annual International Balloon Fiesta. Little wonder that there is a museum dedicated to the history of ballooning. The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Museum (9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, tel: 505-880-0500, www.balloonmuseum.com) features interactive exhibits and more than 50 historic and contemporary gondolas used for adventure, scientific research, warfare and espionage. Some notables are the model of the Kitty Hawk gondola which crossed North America in 1980, and the original Double Eagle V gondola - the first manned balloon to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1981.

For your own hot-air balloon experience, Rainbow Ryders (tel 505 823 1111, www.rainbowryders.com) offers early-morning balloon-rides year-round, subject to weather. You will also get to help with the setting up before lift-off and have your own ballooning certificate at the end.

New Mexico has been involved in nuclear development research since it produced and tested the first atomic bomb. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (601 Eubank Blvd. SE, tel: 505-245-2137, www.nuclearmuseum.org) opened in April 2009 – it was formerly the National Atomic Museum which started in 1969 at the Kirtland Air Force Base. The museum in its new location at Albuquerque’s Old Town charts the history of atomic energy from wartime to the peaceful use of nuclear technology. For the first time in over seven years, the museum’s collection of historic aircraft such as the B52-B bomber, and nuclear missiles are on display.

Albuquerque has been shaped by the blending of three distinct cultures – Native American, Western, and Hispanic. The National Hispanic Cultural Center (1701 4^th St SW, tel: 505-246-2261, www.nhccnu.org) is the largest of its kind in the country. Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of Hispanic art, culture and humanities, there are permanent and temporary collections of important works of art from New Mexico and across the US, as well as from Spain and Latin America. The extensive and state-of-the-art facilities also include a performance theatre, a genealogy center, and a top-rated Hispanic restaurant. A noteworthy addition in Oct 2010 is a 4,000 sq. ft. fresco painted by New Mexico artist Frederico Vigril inside the museum’s Torreon – the largest concave fresco in North America. Depicting a 3,000 year span of Hispanic history from Europe to Mesoamerica to the American Southwest, it features iconic people and themes such as science, literature and religion.

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (2401 12^th St NW, tel: 866-855-7902, www.indianpueblo.org), billed as the “Gateway to the 19 pueblos of New Mexico”, is an informative stop for those with an interest in Pueblo Indian history and culture. The museum’s distinctive ocher-colored building is beautifully adorned with murals by prominent Pueblo artists, and houses traditional Pueblo artifacts and contemporary art. For a taste of the city’s only Native American-owned restaurant, head for the Pueblo Harvest Café & Bakery inside the cultural center (tel: 505-724-3510), where bread is still baked daily in the traditional adobe ovens.

For those interested in natural and unusual scenery, the Petroglyph National Monument, part of the National Park Service, (tel: 505-897-8814, www.nps.gov/petr) offers geological formations, archeological sites, and an estimated 20,000 petroglyphs which are images carved on volcanic rock dating back over 700 years. There is clear evidence of early American Indian activity throughout the monument, and the desert eco-system supports an array of plant life, animals and reptiles. Rattlesnakes have been spotted around various trails so watch your step.

If rattlesnakes strike your fancy, you’re in luck because Albuquerque also boasts the American International Rattlesnake Museum (202 San Felipe NW, Suite A, tel: 505-242-6596, www.rattlesnakes.com), with the largest collection of different species of live rattlesnakes in the world. The educational and conservational museum also promises to dispel myths and cure phobias.

So whether your tastes in museums run from entertaining to informative, quirky to out-of-the-ordinary, there is an eclectic selection to choose from in Albuquerque.

For more go to Albuquerque.

© February 2011 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.