Explore Museums and Attractions: Museums and Gardens

Opening May 23 at the New Mexico History Museum, Wild at Heart: Ernest Thompson Seton dedicates itself to telling the often overlooked story of the conservationist, author, artist, lecturer and co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America. Ernest Thompson Seton's impact on America's conservation movement was immeasurable but, today is largely forgotten. Wild at Heart: Ernest Thompson Seton sets out to change that.

Running through May 8, 2011, this original exhibition replaces Fashioning New Mexico in the museum's second-floor Albert and Ethel Herzstein Changing Exhibitions Gallery. It's accompanied by a catalog, Ernest Thompson Seton, The Life and Legacy of an Artist and Conservationist (Gibbs Smith, Publisher, 2010), with a foreword written by Sir David Attenborough.

Christmas at the Palace, Las Posadas and other community favorites return to a national treasure - the Palace of the Governors, which itself has seen 400 holiday seasons. And this year's completion of the New Mexico History Museum heralds an opportunity for a new twist on the old ways.

For tradition's sake: Visit Santa during Christmas at the Palace; see the coming generation of Portal artisans at the Young Natives Art Show; and join Las Posadas around the Plaza and in the Palace Courtyard. For something new: Enjoy local musicians performing holiday classics in the History Museum during weekday afternoons.

IAIA Museum is one of two congressionally chartered museum in the US. Located in downtown Santa Fe, the Museum houses the 7,000-piece National Collection of Contemporary Native American Art. It mounts innovative exhibitions and public programs and attracts worldwide positive attention because of its engaging programming and unique perspective.

Many don't know that IAIA Museum is a part of the Institute of American Indian Arts, a fully accredited four-year college that offers both associates (AA, AFA, and AAS) degrees as well as Baccalaureate (BFA and BA) degrees in Studio Arts, Creative Writing, Museum Studies, New Media Arts, Native American Studies and Indigenous Liberal Studies...

The Santa Fe Botanical Garden (SFBG) is a nonprofit organization, established and run by gardeners, botanists and environmentally oriented volunteers. Santa Fe Botanical Garden celebrates, cultivates and conserves the rich botanical heritage and biodiversity of Northern New Mexico through community service and education on environmentally responsible garden design, including plant selection and care, as well as conservation techniques for water catchment and harvesting. Santa Fe Botanical Garden manages two properties as natural preserves: the Ortiz Mountains Educational Preserve and the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve.