Shidoni Arts creates art while being a work of art in and of itself. This stunning sculpture gallery is worth the ten-minute drive north on Bishop's Lodge Road to Tesuque Valley where the Shidoni Gallery is located. The expertly manicured grounds of the gallery are something truly amazing to behold, and you can stroll around to take in the amazing sculptures displayed there that lead to a calming, babbling brook. Depending on the time of your visit, you can actually see sculptures being poured in the working foundry.
Loretto Line Tour Company makes exploring Santa Fe more like an adventure than a difficult chore. The tour is an excellent way to learn more about the area as well as absorbing some detailed but highly interesting history in the process. You'll dig deep and go "beyond the plaza" to some of the city's most historically and culturally rich locations. Your guides will make seeing and learning about it all even more fun than you could imagine, and by the time your tour is done, you'll possess a level of knowledge about Santa Fe that will make you appreciate the city even more.
The Native American role in Santa Fe's rich history is a significant one, and that fact is celebrated every May with the Native Treasures Indian Arts Festival. Shop for beautiful jewelry and other one-of-a-kind pieces made by more than 180 established and emerging artists from the Native American pueblos and tribes. The proceeds from the event benefit the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.
There are museums, and then there are "living museums" that the kids (and mom and dad) will surely find interesting. El Rancho de las Golondrinas is such a place. See attractions like original colonial buildings on this site that date back to the early 18th century as well as other buildings that have been reconstructed to reflect the style of that time period. The buildings and other items presented here tell the fascinating story of the early settlement of New Mexico. The museum is closed from November through March.