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New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors

The nation's oldest continuously occupied public building, the mammoth, single-story Palace with its flat roof and block-long portal (porch) dates all the way back to 1610, when it served as the territory's governmental headquarters. Dominating the entire north block of the Plaza, the building has served as New Mexico's state history museum since 1913 (when tourism-minded city managers gave it a Pueblo Revival makeover); it contains a wonderfully idiosyncratic collection of artifacts related to every phase of the state's history, from a pendulum clock shot up during Pancho Villa's 1916 raid on the state's southern border to a late-1500's helmet worn by an early Spanish soldier. Tip: Forget the usual skepticism about street vendors: the indigenous local artists and craftspeople who display their wares in the Palace's south portal sell authentic, high-quality, handmade goods at extremely competitive prices.

Admission: $8 (included with $18 museum pass); free Fridays 5-8 p.m. Closed Mondays, except summer.