Weird and Wonderful: Your Ultimate Road Trip to New Mexico’s Top 10 Offbeat Art & Attractions

Get your kicks on Route 66 but get weird on the Turquoise Trail. The roads less traveled make all the difference. Take this trip exploring ten avant-garde, uniquely uncommon or strange art spaces and attractions. For those wanting to be free from traditional artistic norms, this is the “Keep New Mexico Weird” road trip guide. 

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Tinkertown. Sandia Park, New Mexico.

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Road trips with spectacular scenery are the best road trips, so Tinkertown located off NM State Road 14 on Sandia Crest Road towards the Sandia Mountains is a good place to start. You can’t miss the entrance to this local roadside attraction that’s been here since 1983. Their slogan says it best, “22 rooms, 51,000 bottles, 20 tons of rock and cement, and 40 years of art and collecting.”

It all started with Ross Ward who, back in the 1960’s, toured carnivals and sideshows showcasing his hand-carved, original Western Town diorama. When he was home, he created new pieces and built an add-on to his home using glass bottles. Eventually, he quit touring and opened up his home to the public in the ‘80’s so visitors could see and appreciate his art of figurines, miniatures, dioramas and memorabilia. Until his death in 2002, Ross continually built and added on to Tinkertown. Now Ross’ widow, Carla, and their family continue to keep his legacy alive. The attraction is open April 1 to November 1, five days a week for a small entrance fee. 

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Connie's Photo Park. Madrid, New Mexico

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Continuing along the Turquoise Trail, otherwise known as National Scenic Byway NM 14, we come to a quirky former mining town, Madrid (pronounced MAD-rid). If you’re heading north towards Santa Fe, it’s worth a stop - there are cool shops full of local art, plenty to see, and once you’ve worked up an appetite, The Mine Shaft Tavern has a famous green chile cheeseburger. 

You can’t miss Connie’s Photo Park located near the old boarding house. Connie Mayhew hand-painted every single thing you see at her photo park - she’s got the art, you bring the smile and take the photo (for a small donation). There’s even an Old West photo session where you can rent costumes for old-timey Western portraits. And if you’re looking for a quirky party locale, Connie rents out the entire park for private parties. 

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Museum of Encaustic Art. Cerrillos, New Mexico.

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Just up the road from Madrid, you’ll see a pyramid as you reach the Garden of the Gods outside Cerrillos. Inside is one of the most incredible collections of encaustic art in America. This ancient technique began with the Greeks– using pigmented wax on a substrate, such as a wood panel, then it is fused or burned to create truly distinctive, dimensional art. The Museum of Encaustic Art was founded in 2005 by Douglas Mehrens, housing traditional and contemporary works. There are over 450 encaustic/wax-driven works of art in the Museum's Permanent Collection, making it the largest collection in America.

Currently, at the time of this writing, there is a call for artists to submit their encaustics for the 2024 Global Warming is REAL Juried Encaustic/Wax Exhibition. This 8th Annual juried exhibition happens September 14 through October 20 at MOEA. For more information about this and other events, head to www.moeart.org/events. 

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OrigamiintheGarden. Little Garden of the Gods, New Mexico.

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“Origami presents a simple metaphor: When we begin with a blank page, what we do with it is up to us and the possibilities are endless.” - Kevin Box

Still cruisin’ that Turquoise Trail, road trippers can’t help but notice a larger-than-life origami garden between Cerrillos and Santa Fe: OrigamiintheGarden (Box Studio & Sculpture Garden). Open May 13 through November 1, this three-acre monumental outdoor sculpture exhibition features metal cast into incredible, giant origami. OrigamiintheGarden is the private studio, sculpture garden and residence of Santa Fe artists Jennifer and Kevin Box. The exhibit features Box’s own compositions as well as collaborations with world-renowned origami artists Tim Armijo, Te Jui Fu, Beth Johnson, Michael G. LaFosse and Robert J. Lang. 

Tickets are not required, however, there is a suggested donation of $5 per person. The public can wander and wonder weekdays from 9am-1pm. Not to be missed, it’s a part of the Turquoise Trail Studio Tour the last two weekends of September. This year, the exhibition is traveling outside New Mexico and being hosted at the Mounts Botanical Garden in Florida and The Gardens on Spring Creek in Colorado. OrigamiintheGarden just received a Peace Blossom from PeaceRun.org - The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is a global torch relay that offers everyone in the world a chance to express their longing for peace.

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Staff Picks - Favorites from the Collection, Museum of International Folk Art. Santa Fe, New Mexico

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No road trip is complete without visiting a world-renowned museum, and the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe certainly fits that description. Celebrating its 70th anniversary, this is one of the few museums in the United States dedicated to folk art from around the world. Past, present, and future folk art and traditions are represented - expressing cultural identities, communities and aesthetics inside this beautiful space designed by famed New Mexico architect John Gaw Meem. 

With so many amazing permanent collections, there is no bad time to visit but if you come between now and August 18, 2024, go see Staff Picks: Favorites from the Collection. This current exhibition showcases works chosen by the staff and highlights the diverse and unique pieces rarely or never seen. In its 70 years of existence, the collection has grown to over 162,000 objects, representing more than 100 countries. This is a rare look and incredible opportunity to glimpse the selections made by those who have deep love and knowledge of folk art. 

