Roswell: Art, History and Landscape

Roswell lies at the confluence of the Spring, Hondo and Pecos rivers. You can plan your trip around a variety of themes: art and regional history, the Roswell Incident, and experiences in nature. One natural attraction explicitly located outside the city is Bottomless Lakes State Park, 15 miles southeast of Roswell. If you’re looking for a hotel in Roswell, you can first consider which of these themes matter most for your stay.

Art, Regional History and Museums

The Roswell Museum and Art Center preserves and promotes the art and history of the American Southwest and neighboring regions. The facility covers 50,000 square feet, with twelve galleries and the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium. Its mission describes a regional focus; the size, number of galleries and planetarium add specific details about the facility. The combination of art and history offers a clear thematic approach to planning your trip.

The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art offers a different perspective. It opened in Roswell in 1994 to exhibit works by former fellows of the Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program. This brings two distinct perspectives together: the art and history of the Southwest at the Roswell Museum and Art Center, and contemporary art connected to a residency program at the Anderson Museum. If you’re organizing your trip around your cultural interests, these different focuses can help you choose.

The Historical Society of Southeast New Mexico is housed in a historic home completed in 1912 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Society’s museum and archive center is accessible by appointment only. The building and its use bring together two aspects: the history of the house and a visit to an institution that requires you to make an appointment in advance.

The McBride Museum opened to the public in 1985. Its twelve exhibition rooms focus on the history of the New Mexico Military Institute. On regular weekdays, the museum is open to the public free of charge, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Opening hours may change, so check the details before your visit. For planning purposes, the difference from the Historical Society is practical: regular weekdays and hours are listed for the McBride Museum, while the Society’s museum and archive center requires an appointment in advance.

The International UFO Museum & Research Center preserves written, audio and audiovisual materials about the 1947 Roswell Incident and other unexplained phenomena related to UFO research. Its focus therefore includes not only the explicitly named Incident, but also other phenomena in this field of research. Collecting and preserving materials is central to the museum’s mission; this distinguishes the topic from the art and regional history focuses of the other institutions mentioned.

Landscape and Outdoor Activities

Bottomless Lakes State Park lies 15 miles southeast of Roswell and consists of eight lakes formed by sinkholes. Possible activities there include non-motorized boating, fishing, swimming, scuba diving and hiking on designated trails. The options combine activities on and around the water with trails on land. This distinction is useful when choosing an excursion: you can consider whether you’d rather spend time on the water or on designated hiking trails.

Another connection with nature is the Capitan Trail. It begins in river lowlands inhabited by native wildlife such as raccoons, badgers and great horned owls. These species give a specific impression of the environment described at the start of the trail. Together with the park, this example shows that nature can be explored both through how a landscape formed and the activities it offers, and through the wildlife found there.

When planning your time, account for the advance appointment required for the Historical Society’s museum and archive center, and check the McBride Museum’s opening hours before your visit.

For the broader travel overview: Chaves County.