Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
The Best Way to Explore this National Treasure
Your Guide to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe
With the striking backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and quintessential desert scenes—Santa Fe is one of the most magical destinations in the US—it’s no wonder that artists and creatives flock to The City Different. One artist, in particular, Georgia O’Keeffe, often referred to as “the Mother of Modernism,” fell in love with the New Mexico landscape, and images of the Southwest are often represented in O’Keeffe’s work.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe is a tribute to the legacy of one of the most well-known and prolific artists, and it’s home to the most extensive collection of her paintings, sketches, and personal materials.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum comprises multiple historical buildings and locations in Santa Fe and Abiquiú, New Mexico. You’ll find the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Galleries and the Library and Archive in Santa Fe. While located about an hour from Santa Fe in Abiquiú, NM, you’ll find the O’Keeffe Welcome Center and two of Georgia O’Keeffe’s historic homes and studios (one is available for tours by reservation only). The downtown Santa Fe gallery location is made up of nine thematic display rooms, all on one floor, which wrap around a central outdoor patio space.
For those heading to Santa Fe to take in the rich culture and history, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is just one of nine fantastic museums in the downtown area. And that’s not even counting Museum Hill, a culture and arts hub with four world-class museums, the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, and an outdoor sculpture collection. Additionally, Canyon Road Santa Fe is another must-see for art enthusiasts and collectors, with more than 80 unique galleries and local boutiques in one half-mile stretch. Every minute of your time in Santa Fe will be enriching and a visit you won’t soon forget.
First, you’ll want to get your lodging on the books, and our Santa Fe Bed and Breakfast is one of the best places to stay in New Mexico. Make your reservations today!
What to Expect on Your Visit
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 5 pm (with some extended hours during the summer). Buying tickets in advance is highly recommended, and you can do so here. The museum curator suggests bringing earbuds to follow along with the free audio tour from your phone. On average, guests spend at least an hour exploring the nine gallery rooms, each showing a different era of O’Keeffe’s work, with details about her life during that time period. After touring the rooms, check out the Museum gift shop for reproductions and souvenirs.
Library & Archive Tours
Perfect for a moment of quiet contemplation, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum’s Library and Archive is a space preserving the history of Modernism as a whole. You’ll find a collection of information, not only just about O’Keeffe and her work but of those considered her contemporaries and historical information about the time. The Research and Collections team is always on hand for questions. The Library and Archives are open by appointment only.
Georgia O'Keeffe Home & Studio Tours
As a part of The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the famed artist’s home and studio space in Abiquiú, New Mexico, is open for guided tours by appointment only from March to November. Abiquiú is about an hour from Santa Fe by car, but it’s a beautiful scenic drive through the magical Southwest countryside. You’ll witness the bright blue sky in contrast with the striking red tones of the mesa cliffs. These spectacular vistas are a perfect example of the American desert’s full glory!
Interesting Facts About Georgia O'Keeffe
- Born in 1887 in Wisconsin, O’Keeffe traveled and lived many places throughout her 98 years. She spent her last few years in Santa Fe where she passed away in 1986.
- In 1946, O’Keeffe was the first woman artist to be given a one-woman show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
- While O’Keeffe was best known for her up-close and large-scale flower paintings, those images only make up about 200 of her nearly 2,000 piece portfolio. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe is the best place to view this vast array of themes, subjects, and styles she represented in her works.
- Three of O’Keeffe’s most well known works from her time in New Mexico are Ram’s Head White Hollyhock and Little Hills, Summer Days, and Cow’s Skull: Red, White, and Blue.
Georgia O'Keeffe's Life in New Mexico
It’s fitting that the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum has outposts in both Santa Fe and Abiquiú. In the late 1920s, O’Keeffe visited New Mexico for the first time, changing the course of her career and Modernist art as we know it. She spent most of her summers here, living and working for the next two decades. It wasn’t until 1949 that she moved to New Mexico permanently, and she eventually maintained two homes in Abiquiú—one larger home in the village with a garden and another on a 12-acre parcel that sits on the edge of the 21,000-acre property known as the Ghost Ranch.
The beautiful adobe 5,000 square foot structure O’Keeffe used as her studio and winter home is a modern space with abundant natural light. O’Keeffe once said, “It is not a country of light on things; it is a country of things in light.” The history and quiet nature of the landscape drew her to this property. Now designated a National Historic Landmark, the Abiquiú house and studio is a part of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum collection, open for tours March through November by appointment only.
When O’Keeffe first purchased the parcel near the Ghost Ranch, it operated as a dude ranch, which welcomed visitors to experience the Southwest. The land itself in this area in New Mexico is known for its high concentration of preserved fossils, and many dinosaur specimens have been discovered here, which seems a fitting place for an artist who could find beauty in a pile of bones. Today, the Ghost Ranch is a retreat center for writers and artists—offering a space for retreats and workshops with eight hiking trails and two museum spaces on the property.
Other Santa Fe Museums to Visit During Your Stay
Aside from the must-visit Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, you’ll find a great selection of other museums in Santa Fe to visit during your stay. Here’s a list of some of our favorites:
- New Mexico Museum of Art: Right next door to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in the Plaza Building, this Santa Fe Museum features more than 20,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and more from notable artists worldwide.
- New Mexico History Museum: This museum group includes the historic Palace of the Governors building (and two other spaces), all showcasing a collection of more than 20,000 artifacts encompassing the past and present of New Mexico and the ancient Native American cultures.
- IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts: This Santa Fe museum is the only one in the country dedicated to featuring the works of contemporary Native artists. You’ll find more than 9,000 works from indigenous artists from 1962 to the present day.
- Museum of International Folk Art: You’ll find the most extensive collection of folk art—in the form of toys, trinkets, and textiles—from around the world at this spot on Museum Hill in Santa Fe.
- Museum of Indian Arts and Culture: For innovative exhibits and storytelling through contemporary art, this museum is dedicated to educating the public and preservation of southwestern Native American cultures.
One of the Best Places to Stay in Santa Fe
For those heading to Santa Fe to tour the fantastic selection of art galleries and excellent downtown museums, our Santa Fe Bed and Breakfast is the ideal lodging option for your visit. Not only is our location spectacular for exploring everything at the historic Santa Fe Plaza, but we’re also within walking distance (only 10 minutes on foot) to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
You’ll stroll along the beautiful and quiet neighborhood streets with lovely architecture, and before you know it, you’ll be at the lively city square—a cultural and business hub for Santa Fe. Parking in downtown Santa Fe is not always an easy feat, but thankfully as a guest at our B&B, you can park your car and set out on foot to all of the nearby attractions. Whether you’re here specifically to visit the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the world-class restaurants, or to just relax, our B&B will be a welcome part of your adventure.
Our secluded yet easy-to-find Santa Fe Bed and Breakfast offers eight artfully appointed guest suites and casitas nestled behind our adobe walls in our garden paradise. Each room features custom, handcrafted furniture, art from our personal collection, comfortable beds with fine linens, and all the amenities you’ll need for a relaxing and restful stay. En suite bathrooms are adorned in hand painted tile work and all come equipped with fluffy towels and robes.
Every morning our Inn complex comes alive with scents of freshly brewed coffee and our scratch-made, authentic breakfasts. You’ll love starting your day with our flavorful meals and warm, hospitable service staff—after all, we’ve been welcoming guests from around the globe to our Santa Fe Bed and Breakfast for more than 25 years!
