Virtual visits: Travel the history and wonder of New Mexico

With time and (virtual) space in abundance for many people because of public health orders, now may be the perfect time to connect with world-class museums and cultural sites outside Las Cruces.

The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA) brings the state’s “unique blend of cultures into your home through its museums, historic sites and cultural institutions,” NMDCA said in a news release.

Created in 1978 by the state Legislature, NMDCA is New Mexico’s “cultural steward, charged with preserving and showcasing the state’s cultural riches,” NMDCA said. “With its eight museums, seven historic sites, arts, archaeology, historic preservation and library programs, NMDCA is one of the largest and most diverse state cultural agencies in the nation. Together, NMDCA facilities, programs and services support a $5.6 billion cultural industry in New Mexico.”

“Newmexicoculture.org makes it easy for New Mexicans across the state to connect with an array of NMDCA’s programs offered through our museums, historic sites and other institutions, via online or on social media,” said NMDCA Sec. Debra Garcia y Griego. “For example, residents in the southern part of the state are able enjoy virtual programming that’s available in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and at our historic sites throughout the state, without leaving home. These virtual offerings further the department’s mission to celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our state. “

There is also a link to a Cultural Atlas of New Mexico mobile app.

In late August, NMDCA highlighted the coming of the railroad to New Mexico in 1879, with historic and contemporary images from the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives and the Library of Congress; Family Fixins recipes for New Mexican cuisine shared through Las Cruces’ own New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum; and award-winning Oklahoma-based artist Holly Wilson’s “We Need a Hero” work at the New Mexico Museum of Art.

Click on “Visit Virtually” at www.newmexicoculture.org to link to not only the Farm and Ranch Museum in Las Cruces and the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, but also the New Mexico Museum of Art, History Museum, Museum of International Folk Art and Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, the Museum of Natural History and Science and the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, along with links to other sites, exhibitions and collections, photo archives, virtual classrooms, educational materials, resources and services.

Here are a few examples:

• The New Mexico Office of Archeological Studies (www.nmarchaeology.org/labs-and-services.html) links you to the state’s Archaeomagnetic Dating Laboratory, chipped-stone artifact analysis, bone lab, ethnobotany lab and so much more.
• The New Mexico State Library (www.nmstatelibrary.org/services-for-nm-libraries) connects to census data dating back to 1790, federal and state documents and depositories and library resources at New Mexico State University, the University of New Mexico and across state and tribal lands.
• The state Historic Preservation Division (www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/programs.html) links to “tax credits, grants and loans form economic partnerships with homeowners, entrepreneurs and community development organizations such as MainStreet,” according to NMDCA.
• The New Mexico History Museum (www.palaceofthegovernors.org/photoarchives.html) links to

the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives, which contains an estimated 1 million items, including historic glass-plate negatives and lantern slides. Its collections date back to about 1850 and cover “the history and people of New Mexico and the expansion of the West, anthropology, archaeology and ethnology of Hispanic and Native American cultures and smaller collections documenting Europe, Latin America, Asia, Oceania and the Middle East.” Photographers include Adolph Bandelier and Charles Lindbergh. The site’s Photo Legacy Project “is actively seeking materials from contemporary photographers documenting the past 50 years of visual history in New Mexico.”

• The National Hispanic Cultural Center (www.nhccnm.org) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Learn about its contributions during the past two decades through its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube accounts.
• The "I Love the Arts" stories campaign is ongoing on the New Mexico Arts (www.newmexicoculture.org/arts/) Instagram page, hashtags #ilovethearts and #Iheartthearts.
• New Mexico Historic Sites (http://nmhistoricsites.org/virtual-classroom) set up a virtual classroom with activities for all grades and a video lesson led by a professional interpretive staff member. For example, the Coronado Historic Site virtual classroom includes “Kuaua Pueblo Through Time,” “The Columbian Exchange” and “Coronado and the Seven Cities of Cibola.”
• The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (www.nmnaturalhistory.org/education/science-home) has a wide range of science-at-home projects for children, adults and families.
• Visit https://media.newmexicoculture.org/photo-library to see an eye-popping photo collection.