Roswell lies at the confluence of the Spring, Hondo, and Pecos rivers. Its themes range from art and history of the American Southwest to UFO research and landscapes featuring lakes and river bottoms. This gives you a choice of different cultural interests and outdoor activities when planning your trip.
Lakes, Rivers and Outdoor Activities
Bottomless Lakes State Park is 15 miles southeast of Roswell. Its eight lakes are actually sinkholes formed by collapse. Non-motorized boating, fishing, swimming, and scuba diving are possible in the park; there are also hiking opportunities on designated trails. This offers different options for water activities and marked hiking trails. If you are planning a specific activity, check the park’s current conditions before your visit, as individual restrictions may change.
The Capitan Trail is also associated with a river landscape: it begins in river bottoms inhabited by native animals such as raccoons, badgers, and great horned owls. The nature themes differ: river bottoms and animal species are the focus of the trail, while Bottomless Lakes State Park centers on its lakes and the activities available there.
Art and Regional History
The Roswell Museum and Art Center preserves and promotes the art and history of the American Southwest and neighboring regions. The Roswell Museum is a 50,000-square-foot facility with twelve galleries and the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium.
The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art opened in Roswell in 1994 to exhibit works by former fellows of the Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program. If you are interested in the historical context, this offers a different point of reference from the Roswell Museum, which focuses more broadly on the art and history of the Southwest.
The Historical Society of Southeast New Mexico is located in a historic home completed in 1912 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Access to the society’s museum and archive center is by appointment only. Keep this visiting requirement in mind when planning, rather than assuming you can drop in.
More Museum Profiles and Visiting Hours
The McBride Museum opened to the public in 1985. Its twelve exhibition rooms focus on the history of the New Mexico Military Institute. Together with the Roswell Museum, this reveals a clear difference in subject matter: the Roswell Museum focuses on the art and history of the American Southwest, while the McBride Museum focuses on the history of the New Mexico Military Institute. Both institutions mention twelve exhibition spaces, but their subject matter differs.
On regular weekdays, the McBride Museum is open to the public free of charge Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Since opening hours may change, check them before your visit. The difference from the Historical Society is also important for planning: an appointment is required there, while the McBride Museum lists regular weekday hours.
The International UFO Museum & Research Center preserves written, audio, and audiovisual materials about the 1947 Roswell Incident, as well as other unexplained phenomena related to UFO research. This focus differs from the art and history themes of the other institutions: here, the emphasis is on preserved materials about a specific event and other topics in UFO research.
For the broader travel overview: Chaves County.