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Ethyl the Whale. Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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Santa Fe has public art as big as a whale! Back in 2019, Meow Wolf, in partnership with Santa Fe Community College, brought Ethyl the Whale to SFCC’s campus to unveil on Earth Day. This life-sized, 82-foot-long blue whale sculpture is made entirely of steel and recycled plastic trash. Artists Joel Dean Stockpile and Yustina Salnikova originally built Ethyl for a commission by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The trip to Santa Fe coincided with Earth Day and the need for humanity to address climate change, and foster a more sustainable environment - to protect our planet for future generations.

When asked about bringing Ethyl to Santa Fe, Vince Kadlubek, Meow Wolf co-founder, said, “We want to help raise awareness in New Mexico for plastic’s life cycle and the dangerous impacts on all living creatures on our planet. We brought Ethyl the Whale to Santa Fe to elevate awareness and inspire New Mexican families to make changes in their plastic consumption and recycling practices.”

More facts about Ethyl:

• The plastic used to create the whale represents one person’s plastic trash by age 20.
• All of the soap used to clean the trash was recycled from found laundry and soap bottles.
• The placing of the skin onto the whale took three weeks, fabrication of the metal took four weeks, and recycling the plastic paneling took fifteen weeks.
• One plastic panel is 4 cookie trays of plastic and weighs about 4.5 - 5 lbs., which equals about 37 empty milk jugs or 21 empty laundry detergent containers.
• Most plastic bottle caps and labels are not made from the same type of plastic and cannot be recycled together. They must be separated.
• HDPE is the most commonly recycled plastic, and is considered one of the safest forms of plastic.
• The appliances used to make each panel were either handmade (shredders), donated (gray water), or found on Craigslist (oven, washing machine).
• All of the plastic for this project was donated.
• Over 4,000 lbs in plastic bails (plastic crushed into cubes) were used to create the diamond-shaped panels. The average human in the U.S. uses about 200 lbs of plastic per year. The diamond skin paneling makes up about 20 people’s plastic waste in one year.

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Earthship Visitors Center. Tres Piedras, New Mexico.

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Is the stunning landscape and views of Taos calling you north? No surprise to beauty-seekers as the Rio Grande Gorge is a work of art straight from Mother Nature. Dedicated in 1965, the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is the second highest bridge on the U.S. Highway System and the fifth highest bridge in the country. The views from the bridge are breathtaking and worth a short hike along the walking trail along the rim of the gorge.

Head about 1.5 miles northwest of the Rio Grande Bridge and you can find the Greater World Earthship Community. The Earthship Visitor Center is located off Highway 64 West and is the most incredible display of off-grid homes invented by Taos architect Michael Reynolds. Originating in the soul of the Southwest, you’ll now find this type of sustainable building across the country. Earthships are built from earth-rammed tires, cans, bottles, and other found objects. The roofs harvest any water, a precious commodity and is recycled multiple times. These earth-saving homes also can grow food, treat wastewater and run on solar and wind power. 

Choose from a self-guided tour or the group guided tour but be sure to head to the front deck upon your arrival. Check the website for days and scheduled guided tours.

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‍Dwan Light Sanctuary. Las Vegas, New Mexico.

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About 70 miles east of Santa Fe is Las Vegas, New Mexico - a way more chill vibe than its Nevadan successor. Stop by the Pecos National Historic Park along the way. It’s an iconic view of rugged canyons, waterfalls, and high-mountain meadows. 

Once in Las Vegas, head north towards Montezuma and the United World College which houses the Dwan Light Sanctuary. This temple of light is named after its conceptualizer and funder, Virginia Dawn, who commissioned the architect Laban Wingert and land artist Charles Ross to create twenty-four enormous prisms as the window and skylights. This astronomically aligned structure is a permanent feature of the campus and visitors can check in at the school’s welcome center to contemplate peace, love, light, and rainbows. It’s a transcendent experience. After your meditation, head to Gallinas River for the hot springs (no charge but suit required, you free spirit you).

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International UFO Museum and Research Center. Roswell, New Mexico.

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If you’re more inclined to head southeast, the far-out city of Roswell might be on your radar. Known for the 1947 UFO incident, Roswell has the International UFO Museum and Research Center. Founded by Walter Haut, Glenn Dennis and Max Littell, the museum opened in 1992 and the exhibits include information not only about the 1947 incident, it has it all - crop circles, various UFO sightings, details on Area 51, ancient astronauts, abductions and first-hand alien encounters.

This non-profit organization isn’t trying to convince visitors, it’s a way to engage those curious about UFO phenomena. If you’re in the area July 5 through 7, you can join a gaggle of alien enthusiasts for the Roswell UFO Festival. There’s a cosmic array of activities including the galactic and family-fun AlienFest film festival plus plenty to see, eat, drink and experience. 

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‍Meow Wolf House of Eternal Return. Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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The journey to the multiverse begins when you board the bus. No trip to New Mexico is complete without visiting the original Meow Wolf - House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe. Step inside the walls within walls within worlds and know this is an epic road trip never to be forgotten. 

Buy a ticket to explore the exhibit but don’t forget there are concerts, workshops, and special events happening all the time. From national to regional acts, plus maker-led workshops like Introduction to Silversmithing or Make & Believe Time where you might see children reading to adoptable dogs from a local shelter, check out this lineup and plan accordingly. 

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