Santa Fe (April 11, 2016)—Two major exhibition openings, plus activities that highlight the civil-rights struggles of Japanese Americans, the beauty of kite-making and the story of Kit Carson and Lucien Maxwell. Here’s what the museum is up to in May:
Sunday, May 1: Summer hours begin
Through Monday, Oct. 31, the History Museum is open seven days a week, 10 am to 5 pm, with Free Friday Evenings every week, 5–8 pm. (Winter hours are November through April, when we are closed on Mondays and offer Free Friday Evenings only the first Friday of each month.)
Sunday, May 1, 1–4 pm: Opening of Lowriders, Hoppers and Hot Rods
Get bajito y suavecito (low and slow) at the opening of Lowriders, Hoppers, and Hot Rods: Car Culture of Northern New Mexico. We’ll have cars in the lobby as well as the exhibition, along with a souvenir photo booth, a video loop screening of the movie South American Cho Lo, and a 2 pm lecture about the history of the nationally renowned Lowrider Magazine by its former editor, Ray John. Free to NM residents.
Learn more about the exhibit by clicking here.
Photo above: Low Riders in Chimayó, 2007, by Gabriella Marks. Palace of the Governors Photo Archives HP.2015.72. Download this and other exhibit images by clicking here.
Friday, May 6, 6 pm: “Citizen Min in New Mexico”
Commemorate the Japanese American civil-rights successes of Minoru (Min) Yasui, a Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree whose activism began during the World War II era of internment camps. Min’s daughter, Holly Yasui, offers a special presentation. Free First Friday Evening event. The program is sponsored by the New Mexico Japanese American Citizens League and funded by a generous grant from the New Mexico Humanities Council. A Free First Friday Evening event. Museum admission is free to everyone from 5 to 8 pm.
Download high-res images of Min Yasui by clicking here.
Wednesday, May 11, noon: Brainpower & Brownbags Lecture
Cimarron author and historian Stephen Zimmer speaks on “Kit Carson and Lucien Maxwell, Compadres.” Free in the Meem Community Room. Seating is limited.
Sunday, May 15, 1:30–3:30 pm: Families Make History monthly workshop
Let’s make kites. Springtime in New Mexico means wind and lots of it. Bring the family to learn how to make your own kite. Free with admission. Sundays free to NM residents; children 16 and under free daily. Families Make History workshops are held the third Sunday of every month.
Sunday, May 22, 10 am–5 pm: Lowrider Day on the Plaza
Celebrate Lowrider Summer by driving low and slow to catch Mayor Javier Gonzales reading a proclamation declaring this the official Lowrider Day of Santa Fe. See a car procession from Fort Marcy, followed by a show on the plaza, with music by DJ Jason Crawford, a hopper demonstration and awards presentation. Free admission for NM residents to Lowriders, Hoppers, and Hot Rods: Car Culture of Northern New Mexico at the New Mexico History Museum, and Con Cariño: Artists Inspired by Lowriders at the New Mexico Museum of Art.
Sunday, May 22, 10 am–5 pm: Exhibit opening, Fractured Faiths
Be among the first to see the ground-breaking exhibition, Fractured Faiths: Spanish Judaism, The Inquisition, and New World Identities. For the first time, a major institution tells the comprehensive story of Spanish Jewry’s 1492 diaspora and how it led to a tenuous foothold in North America. Free with admission; Sundays free to NM residents.
Learn more about the exhibit by clicking here.
Download photos of artifacts in the exhibit by clicking here.
Thursday, May 26, 12–4 pm: A Palace Guard field trip
Enjoy lunch with Photo Curator Daniel Kosharek and take a trip to the private shop of mechanic and collector Sonnie Jaramillo, where we’ll see examples of lowrider and custom-car work in action. Not a Palace Guard member? To join, call (505) 982-6366, ext. 100. This event costs $25. Call Alex Hesbrook for reservation details: (505) 982-7799 ext. 4.
Monday–Saturday, through October 15: Historical Downtown Walking Tours
Learn about the history of Santa Fe from a museum-trained guide. Gather at the Palace Courtyard’s Blue Gate just south of the History Museum entrance at 113 Lincoln Avenue at 10:15 am. $10; children 16 and under free when with an adult. Museum guides do not accept tips. (No tours on Saturdays when large events are held on the Plaza, such as Spanish Market and Santa Fe Fiesta.)