This is a New Mexico to do! This site is so cool. It is beautiful to walk around, and there are several tables where you can enjoy a picnic. They have a wonderful gift shop which is filled with handmade goods and gifts. We took the tour, and got to go see the painted Kiva. While they do not allow photos of the paintings, they are worth your time and attention. It was such a cool experience to be able to see them for ourselves. Be sure to wear good clothes for going up and down the ladder. This was a special way to end our New Mexico trip. This is about 20 minutes away from the Albuquerque airport. It was easy to get to and find parking, and we enjoyed our time here. read more

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Such a quiet space to reflect how people survived and learned to live off the land. Nice to see the Rio Grande River so close to such an amazing place. read more

This an amazingly preserved and curated bit of history, very close to the Bernalillo town center. A nice stop to gain a bit of historical insight and to rest on family trips or weekends! read more

What a hidden gem this site turned out to be. They have many educational rooms to go thru, a mural room and even a gift shop. Clean bathrooms are a bonus. The staff there were so helpful, informed and friendly. The tour guide was wonderful and we are so glad we stopped there. The town has such a long and rich history, happy to have learned more about it. read more

Been driving by here for a bit since I moved out to Bernalillo area and this was a great experience. The welcome center has displays and a lot of great reading of the history of what they have found on site. My son and I walked the whole area outside and read the displays they have put by each display. Great area for covered picnics areas alone the Rio Grande to take in the beauty of the site. The staff we encountered were super friendly and knowledgeable. We followed the trail out as far as you can go and down a few earth made stairs is a sitting area with big trees covering the area so it was a nice resting point after walking the whole area. A great place to take in for all who live here and are traveling through. read more

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Robert was a great tour guide. I liked how passionate about he was about his Pueblo heritage.

What an interesting site to learn more about the Pueblo people who lived and live in this area. It is a very special place to visit. The docent did a wonderful job bringing what is known about the people and place to life. Talking about the different excavations, what the different rooms would be used for and showing us what was in the kiva paintings. Interesting to learn that 2 groups of Pueblo people claim the area as an ancestral home-that they speak similar but different languages. It was also quite an honor to get to see both the WPA paintings inside the Kiva and the originals in the museum. Worth the stop and docent tour. read more

Coronado State Monument - Map of pueblos and languages. - Museums Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

It is not everyday we visit a archeological site and even less often that we visit the first archeological site to be open to the public in modern times. Coronado Historic Site is a place where you can view Puebloan architecture. Here you can find the ruins built by the Kuaua Pueblo. They have buried a large amount of the ruins so that they don't decay. There are replicas which you can enter if you go on a tour. The tour was very informative and ends in a mural room. One of the kivas here had the inner walls covered with murals which have been preserved and located in a building nearby. You'll learn so much history on the tour here. There are also locals selling jewelry outside. They have a few spread-out picnic tables. The view is so stunning. Don't forget to bring your own lunch with you. read more

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It was nice but there is definitely not enough information about the Native American history. I wish there were Native American guides and historical speakers explaining the lifestyle of the original inhabitants. The leaning towards the Spanish and making them the main subject was a bit disappointing. Everyone learns about the conquerors in school so Native American history is much more interesting. read more

Great state museum. Just a few minutes from I-25 and would be great for a stop over to stretch your legs and take a break. We went on a Saturday and they had a junior ranger program for the younger ones. Complete some tasks and they get a cool patch! This is a historic site and much of what you see is reconstructed. The structures are here, they are just buried. There is a nice sidewalk that meanders through the site so hardcore hiking shoes are not required. This site is handicap accessible with the exception of the keva. You must physically be able to climb a ladder to access this but its it's worth it. There are plenty of picnic tables throughout the property so maybe pack a few sandwiches. I found a really nice spot on the primitive trail right by the river... (not handicap accessible) and shoes would be a good idea. So overall I would spend a solid hour there at least. The ranger tour was informative and Michael did a great job answering questions and guiding us through the site. Adults are $5 each but there are specials from time to time for seniors or NM residents. read more

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My daughter had a school project to learn more about Bernalillo (15 miles outside of Albuquerque). Her research brought us here and we are so happy it did. What an amazing historical treasure right in our back yard. We were lucky enough to go on a guide tour into a ceremonial kiva (there are only 4 or so in the whole country that non native people can enter). The ruins have been filled in for preservation, however you can still feel the bustling community that used to exist here, prior to Coronado. In addition to the Kiva there is an art exhibit featuring some of the original paintings from the Kiva. The current Kiva has historically recreated mural (painted with yucca paint brushes, turkey egg white, and natural pigments). In addition there is a video viewing room, gift shop, and interactive museum. read more

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Nice historical/archeological site with museum and trails. Discover how the native peoples of the area lived and see their homes. read more

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You don't have to go far to get a piece of local history. Just off Hwy 550 this is a treat. The volunteers are great and they even have special events. Great views and a great place for a picnic. This is such a must for locals and visitors, such an easy adventure! read more

I love this place. It's such a neat experience to walk through and soak in the history and beauty of the area. I wish the hours wouldn't have changed, but if you have the time, stop out and enjoy this location. The views are breathtaking, and the museum is a great way to learn about the people who lived here in days gone by. read more

2018 Reggae by the Rio, held at the Coronado Historic Site. Great annual event, with enrich history, taking you back to the Pueblo people. This event open to the public with enthusiastic Reggae attendees! Plenty of parking and picnic areas with good bathrooms,and be prepared for some dusty exploring. read more

