Field trips are a great way to reboot a bad homeschooling week, get out of the house when everyone has cabin fever, and learn about your local area. Before heading out, check out Jeanne's tips for improving homeschool field trips.
Our listing of New Mexico field trips for homeschoolers is ordered alphabetically by city. If you would like to submit a New Mexico field trip destination, you may do so using the red button above.
New Mexico Museum of Space HistoryAlamogordo
The mission of the museum is to educate the people of New Mexico and our visitors from around the world in the history, science, and technology of space. The museum stresses the significant role that the state of New Mexico has played in the development of the U.S. Space Program through collecting, preserving, and interpreting significant artifacts relevant to the history of space.
Oliver Lee Memorial State ParkAlamogordo
Set against the desert foot of the dramatic Sacramento Mountains, this park features historic exhibits and a fully restored 19th century ranch house.
Cut & Dry Lumber CompanyAlbuquerque
Cut & Dry Lumber is an urban lumber / tree recycling facility in Albuquerque's North Valley. Education is a huge part of our mission, because tree stewardship is long-term -- multi-generational, in fact. We encourage visits, especially for young people (ages 8+), to talk about our city's tree canopy and health, the economic and environmental impact of this kind of recycling, and what it means to the overall quality of life and long term sustainability of our area. This is an interactive experience, students get a 1 hour facility tour. The tour covers the lifecycle of trees and teaches them how trees get turned into wood products, with lots of time for questions. They will also learn about the machinery, safety and health issues, and of course lots of wood! Overview handouts are available, including a contact list for those interested in exploring forestry-related careers. We can also provide materials for woodworking of all kinds. If your home school program incorporates woodworking of any kind, please ask us about pricing and availability.
Petroglyph National MonumentAlbuquerque
Petroglyph National Monument protects a variety of cultural and natural resources including volcanos, archeological sites and an estimated 20,000 carved images. Many of the images are recognizable as animals, people, brands and crosses; others are more complex. These images are inseparable from the cultural landscape, the spirits of the people who created, and who appreciate them.
Rio Grande Nature Center State ParkAlbuquerque
Offers guided and self-guided field trips. Groups must register at least 4 weeks in advance.
National Hispanic Cultural CenterAlbuquerque
The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. Since our grand opening in 2000, we have staged over 25 art exhibitions and 500 programs in the visual, performing, and literary arts. We provide venues for visitors to learn about Hispanic culture throughtout the world. Our beautiful campus is located along the banks of the Rio Grande in the historic Albuquerque neighborhood of Barelas.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceAlbuquerque
The mission of the Education Division is to provide educational opportunities about natural history and science for the benefit of New Mexico citizens and visitors by connecting where we live and how we live to natural systems and evolving processes. The Museum has eight permanent exhibit halls that take visitors on a journey through time, which we refer to as "Timetracks," providing snapshots of New Mexico from the formation of the universe to the present day. Check out the Dynatheater and Planetarium.
African American Performing Arts CenterAlbuquerque
The New Mexico African American Performing Arts Center is the only one of its kind in the Southwestern Region devoted to supporting the arts, intellectual, and cultural history of African Americans and the African Diaspora in New Mexico and the Southwest. AAPAC continues to curate and present timely and relevant gallery shows to promote the center's agenda and provide public viewings of historic pieces from the extensive archival collection. During the year, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture individuals and organizations present new and classic art, making the exhibition hall an integral part of learning, discovering, and exploring emerging and established artists. See website for details on exhibits and performances.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial State ParkAngel Fire
The 6,000 square foot visitor center/museum houses exhibits, videos, and memorabilia. Tours are available, with advance notice by calling ahead, for schools and other groups wishing to learn more.
Aztec Ruins National MonumentAztec
Follow ancient passageways to a distant time. Explore West Ruin, a center of ancestral Pueblo society that once housed over 500 masonry rooms. Look up and see original timbers holding up the roof. Search for the fingerprints of ancient workers in the stucco walls. Listen for an echo of ritual drums in the reconstructed "Great Kiva." Adventure into the past.
City of Rocks State ParkBayard,
Formed of volcanic ash welded together 30 million years ago, then sculpted by wind and water into rows of monolithic blocks, these incredible rock formations give City of Rocks its name. New hiking trails and a new public night sky observatory add to this unique destination.
Coronado State MonumentBernalillo
Coronado State Monument where Francisco Vasquez de Coronado--with 300 soldiers and 800 Indian allies from New Spain--entered the valley while looking for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Instead he found villages inhabited by prosperous native people. Coronado's party camped near the Tiwa pueblo of Kuaua, one of the many villages encountered by the explorers.
Capulin Volcano National MonumentCapulin
Mammoths, giant bison, and short-faced bears witnessed the earthquakes and firework-like explosions which hurled molten rock thousands of feet into the air. Approximately 60,000 years ago, the rain of cooling cinders formed Capulin Volcano, a nearly perfectly-shaped cinder cone, rising more than 1000 feet above the surrounding landscape.
Carlsbad Caverns National ParkCarlsbad
As you pass through the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas--filled with prickly pear, chollas, sotols and agaves--you might never guess there are more than 300 known caves beneath the surface. The park contains 113 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone, creating some of the largest caves in North America.
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State ParkCarlsbad
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park is an indoor/outdoor living museum displaying more than 40 native animal species and hundreds of succulent plants from around the world. While on the 1.3 mile self-guided tour, visitors discover many faces of the Chihuahuan Desert, from sand dunes and pygmy forest to the desert floor.
Clayton Lake State ParkClayton
Clayton Lake State Park is known for its exceptional stargazing opportunities. Designated as New Mexico’s first dark sky park in 2010 and holding a Gold-level certification from the International Dark Sky Association, the park offers minimal light pollution. The Lake Observatory, equipped with a 14-inch Mead telescope, enhances the stargazing experience. During the day, visitors can explore the well-preserved dinosaur tracks near the lake spillway, including some of the finest trail drags found anywhere in the U.S.
Sunspot Solar ObservatoryCloudcroft
Sunspot Solar Observatory has been a premier facility for solar research since its establishment in 1947. Bring your group and escape to a fun and educational adventure through our observatory. Test your knowledge of the sun and solar system as you explore the exhibits in the museum. Take a walking tour of the property as we share the history and science conducted in each of the facilities. Included in the tour is an inside view of the last active telescope. Inside the telescope you will learn about the unique, state-of-the-art instruments we use to study the Sun. Participate in hands-on learning activities where concepts like How Big is the Sun?, Why is the Sky Blue?, Magnetism, and Reflection and Refraction are explored.
Pancho Villa State ParkColumbus
Located near the US border with Mexico, this historical park features an exhibit hall and structures that capture the rich history of the Pancho Villa Raid and Camp Furlong. The exhibit hall also showcases the Punitive Expedition led by John “Black Jack” Pershing in 1916-1917. This military expedition to chase down Pancho Villa threatened to bring the United States and Mexico into direct conflict during the height of the Mexican Revolution in Mexico itself. The park also offers educational tours and artifacts that are on display from this historical event.
The E3 Children's Museum & Science CenterFarmington
Dinosaurs, Sound, Light, Magnetism, Shadows Art... are all found at the E3 Children's Museum and Science Center in downtown Farmington. For the younger children we have Tot's Turf, a room filled with activities that will delight and teach youngsters under the age of six. The museum hosts performances by entertainers and new exhibits are added regularly. School classes and families will find many things to do and learn at the Children's Museum.
Farmington MuseumFarmington
The facility hosts two permanent exhibits: "From Dinosaurs to Drill Bits" and "Farmington: 100 Years of Change." The Museum hosts a wide variety of indoor and outdoor events throughout the year as well as "Currents," the Farmington Museum store.
Riverside Nature Center WetlandsFarmington
The Nature Center was originally designed to overlook a wetlands of one of the oxbows which once existed along the Animas River. The wetlands were constructed and the wildlife have inhabited it. The wetlands serve as a refuge for wildlife and provides people an unique viewing opportunity from the Nature Center and specific points on the trail. Come and enjoy this wonderful hideaway in Animas Park
Bosque Redondo MemorialFort Sumner
Fort Sumner was the center of a million-acre reservation known as the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation. The story of how the U.S. Army forcibly moved the Navajo and Mescalero Apache people from their traditional homelands to the land surrounding this lonely outpost is pivotal to the history of the American West. Today a unique new museum designed by Navajo architect David Sloan--shaped like a hogan and a tepee--and an interpretive trail, provide information about the tragic history of Fort Sumner and Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation.
El Malpais National MonumentGrants
El Malpais means the badlands but this volcanic area holds many surprises. Lava flows, cinder cones, pressure ridges and complex lava tubes dominate the landscape. Prehistoric ruins, ancient cairns, rock structures, and homesteads remind us of past times. El Malpais makes an excellent outdoor classroom and offers a variety of educational opportunities year-round. Field Trips may include teacher or ranger-led programs, depending on staff availability. Both programs are designed to meet Common Core Standards. All field trips are free, but you must reserve your time in advance.
New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage MuseumLas Cruces
For at least 4,000 years, people have been growing food in this region, and New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum tells this amazing story through interactive exhibits, demonstrations, oral histories, objects, and educational programs.
Lincoln State MonumentLincoln
Lincoln State Monument is the most widely visited state monument in New Mexico and is part of a community frozen in time--the 1870's and 1880's. The monument includes 17 structures and outbuildings, 4 of which are open year round and 2 more seasonally as museum. Most of the buildings in the community are representative of the Territorial Style of adobe architecture in the American Southwest.
Bandelier National MonumentLos Alamos
Bandelier has a long human history and links to the modern Pueblos. Traditions that began in the distant past are still practiced today. At Bandelier, evidence of the Ancestral Pueblo people can be found in the dwellings, artifacts, and continuing culture of the modern pueblos. Early Spanish settlers, the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), and the National Park Service also left their mark on the local landscape.
Schwebach FarmMoriarty
Children and their chaperones will enjoy a hay ride, harvesting some veggies, and learning all about "life on the farm"! Come and join us for a wonderful time at the farm!
Salinas Pueblo MissionsMountainair
Once, thriving American Indian trade communities of Tiwa and Tompiro speaking Puebloans inhabited this remote area of central New Mexico. Early in the 17th-century Spanish Franciscans visited the area and found it ripe for their missionary efforts. However by 1677 the entire Salinas District, was depopulated of both Indian and Spaniard alike.
Chaco Culture National Historical ParkNageezi
Chaco Canyon was a major center of Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. The Chacoan sites are part of the homeland of Pueblo Indian peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi Indians of Arizona, and the Navajo Indians of the Southwest.
Pecos National Historical ParkPecos
Pecos history includes the ancient pueblo of Pecos, Colonial Missions, Santa Fe Trail sites, 20th-century ranching, and the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass. Pecos National Historical Park offers a variety of regularly scheduled and special ranger-led programs. All programs are free of charge and subject to change. Contact a ranger at the visitor center to confirm details and times 505-757-7241.
Leasburg Dam State ParkRadium Springs
Night sky programs are very popular at this park, which features an observatory. The Observatory is only open once a month for special events. Please contact the Park or check the website for dates.
Fort Selden State MonumentRadium Springs
Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace to the south central region of present day New Mexico. Built on the banks of the Rio Grande, this adobe fort housed units of the U.S. Infantry and Cavalry. Their intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Apache Indians. Several of the units stationed at the fort were black troopers, referred to as Buffalo Soldiers. A young Douglas Mac Arthur called the fort home while his father was post commander in the late 1880s. Today the stark adobe brick walls of the frontier past evoke a feeling of personal connection to the past. A visitor center offers exhibits on frontier and military life.
El Morro National MonumentRamah
A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro (the headland) a popular campsite. Ancestral Puebloans and Spanish, and American travelers carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs for hundreds of years. Ranger-led field trips are available free of charge, but you must reserve in advance.
Jemez State Monument Heritage AreaSan Ysidro
The Jemez State Monument Heritage Area includes the stone ruins of a 500-year-old Indian village and the San Jose de los Jemez church dating to 1621-22. The heritage center contains exhibitions that tell the story of the site through the words of the Jemez people. A 1,400-foot interpretive trail winds through the impressive site ruins.
New Mexico Museum of ArtSanta Fe
Architects Isaac Hamilton and William Morris Rapp designed the building as an enlarged and modified version of the building they made for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. The style of the building, called Pueblo Revival, uses modern construction materials made to look like the historic adobe churches found throughout the state’s Pueblos. The New Mexico Museum of Art is proud to offer an ever-expanding range of educational activities, live programs, resources to engage with the Museum’s exhibitions, and support for teachers, parents, and students. The Museum strives to provide a variety of ways for people to connect with and share their experiences around art. The NMMoA is a museum for the people of New Mexico, and we want every visitor to feel welcome and able to find a program that meets their needs. We have divided our offerings into three main categories. Live programming covers anything happening in real time, from a lecture to one of our educators visiting a classroom to facilitate an activity. Art & Humanities provides information about The Humanities Project, our new online learning resource, which launched in Fall of 2023. Finally, the Activities page is the (free) collection of all the lessons and art projects created by the education team, which can be searched by category and/or keyword.
Museum of International Folk ArtSanta Fe
The mission of the Museum of International Folk Art is to enrich the human spirit by connecting people with the arts, traditions, and cultures of the world. The Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) explores the dynamics of artistic expression in the context of cultural change. Through its collections, exhibitions, publications, and educational programs, the museum expands perceptions of folk art and encourages dialogue about traditions, cultural identity, community and aesthetics.
Museum of Indian Arts & CultureSanta Fe
The mission of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology is to inspire appreciation for and knowledge of the diverse native arts, histories, languages, and cultures of the Greater Southwest. The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture offers several choices of thematic tours with related hands-on activities for grades K-8. Special thematic tours for high school students may be arranged and include a gallery or classroom activity.
New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the GovernorsSanta Fe
The new museum includes permanent and temporary exhibitions that span the early history of indigenous people, Spanish colonization, the Mexican Period, and travel and commerce on the legendary Santa Fe Trail. The museum serves as the anchor of a campus that encompasses the Palace of the Governors, the Palace Press, the Fray Angelico Chavez History Library and Photo Archives.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic TrailSanta Fe
Travel along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail to experience and learn from a complicated legacy of 300 years of conflict, cooperation, and cultural exchange between a variety of empires—European and non-European alike.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail website
Santa Fe National Historic TrailSanta Fe Trail
The Santa Fe National Historic Trail connects western Missouri and Santa Fe. The NPS has compiled lists of landmarks, historic sites, museums, and visitor centers along the trail.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentSilver City
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse into the homes and lives of the Mogollon people who lived in this area over 700 years ago.
Old Spanish National Historic TrailSouthwestern US
Follow the routes of mule pack trains across the Southwest on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. New Mexican traders moved locally produced merchandise across what are now six states to exchange for mules and horses.
Harwood Museum of ArtTaos
The mission of the Harwood Museum of Art of the University of New Mexico is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the arts, especially those created in, inspired by, or relevant to northern New Mexico. The museum advances the University's mission and engages diverse audiences by stimulating learning, creativity and research through exhibitions, programs and publications.
Fort Union National MonumentWatrous
Fort Union was established in 1851 as the guardian of the Santa Fe Trail. During its forty-year history, three different forts were constructed close together. The third Fort Union was the largest in the American Southwest, and functioned as a military garrison, territorial arsenal, and military supply depot for the southwest. The largest visible network of Santa Fe Trail ruts can be seen here.
