May 13 – 14, 2016: Roswell, New Mexico has got to be one of the most kitschy places we have ever visited. Every establishment has a random alien figurine outside. They irk me. I could never live here.
Of course we visited the Roswell International UFO Museum and Research Center. I can barely stand typing that official sounding name because this museum is totally ridiculous and ludicrous. I’m super logical – and when a museum can’t present a cohesive story I get frustrated – but Michael loved it. The most amusing part, to me, was the personal testimonials of UFO sightings and alien abductions. Admission was $5 per person.
The following day we visited The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. There wasn’t an alien figurine outside so I was stoked. Turns out that Mr. Anderson made tons of money in the 1960s in the oil industry and he also loved the arts. He felt that Roswell would benefit from more artists so he created an artist-in-residence program that is still running to this day (and Mr. Anderson is still up and running at age 96 too). The six-month program is highly competitive and, if selected, you’re provided with a private residence, a private studio, and a stipend so that you can focus on your artwork. The Anderson Contemporary Art Museum displays artwork created by those that participated in the program. There is no admission fee so please make a donation to support the program. The pieces are varied in their medium, subject, and style; some of the pieces I enjoyed include:
Accommodation:
TIP: If you’d prefer to explore Roswell, New Mexico without camping, check out these Roswell accommodation options. Try not to get abducted by aliens.