You Need to See the 5 Quirky Museums in New Mexico That Will Entertain You in a Weird Way

Some people hate museums because they think it’s boring. However, you’ll be surprised that there are other exhibitions that will entertain you beyond belief with their quirkiness. Don’t believe us? Then check out the quirky museums in New Mexico that you need to visit right away.

Spoiler alert: You need to expect the extraordinary.

Here are 5 quirky museums in New Mexico that will entertain you in a weird way:

1. Meow Art in Santa Fe

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There’s no better way to start this list than with Meow Art, the immersive museum that makes all other places look plain and dull. You will be amazed by the effort, time, and creative minds combined just to build this huge masterpiece. Every corner of Meow Art details beautiful story-telling, fantasy, sci-fi, and some elements of math or science that compels all types of audience.

There, you will find the witch forest treehouse of your dreams, interesting installations, candy rooms, a trippy bathroom, and even a vending machine psychic. If that’s not enough, your mind will also be blown away by the different appliances or seemingly ordinary home items that literally transport you to another world. Everything isn’t exactly what it appears to be. One moment you are crawling through a fireplace. Before you know it, you’ll already be inside an aquarium.

How did this museum come to life?

Since Meow Art is no ordinary destination, you’d be surprised by the number of people who worked together to bring this place to life. It actually took more than 200 people to build the House of Eternal Return. This includes creative professionals such as architects, designers, electricians, engineers, carpenters, and many more! The result is pretty much worth it: a 20,000 square imagination explosion, and one of the best quirky museums in New Mexico.

The average time an individual stays to explore Meow Art is 4 hours. But you can actually spend the whole day and you won’t notice the time.

Note: The pandemic forced Meow Art to stay closed to contain the spread of the virus, so tickets are not on sale. While the interactive museum still hasn’t set an exact date for its reopening, you may wait for the representatives’ updates as they are actively working on setting protocols when they open their doors.

2. Tinkertown Museum in Sandia Park

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Look what we have here – another addition to our list of quirky museums in New Mexico.

Tinkertown Museum has all sorts of stuff on full display. It is a place that is ready to inspire one’s imagination and awaken the creative spirit. The founder, Ross Ward, spent over 40 years to carve, collect, and lovingly construct Tinkertown Museum. His passion is evident! You will find many miniature wood-carved figures driven to county fairs and carnivals in the 1960s and ’70s. In addition, you will be amazed by the glass bottles that form rambling walls that surround a 22-room museum. The place also has some weird yet interesting western memorabilia, Wagon wheels, and old fashioned storefronts that will remind you of the good old days.

Just by looking at Tinkertown Museum’s exterior, you will already be prepared for a fun time! Come inside and be transported to an imaginative land filled with diminutive circus performers, eccentric collections of Americana, as well as a 35′ antique wooden sailboat that braved a 10-year voyage around the world.

One thing is for sure – there are a lot of surprises at this museum!

Note: The entire museum is a testament to the founder’s passion to transform the world around them with their imagination. You can purchase an admission ticket for cheap, so it’s more amazing. Tinkertown Museum is closed until the Spring of 2021. It will reopen provided it is COVID-safe to do so.

3. Classical Gas Museum in Embudo

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Do you want to visit a destination that is both Instagram-worthy and fascinating? Look no further.

The Classical Gas Museum is not just a dream of collector Johnnie Meier. It is also a wonderland of “road culture” artifacts such as gas pumps and signage along roads everywhere that really takes you back in time. You will also find beautiful and vintage oil cans, maps, soda coolers, neon signs, and license plates. The items are all perfectly preserved or restored. Seriously, this is a great spot for advertisement antiques.

It took Meier over 20 years to collect everything, and when he did, he made the museum to house the collection. If you ask us, this place is bursting with road culture memorabilia. Be in awe of the workshop and see how they do the restoration process -from disassembling, sandblasting, banging out dents, filling holes, finding missing parts, and painting.

We are not surprised that there have been many art directors from films who came here for fashion shoots and commercials. Some even visit the museum for props. After all, where else can you find historic photos of gas stations and other supplies? If you’ve watched the film, No Country for Old Men and Wild Hogs, some items from this museum have actually been used there!

Note: Classical Gas Museum is perfect for individuals who are interested in classic gas service stations and other unique things. You will enjoy looking at stuff that carries a piece of history. Not to mention, the entrance is free.

4. Telephone Museum of New Mexico in Albuquerque

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If you want to see how the telephone has evolved over time, then you need to visit the Telephone Museum of New Mexico. The place has 4 floors of exhibits and features telephone switchboards and telephones. Additionally, you can tour the 4 audio exhibits in the original telephone building of 1906. You can also join the guided tours to learn more about New Mexico’s history, geography, science, and other inventions that evolved in the communications industry.

Are you looking for an item to bring home to your family once your tour of the Telephone Museum of New Mexico is over? Don’t worry! There is also a gift shop is open during museum hours that offers a variety of New Mexico and telephone-related gifts. In addition, you will find some beautiful jewelry and books. No doubt, this is a wonderful find for the historians, telephone or gadget geeks, kids, or basically anyone who has ever used a telephone.

You only need to pay a cheap fee to enter the museum. There are also friendly staff who are passionate about the history of telephones. Since you’ll learn a lot from them, be sure to appreciate their efforts and hard work!

Note: This place aims to educate young and old people alike to the history of the telephone in New Mexico. It also wants to preserve the legacy of the telephone people who built that industry in the state.

5. Roswell Museum in Roswell

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Roswell Museum is one of the top-rated New Mexico destinations every traveler should visit. It is an ideal museum for those who believe in and get fascinated by extraterrestrial creatures that have possibly walked this earth. The history of this place is based on the UFO sighting in Roswell way back in 1947.

According to research, there was an alleged sighting of the flying saucer that carried the extraterrestrials in July 1947. It appeared in the northwest of Roswell during a severe thunderstorm. According to “reports,” the UFO “crashed into a ranch” before the government discovered the aliens and seized the UFO. While some people think it was just a weather balloon, others think it is a legitimate alien story. UFO researcher Stanton Friedman also backed up the story.

Others also believe that both military and private individuals worked together to cover up the UFO sighting. Some accounts claim that the military recovered debris and bodies from that said crash and it was brought in for testing at the famous Area 51. This tale soon became the “Roswell Incident.”

Also called the “International UFO Museum and Research Center,” this place is home to a lot of artifacts related to their researches about UFOs. It includes testaments of people who allegedly saw UFOs.

Note: Why is this museum one of the quirky museums in New Mexico? Well, there is a “serious” area that contains all the factual information. But the other side of the place has fun displays of UFO that is actually moving and releasing dry ice clouds of steam. You only need less than an hour to tour this place, but you can stay longer if you want to read more details about the Roswell crash.

Have you been to any of these quirky museums in New Mexico?

Before you go, check out the Spooky New Mexico Ghost Town From the Gold Rush Era in the Late 1800s. You will also find this a good read: The Complete Guide to 10 of the Most Beautiful Waterfalls You Can Find in New Mexico.