Excursions around New Mexico
Tour of the UNM Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Time: 1:00- 2:30 pm MST
Location: Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
Address: 500 University Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Capacity: 20
Cost: Free
Reservations click here. A waitlist will be kept once capacity is reached.
Join our AFS Local Organizing Committee Chair Julián Antonio Carrillo, the Maxwell’s Curator of Public Programs, for an informal tour of Albuquerque’s first public museum. Founded in 1932 at the University of New Mexico (UNM), the Maxwell Museum works “toward greater understandings of the fullness of human experiences in the Southwest and the world” and is committed to restoring voices, reconciling injustices, and realizing community.
The tour will emphasize the Maxwell’s temporary exhibits currently on display “Nothing Left for Me: Federal Policy and the Photography of Milton Snow in Diné Bikéyah” and “Oaxaca Ingobernable: Aesthetics, Politics and Art Below,” two collaborative projects. Guests will also have time to explore the museum on their own and shop our gift store.
Parking is free at the museum, with a parking pass available at the front desk. Guests should find their way from the ABQ Convention Center to the museum and back on their own. Options include:
(Free) City of Albuquerque ART Bus (15 min.) -- runs constantly up Central Ave, take it eastbound and get off at the corner of University Ave. Rideshare/ Car Pool/ Walk (~25 min.)
About your Host: Julián Antonio Carrillo, Ph.D.
Julián is a Chicano folklorist and ethnographer interested in foodways; music and dance; intangible cultural heritage; and "creative aging," or the ways the arts foster well-being in elders. Currently, he serves on the Advisory Committee of UNM's Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies, works with the Peaceful World Foundation, and chairs the Local Organizing Committee for AFS’s 2024 Annual Meeting.
Wednesday Afternoon - Ghost Tour of Old Town Albuquerque: A Journey Through the Supernatural
Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Time: 1:45 pm MST arrival for a 2:00 pm- 3:30 pm tour
Location: Plaza Vieja Gazebo, in Old Town Albuquerque
Address: 200 N. Plaza St. N.W.,
Albuquerque, NM 87104
Capacity: 20
Cost: $15
Reservations click here. A waitlist will be kept once capacity is reached.
Albuquerque is one of the oldest cities in the U.S., and its Old Town Plaza -founded on April 23, 1706- is its historic heart. Centered around this plaza is Albuquerque's Old Town, comprising about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings, today, many of these have been converted into the restaurants, art galleries and shops of Old Town.
Join folklorist and educator Gabino Noriega III on a chilling exploration of Old Town Albuquerque's haunted history. As you wander through the historic streets, listen to tales of ghostly encounters, legends, and folklore that have captivated locals and visitors alike for centuries.
Discover the stories behind the city's most famous hauntings, including the infamous La Llorona, the Weeping Woman. Learn about the spectral apparitions that are said to linger in the old adobe buildings and feel the eerie atmosphere as you delve into the supernatural side of Albuquerque's past.
This tour is perfect for those seeking a unique and unforgettable experience. With Gabino Noriega's expertise and engaging storytelling, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the city's rich history and its ghostly legends.
More information on historic Old Town here.
About your Host: Gabino Noriega III
Gabino is a Chicano educator, academic counselor & mentor, poet, and family man focused on connecting his family to the Earth and traditions of his ancestors. He is also a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of New Mexico’s Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education program. Currently, he teaches various subjects at Albuquerque’s Career Enrichment Center & Early College Academy. Gabino is also a talented story collector and storyteller. He serves on the AFS 2024 Local Organizing Committee.
Friday Morning - Breakfast + South Valley Tour with Jorge García
Date: Friday, November 8, 2024
Time: 7:30 am - 11:00 am MST
Location: The South Valley of Albuquerque
Capacity: 15
Cost: $47 (includes breakfast & transportation)
Reservations click here. A waitlist will be kept once capacity is reached.
Join us for breakfast and a special tour with educator, mentor, dancer, and cultural strategist Jorge García, Executive Director of the Center for Social Sustainable Systems (CESSOS) and member of AFS’ Local Organizing Committee. CESSOS is committed to developing “sustainable community-based and culturally centered events, programs, and initiatives to empower and preserve the traditions and science-based practices of local and Indigenous communities, related to land and water.” As such, you will learn first-hand about community knowledge and management of the essential acequias system in New Mexico in general, and in the South Valley in particular.
After being picked up at the DoubleTree in downtown Albuquerque, we begin the tour by “breaking bread together” (or tortilla) at Barela’s Coffee House, an icon nestled at the intersection of El Camino Real and Route 66. Then, two minivans will transport the group to the headwaters of the acequias; followed by a visit to Sanchez Farm Open Space - a place that the community restored; then a walk to Durand Open Space to lastly, end up at the historic Gutiérrez-Hubble House History & Cultural Center.
