Albuquerque’s cultural
wealth is as dazzling as the new
National Hispanic
Cultural Center,
with its multiple venues and art exhibits. It’s
as every day as excellent New Mexican cuisine at
local restaurants – and as varied as Thai,
barbecue and Cajun food. Music ranges from
mariachi to jazz, from traditional Native
American dances performed at the
Indian Pueblo
Cultural Center
to contemporary dance at UNM’s Popejoy Hall.
Albuquerque
is also a flourishing arts center with a
symphony, 40-plus art galleries, film festivals,
a vigorous public arts program, 250 arts
organizations, and hundreds of artisans
producing furniture, jewelry, pottery, clothing
and textiles.
Albuquerque’s
museums and attractions have remodeled, expanded
and planned special exhibits in preparation for
the city’s 300th birthday:
§
The long awaited
Roy
E.
Disney
Center
for the Performing Arts opened at the
National
Hispanic
Cultural
Center.
The 85,000-square-foot facility has three
theaters and the largest stage in the Southwest.
§
The
60,000-square-foot, $12 million
Anderson-Abruzzo
Albuquerque
International
Balloon
Museum,
with 22,000 square feet of exhibit space for the
art, science, culture and history of ballooning,
recently opened.
§
The $11 million
Unser
Racing
Museum
will soon open with the famous
Albuquerque
racing family’s race cars, uniforms, trophies
and other memorabilia, along with items from
other racers.
§
Animals of
Africa
is a new six-acre zoo exhibit that features an
8,000-square foot chimp complex, a waterfall, a
30-foot suspension bridge and a train.
§
The
Albuquerque
Museum
recently completed an $8.3 million expansion and
renovation, which added gallery space, an
amphitheater, and cafe.
§
The
Explora
Science
Center
and Children’s Museum opened in late 2003 to
rave reviews.
