Explore Museums and Attractions: Museums and Gardens

The Santa Fe Concorso is a premier automotive gathering of exotic and rare cars organized by Santa Fe based car aficionados who collectively have the expertise and know-how to make this a world class car event.

The 5th annual Palace of the Governors Gem & Mineral Show kicks off on June 18 for three days of family-friendly opportunities to learn more about (and purchase) materials used in traditional Southwest jewelry. As a special treat, Doug Magnus will speak about the history of the Cerrillos turquoise mines, including the fabled Tiffany Mine that produced gems exclusively for Tiffany & Co., each stone's color a perfect match of the classic Tiffany's box.

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is announcing today that it will extend hours on Thursdays and Saturdays between May 29 and Sept. 11, 2010, during the Georgia O'Keeffe: Abstraction exhibition. The museum will remain open until 8 p.m. on those days, extended from the usual 5 p.m. closure. On Friday nights, the museum is already open until 8 p.m., giving visitors three nights a week to view the critically acclaimed exhibition in the late part of the day.

In 1894, Ernest Thompson Seton wrote a remarkable hunting story that became a catalyst for the wildlife conservation movement and a forerunner to today's environmentalism. More than a century later, we still grapple with many of the issues that Seton did - wolf-recovery efforts, preservation of wild lands, the risks of off-shore drilling, the funding of outdoor education programs for youths.

What Seton learned then still holds lessons for us today.

Downtown Santa Fe will soon have a new gathering spot for enjoying food, beverages, free wi-fi and a stunning view from an upstairs patio. The Cowden Café, opening May 20 at the New Mexico History Museum, will be operated by the historic Plaza Restaurant. The partnership between the museum and the restaurant fits into a new trend of museums as community gathering spots.