Registration includes food, group transportation, light refreshment/water, and guided tour. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable walking shoes.
About your Guide: Jorge Garcia.
Jorge García was born and raised in the city of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. In 1999, he obtained an undergraduate degree in sociology and in 2004, an M.A. Degree in Language Literacy, and Sociocultural Education with an emphasis on transnational networks. In 2015, he earned an MBA from the University of New Mexico (UNM) with a focus on international education. Currently, Jorge is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Chicana/o Studies at UNM. He is part of the community of Atrisco and has focused his studies, and currently uses, Mesoamerican calendars and cultural precepts to understand social, cultural, political, and economic dynamics. His main goal is to empower underprivileged students and, as such, focuses on issues related to identity, culture, and community.
Jemez Mountains Hiking + Cultural Tour
Date: Sunday, November 10, 2024
Time: 7:30 am - 2:00 pm MST
Location: Jemez Pueblo, NM + surrounding mountains
Capacity: 21
Cost: $52 (includes lunch & transportation)
Reservations click here. A waitlist will be kept once capacity is reached.
Join us for a cultural tour of the Jemez mountains with Native artist, healer, educator, and leader Joseph “Brophy” Toledo (Jemez Pueblo), Co-Founder and Cultural Advisor of the Flower Hill Institute and member of the AFS Local Organizing Committee. Flower Hill Institute is a Native-owned, community-directed nonprofit. Its objectives include preserving and enhancing cultural resources, preparing youth to inherit leadership, improving economic self-sufficiency, agriculture, food sovereignty and security, and improving outcomes to climate change.
Brophy is highly regarded throughout the Southwest and beyond for his work building cross-cultural and cross-racial coalitions, focused on interconnections, or the “interconnectivity of all things.” Brophy will lead guests on a hike in the surrounding mountains of his home, Pueblo of Jemez, to archaeological sites and “power points,” places of deep significance for people past and present. Along the way, he will share his deep knowledge of local herbs & fauna, astronomy, history, art, and other themes, through his storytelling dotted with contagious laughter and positivity. Be prepared to see and experience New Mexico in a new light.
Towards the end of the excursion, the group will stop and rest to enjoy a homemade lunch (fruit, salad, protein, and dessert) made by Georgia Vigil, Brophy’s wife, and their family.
Meet your Guide: Joseph “Brophy” Toledo (Jemez Pueblo).
Brophy has served the Pueblo of Jemez in various capacities for over four decades. He has worked with numerous Indigenous youth groups. He has taught as an Adjunct Instructor for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA); worked as a creative consultant for Robert Mirabal Productions; served on the Native American Global Sports Committee; and has been instrumental in various international Indigenous projects such as Pueblo Pathways Project. He has also traveled to Mexico, Canada, and Africa as a First Nations representative for Earth healing and environmental conferences and efforts.
Santa Fe Train Adventure + Museum Tour
Date: Sunday, November 10, 2024
Time: 7:00 am - 7:50 pm MST
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Capacity: 50
Cost: $60 (includes public transportation and all-museums access “Culture Pass.”)
Reservations click here. A waitlist will be kept once capacity is reached.
Did you know that New Mexico is home to the largest state-sponsored museum system in the U.S.? Only the Smithsonian Institution is a bigger system run by a governmental institution. Join us for a trip to New Mexico’s capitol city, Santa Fe, for a visit to the city’s thriving Railyard Art District, main Plaza, Museum of International Folk Art, and several other fantastic museums in town. Lunch is not included in the tour price.
Your northern New Mexico adventure starts with a ride on the famous Rail Runner train from downtown Albuquerque to the Santa Fe Railyard Art District. (Don’t miss the roadrunner painted on the train!) In this area there are cafes, restaurants, shopping, and the new Vladem Contemporary Art Museum within easy walking distance. The area is also where the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market now takes place in July.
Our second stop in the “city different” is the downtown Plaza, the historic center of life in early Santa Fe and still a vibrant community center and tourist district. Watch for lowriders, cowboy hats, and American elm trees. The New Mexico History Museum and New Mexico Museum of Art are steps away, as are the famous La Fonda hotel, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, and numerous shops and eateries.
In the afternoon, we will journey up to Museum Hill, home of the Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) and Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (MIAC). The team at MOIFA will host us for a brief welcome and overview, followed by several hours of free time to visit MOIFA’s galleries and MIAC and other museums in the area. The day ends with a return train trip to Albuquerque, perhaps in the glow of a fabulous high-desert sunset.
About the all-museums access “Culture Pass” included in the tour price: In general, museum basic costs are $7 for New Mexico residents and $12 for non-residents. Culture Pass is $30 for access to 8 museums, 7 historic sites - these include 5 museums in Santa Fe that tourgoers will be at/near. It also includes the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque.