The Best Sight in Silver City, Southwestern New Mexico

Background Illustration for Sights

Since the area's copper ore is now close to depleted and the huge mine nearby all but officially closed, the town's traditional population of miners is being replaced by artists, outdoors enthusiasts, and retirees looking for a more bohemian community than, say, Las Cruces. Thanks to efforts of preservationists, though, Silver City's origins are evident in the many distinctive houses and storefronts of the Downtown area, making it ideal for exploring by foot (pick up a self-guided walking tour map and guide at the Silver City Museum shop). The characterless strip-style development of the surrounding town belies the charm of the compact, walkable historic Downtown.

A stroll through the historic Downtown district will take you by many of the town's dozen or so art galleries, several tasty cafés, and antiques stores. Silver City's arts scene couldn't be more different from the one in Santa Fe. A local artist once said, "Silver City is where art is for the people, not some people."

Silver City Museum

The unusual mansard-roof Italianate-style Henry B. Ailman House, built in 1881, serves as headquarters for the Silver City Museum, whose main gallery mural of the mining and ranching community circa 1882 provides a good overview of the area's colorful history. Displays include pottery and other relics from the area's ancient (and now extinct) Mimbres and Mogollon cultures, as well as a nice lot of items from the heyday of the mining era. From the museum's tower you can catch a grand view of the eclectic architecture around town. The store carries Southwest-themed books and gifts, and the museum also has a local-history research library.

History Museum
312 W. Broadway, Silver City, NM, 88061, USA
575-538–5921
www.silvercitymuseum.org
Sight Details
$5 suggested donation

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