The other pueblos were closed due to the season but visiting the Coronado State Monument seems just as enriching. You get to see artifacts, envision and experience what life was like for the Kuaua people. First of all the views of the Sandia Mountains are gorgeous. From this site you can also see all of the other mountain ranges. There are so many! When we first arrived there wasn't anyone available to give us a tour since it was a training day for docents. What we ended up doing was tagging along the docent training and we learned a lot. When the training was done someone was able to show us around and we learned so much more than when we walked around by ourselves. The area is slowly being rebuilt based on donations. The highlight was going into a kiva that had murals painted on the inside that depicted life way way back in the day. You can only go down this kiva escorted so if you visit definitely wait for a tour. It's worth it. read more

This is a little gem of a museum/state park A recent article in the New Mexico magazine spurred our interest Easy drive from ABQ but definitely join a tour. The docent ,Glenn, was super informative. The only way to see to recently restored Kiva is with a guide. The museum has some if the original frescos. They are crumbling but amazing to see such history in my backyard The grounds have breath taking views and you might actually learn a little native history read more

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Didn't know about this place...pleasantly surprised. Learned about the ancient Pueblan Indians who inhabited this land. Stop by if you get a chance...beautiful scenery as well. read more

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We stopped yesterday about closing time and saw stunning view of the mountain, Rio grande and some Sandhill cranes so we divided to come back to check this place out again and I'm impressed with the person who gave us the tour to the Kivas. This was a very special spiritual place that you should come if you are in Albuquerque. The person who gave us the tour was Sandy-not sure if I remembered her name wrong. She is very informative and gave us an outstanding presentation. Also the gentleman at the museum was very nice and kind. The mural room is very interesting. Please do respect the places where they told you not to take pictures. The fee for $5 is so little comparing to the experience that we acquired. I'm the one who has no idea about Native Indians and this ignited me that I want to know more about history. Thank you for having a good historical site like this. read more

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What do you mean you only review restaurants? It's our states history! We went to Coronado state monument in Bernalillo on a weekday. We were greeted by a very lovely docent (unpaid enthusiast) who promptly offered to show us around. These folks know their stuff and are volunteers--they want to be there. The exhibit overall is very small and would only take you a short amount of time unless you're with someone who likes to do a lot of research and ask questions. The main feature is the mural art panels they discovered. It's recreated in a kiva you can descend into via strong ladder. I highly recommend viewing the Kivas from the inside. It's so amazing. No pictures here please! Then you also get to see some of the originals kept. The experience is well worth the trip. Take pictures, leave only memories. Enjoy a walk to the river and watch for wildlife. This place is great to take someone who you want them to see ruins, and archeology, etc but don't want to drive to Chaco, Gila or Aztec. read more

Got here from a sign off the main rd. Ended up doing the brief tour. Very interesting! The tour guy was nice and helpful. Def interesting stay glad we stopped by. Easy drive from abq. read more

Amazing site with the rare chance to see ancient wall paintings. The originals are detached and located within the museum and replicas have been reintroduced in the kiva itself. $3 for adults, kids free. Super worthwhile. Also has a lovely picnic site perched over the Rio Grande. read more

This place is fantastic. The tours are informative while still being very respectful of the history and the people of this area.

This place is very interesting. It's 3 dollars a piece for admission. I would highly recommend taking the guided tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and full of information. The tour is the only way you can see a restored kiva. The murals are also amazing and the process that was taken to get peel off the layers of the adobe to replicate the pictures. Overall good tour. read more

I recently visited Coronado Historic Site in Bernalillo, NM (near Albuquerque). I was playing tour guide to two friends from California, and I suggested Coronado. If you're put off by the name "Coronado" fear not, because this site is really focused on the native peoples, and in a good way. The highlight feature is the restored painted kiva. It's a rare sight, for sure. This may be the ONLY one of its kind, in fact. The visitors center has interesting exhibits as well. Great for kids, because you can actually put on the replica Spanish battle gear, and hold the sword, etc. There's also a fun interactive computer program that involves a pueblo village. The site is small, so the experience is more personal. Ranger Annie and kiva guide Brian (lovingly referred to as The Flunky because he's the only staff member lacking a related advanced degree) are very knowledgeable, warm & welcoming. If you're lucky, you'll happen upon a day they feature a live demonstration on some indigenous craft, such as flint knapping or flutes. Or one of their featured native wildlife days. My California friends loved Coronado. read more

Every now and then when traveling, you run into an unplanned gem that definitely sparkles. This was my experience when I led a group of 44 senior citizens to ABQ and the balloon fiesta. The trip was run through my university's community outreach department and attracts very interesting and interested seniors. We finished our balloon ride and unexpectedly stopped at Coronado State Monument. Their coordinator pulled together her phenomenal staff of rangers to give my group a personal tour and history of this very important site. Like small museums I've visited (Tenement House in NYC; Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia) Coronado has a slice of the history of a people. The personal attention we received from Historic Site Ranger Annie Campagna is like seeing Mesa Verde under a microscope. Although Coronado's history is more current and presented more interactively. We could touch shards. We didn't only go into a kiva, but we also saw the only preserved painted walls of kivas. My group absolutely loved this surprise experience on a trip filled with bucket list experiences. read more