Palace of the Governors renovated, new exhibits on tap

Apr. 29—From photographs of a boy and his dog in an old mining camp, to illustrations from a 1970s Volkswagen manual, the Palace of the Governors captures the past and the present of New Mexico.

The 400-year-old building has been rehabilitated after five years of work on the National Historic Landmark. The state of New Mexico paid the $3.5 million price tag.

The construction upgraded both the heating and cooling systems, the fire support system and brought the electrical systems up to current code, said executive director Billy Garrett.

Workers also replaced and restored floors dating from the 1970s-'80s. They're still working on restoring the windows and some original woodwork.

"The object was to make it functional for the next 30 to 40 years," said Billy Garrett.

Originally constructed in 1610 to house the first Spanish royal governor of New Mexico, Don Pedro de Peralta, the Palace of the Governors reflects the complex heritage of the American Southwest. It is the oldest extant public building constructed by European settlers in the continental United States.

New exhibits include the "Palace Through Time," "Reflections on History," and "The Art of Peter Aschwanden: For the Compleat Idiot."

The Santa Fe artist Aschwanden illustrated John Muir's bestselling book "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Steps for the Compleat Idiot." The exhibition features large-scale reproductions of his artwork, channeling the whimsical energy of the 1960s. The show includes draft spreads from a forthcoming limited-edition book produced by the New Mexico History Museum Palace Press. It also showcases award-winning publications produced by the Palace Press.

"The Palace Through Time" takes visitors on a journey with the iconic landmark, exploring its transformations over the centuries through four distinct lenses: structure, site, setting and symbol. The show unveils multiple eras using 3D printed architectural models, archaeological evidence and historic documents.

"It's hard to explain how it has changed over the centuries," Garrett said. "It was 100 feet longer than today with two stories."

"We don't think of the Palace as the capital of the territory; that territory included Arizona," he added.

"Reflections on History" features 18 mirrors with images from the New Mexico History Museum's photo collection.

"You can look at the photograph and see yourself reflected back," Garrett said. "The photographs are all of people. There's the first African American woman to graduate from UNM. There's a family winning a jackpot."

Two additional exhibits will open in June and July. "Home on the Range" from the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces will hang images from the Tularosa Basin, transitioning to the creation of the White Sands Missile Range in the 1940s.

"We're trying to make sure we're inclusive of the state as a whole," Garrett explained.

Slated for July, "Forks in the Road" will be a food heritage exhibit located in the old museum shop. The show will highlight notable New Mexico restaurants.