Discover Taos: Art and History

Art, history, and public life take shape in Taos in different places and formats: at Taos Plaza, in homes and museums, on walking tours, and through cultural programs. There are also cooking classes and demonstrations of regional cuisine. If you’re looking for a hotel in Taos, these offerings can help shape your stay. For example, you could focus on collections and historic buildings or make time for a stroll and a culinary experience.

Taos Plaza and Public Life

Taos Plaza is the center of the Taos Historic District. Its history dates back to the 1796 land grant from Don Fernando de Taos to 63 families. Visitors can stroll among its shops and galleries. Live music and farmers’ markets are also part of the plaza’s ongoing public use.

Taos’s events calendar includes music, art, theater, poetry and literature, crafts, workshops, outdoor activities, and other events throughout the day and year. If you’d like to plan around a specific date, check the events calendar for current dates.

Taos Pueblo Nearby

Taos Pueblo is three miles northeast of Taos Plaza. It is designated both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark, and has been continuously inhabited. Visitors to Taos can explore a ceremonial racetrack there. This combination of continued habitation and designated historic status distinguishes the site from the historic homes and collections in central Taos.

The original site of Taos Pueblo, known as Cornfield Taos, is also in the area. It is a ruin and a sacred site. Historically, Taos Pueblo held a trade fair every fall after the agricultural harvest. This describes a historical tradition, not a confirmed event today.

Historic Homes and Art Collections

The Couse-Sharp Historic Site preserves the homes, studios, and gardens of E.I. Couse and J.H. Sharp on a site of more than two acres. Tours are available by appointment and typically last 1.5 to 2 hours. This is a specific time frame to keep in mind when planning.

Parts of the Blumenschein Home & Museum were built in 1797. Ernest Blumenschein lived there with his family for more than 40 years. The Blumenschein Home displays art by the Blumenschein family, works by other Taos artists, European and Spanish Colonial antiques, and the family’s personal belongings. The collection therefore includes both art and items from the family’s own possessions.

The Harwood Museum of Art has twelve galleries displaying art by the Taos Society of Artists and the Taos Moderns, as well as works and traditions from Pueblo and Hispano contexts. The museum’s Arthur Bell Auditorium hosts cultural programs, including concerts, films, and lectures. The Taos Art Museum is housed in Nicolai Fechin’s historic, handcrafted home and studio; it also includes the Coffee Gallery and gardens.

The Kit Carson House and Museum is in the four-room house where Kit and Josefa Carson raised their children. It is one block from Taos Plaza. La Hacienda de los Martinez is another historic landmark: built in 1804, this fortified “Great House” in the style of northern New Mexico from the late Spanish Colonial period became an important trading center on the northern frontier of the Spanish Empire. Demonstrations of traditional regional arts and crafts are held there regularly.

Exploring on Foot and Regional Cuisine

Taos Walking Tours offers guided walking tours about Taos history and culture, its art scene, and historic figures. If you’d like to set your own pace, the Architectural Walking Map invites you to explore Taos on foot. These offer two distinct options: a themed guided tour and independent exploration.

Cooking classes and demonstrations focus on the cuisine of northern New Mexico and other cuisines. At the end, participants sample the dishes they prepared themselves. This format combines an exploration of regional cuisine with a hands-on activity.

Discover more destinations: Arroyo Hondo, Red River, Taos Ski Valley, Questa, Ranchos De Taos, Valdez, Costilla, El Prado.

For the main travel overview: Taos.