MCM Elegante

University of New Mexico
The state's largest institution of higher learning stretches across an attractive 70-acre campus about 2 miles east of downtown Albuquerque, north of Central Avenue and east of University Boulevard. The five campus museums, none of which charges admission, are constructed (like other UNM buildings) in a modified pueblo style. Popejoy Hall, in the south-central part of the campus, hosts many performing-arts presentations, including those of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra; other public events are held in nearby Keller Hall and Woodward Hall.I've found the best way to see the museums and campus is on a walking tour, which can make for a nice 2- to 3-hour morning or afternoon outing. Begin on the west side of campus at the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. You'll find parking meters there, as well as Maxwell Museum parking, for which you can get a permit inside.The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, situated on the west side of the campus on Redondo Drive, south of Las Lomas Road (tel. 505/277-4404; www.unm.edu/~maxwell), is an internationally acclaimed repository of Southwestern anthropological finds. What's really intriguing here is not just the ancient pottery, tools, and yucca weavings, but the anthropological context within which these items are set. You'll see a reconstruction of an archaeological site, complete with string markers, brushes, and field notes, as well as microscope lenses you can examine to see how archaeologists perform temper analysis to find out where pots were made, and pollen analysis to help reconstruct past environments. There are two permanent exhibits: Ancestors, which looks at human evolution, and People of the Southwest, a look at the history of the Southwest from 10,000 years ago to the 16th century from an archeological perspective. It's open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 4pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm; the museum is closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. From the Maxwell, walk east into the campus until you come to the Duck Pond and pass Mitchell Hall; then turn south (right) and walk down a lane until you reach Northrup Hall.In Northrup Hall (tel. 505/277-4204), about halfway between the Maxwell Museum and Popejoy Hall in the southern part of the campus, the adjacent Geology Museum (tel. 505/277-4204) and Meteorite Museum (tel. 505/277-1644) cover the gamut of recorded time from dinosaur bones to moon rocks. Within the Geology Museum, you'll see stones that create spectacular works of art, from black-on-white orbicular granite to brilliant blue dioptase. In the Meteorite Museum, 550 meteorite specimens comprise the sixth-largest collection in the United States. You'll see and touch a sink-size piece of a meteorite that weighs as much as a car, as well as samples of the many variations of stones that fall from the sky. Both museums are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.From here, you walk east, straight through a mall that takes you by the art building to the Fine Arts Center. The University of New Mexico Art Museum (tel. 505/277-4001; http://unmartmuseum.unm.edu) is located here, just north of Central Avenue and Cornell Street. The museum features changing exhibitions of 19th- and 20th-century art. Its permanent collection includes Old Masters paintings and sculpture, significant New Mexico artists, Spanish-colonial artwork, the Tamarind Lithography Archives, and one of the largest university-owned photography collections in the country. This is my favorite part. You'll see modern and contemporary works, and some striking images that you'll remember for years. It's open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Tuesday evening 5 to 8pm, and Sunday 1 to 4pm; the museum is closed holidays. A gift shop offers a variety of gifts and posters. Admission is free.By now you'll probably want a break. Across the mall to the north is the Student Union Building, where you can get treats from muffins to pizza. Campus maps can be obtained here, along with directions. Once you're refreshed, head out the north door of the Student Union Building and walk west through Smith Plaza, then turn north by the bus stop and walk to Las Lomas Road, where you'll turn right and walk a half block to the intimate Jonson Gallery, at 1909 Las Lomas Rd. NE (tel. 505/277-4967; www.unm.edu/~jonsong), on the north side of the central campus. This museum displays more than 2,000 works by the late Raymond Jonson, a leading modernist painter in early-20th-century New Mexico, as well as works by contemporary artists. This is my least favorite of the campus museums; if you're going to miss one, make it this one. The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Tuesday evening 5 to 8pm. From the Jonson you can walk west on Las Lomas Road to Redondo Road, where you'll turn south and arrive back at the Maxwell Museum, where your car is parked. Touring these museums takes a full morning or afternoon.

Albuquerque Museum of Art and History
Take an interesting journey down into the caverns of New Mexico's past in this museum on the outskirts of Old Town. Drawing on the largest U.S. collection of Spanish colonial artifacts, displays here include Don Quixote-style helmets, swords, and horse armor. You can wander through an 18th-century house compound with adobe floor and walls, and see gear used by vaqueros, the original cowboys who came to the area in the 16th century. A weaving exhibition allows kids to try spinning wool, and a trapping section provides them with pelts to touch. In an old-style theater, two films on Albuquerque history are shown. In the History Hopscotch area, kids can explore an old trunk or play with antique blocks and other toys. An Old Town walking tour originates here at 11am Tuesday to Sunday during spring, summer, and fall. The upper floors house permanent art collections and, best of all, a huge exhibit space where you'll find some extraordinary shows. A gift shop sells books and jewelry and has a nice selection of Navajo dolls.

Old Town
A maze of cobbled courtyard walkways leads to hidden patios and gardens, where many of Old Town's 150 galleries and shops are located. Adobe buildings, many refurbished in the pueblo revival style of the 1950s, are grouped around the tree-shaded plaza, created in 1780. Pueblo and Navajo artisans often display their pottery, blankets, and silver jewelry on the sidewalks lining the plaza.The buildings of Old Town once served as mercantile shops, grocery stores, and government offices, but the importance of Old Town as Albuquerque's commercial center declined after 1880, when the railroad came through 1 1/4 miles east of the plaza and businesses relocated to be closer to the trains. Old Town clung to its historical and sentimental roots, but the quarter fell into disrepair until the 1930s and 1940s, when artisans and other shop owners rediscovered it and the tourism industry burgeoned.When Albuquerque was established in 1706, the first building erected by the settlers was the Church of San Felipe de Neri, which faces the plaza on its north side. It's a cozy church with wonderful stained-glass windows and vivid retablos (religious paintings). This house of worship has been in almost continuous use for nearly 300 years.Though you'll wade through a few trinket and T-shirt shops on the plaza, don't be fooled: Old Town is an excellent place to shop. Look for good buys from the Native Americans selling jewelry on the plaza, especially silver bracelets and strung turquoise. If you want to take something fun home and spend very little, buy a dyed corn necklace. Your best bet when wandering around Old Town is to just peek into shops, but there are a few places you'll definitely want to spend time. An excellent Old Town historic walking tour originates at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History at 11am Tuesday to Sunday during spring, summer, and fall. Plan to spend 2 to 3 hours strolling around.

Hyatt Regency Albuquerque
* 10 minutes from Albuquerque International Sunport * 25 minutes from Rio Rancho * 30 minutes from Bernalillo * 60 minutes from Santa ...

Brittania W.E. Mauger Estate B&B
The Mauger Estate Inn is a wonderfully intimate restored victorian bed & breakfast inn. The location and relaxed atmosphere are perfect for the leisure traveler, and can also accommodate the strategic needs of the corporate traveler. Ideally located between downtown and Old Town, the inn is just 4 blocks from the convention center and the Hyatt Hotel. Each one of the 8 guest rooms include wonderful amenities, a private bath and charming decor. The inn offers 3 breakfast options: full ...

Plaza Inn Albuquerque
Rising on a hillside, the Plaza Inn overlooks the downtown skyline and Albuquerque's West Valley. The hotel is conveniently located just minutes from the Albuquerque International Airport, downtown business district, University of New Mexico, Medical Center, Albuquerque Convention Center and Historic Old Town. Our tastefully appointed guest rooms and attentive service makes the Plaza Inn hotel in Albuquerque your best choice for business or pleasure. For those here on business, we make it easy ...