El Camino Real International Heritage Center

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The El Camino Real International Heritage Center is a center about the culture and history about the El Camino Real trail and the colonization of New Mexico. The center is an official New Mexico State Monument, and features exhibit panels and artifacts about the people who traveled along the trail, the desert and life in the 1700s.

[edit] Mission

The center commemorates the heritage of the antiquated road that connected Mexico City with Santa Fe, New Mexico in the region once known as New Spain.

The center is jointly operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the Government of the United States. In addition, both the countries of Spain and Mexico contributed to the project, making it a truly international undertaking. The facility was completed in 2005 and was designed by Dekker / Perich / Sabatini Architects and Engineers of Albuquerque, NM.

[edit] Location

It is situated approximately halfway between the cities of Albuquerque, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. It is readily accessible from Interstate 25 at exit 115, approximately 35 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico.

[edit] Displays

The site features a display of non-motorized travel aimed at providing modern motorists with an appreciation for the difficulty of traversing the desert environment. An outdoor amphitheater features traditional music heard along the journey reflecting the diverse folkways that developed as many cultures met on the legendary trade route.

note: When referring to the center, "El" may be dropped in favor of "the" to distinguish from the road, but the two words are never used together. Occasionally the word "International" is omitted.