FA S H I O N
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H O M E
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L E I S U R E
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D I N I N G
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C U LT U R E
Situated at 7,000 feet, the city of Santa Fe is
warmer and has less snow accumulation than
the mountains nearby, great for anyone bent on
spending time after skiing for exploring its historic
churches, museums, vibrant galleries, and shops,
many in centuries-old adobe structures with deep
roots in both Native American and Spanish culture.
Its focal point is the 400-year-old plaza, an-
chored by the Palace of Governors, the oldest con-
tinuously occupied government building in the
U.S. Native American artisans sell jewelry and others
crafts beneath the Palace’s long portal, and the Pal-
ace itself houses the New Mexico History Museum.
One of the city’s newest, its exhibits span the
400-year-old history of New Mexico, from the earli-
est Native peoples and Spanish colonists to railroad
builders, artists, outlaws, scientists (think nearby Los
Alamos), hippies, and more. One of those artists
is Georgia O’Keeffe, whose not-to-be-missed mu-
seum a few short blocks from the Plaza showcases
close to 1,200 of her works, including some of the
famous oversize flowers and New Mexico land-
scapes.
Particularly noteworthy is the Museum of
International Folk Art, not only because it houses
the world’s largest collection of folk art, but also
because it encourages families to come together
(children 16 and under get in free) with interactive
exhibits and free hands-on art-making workshops
for all ages.
The city’s charms extend beyond art and ar-
chitecture. Though summer is high season, there
are also special events—festivals, musical concerts,
exhibitions, artist markets—scheduled for nearly
every week in winter. There’s an expansive Genove-
va Chavez Community Center in town with an ices-
kating rink and indoor swimming pool.
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