Couse-Sharp Historic Site
HeyTaos · Free Guide
Couse-Sharp Historic Site
The 2-acre campus where the Taos Society of Artists began. The preserved homes, gardens, and studios of founding TSA members E.I. Couse and J.H. Sharp sit untouched in the heart of Taos' central historic district, a place visitors are repeatedly astonished still exists.
J.H. Sharp was the first to arrive in Taos, in 1893, and eventually built his own studio here. E.I. Couse followed in 1902, at the suggestion of fellow artist Ernest Blumenschein. In 1915, Couse, Sharp, and their peers formed the Taos Society of Artists. Couse's studio remains virtually intact today, exactly as he left it in 1936.
The site preserves the Couse home, studio, and garden, two of Sharp's studios, a 1936 machine shop and laboratory built by Couse's inventor son Kibbey, and the new Lunder Research Center, the only research and museum facility dedicated entirely to the early Taos art colony and the Taos Society of Artists.
Currently between exhibitions. The galleries are temporarily closed while the next show, "Image Makers for America: In Pursuit of a National Identity," is installed. It opens Tuesday, June 23, 2026, and runs Tuesday–Saturday, 1–5 PM through October 17, 2026, with an opening celebration Friday, July 10, 5–7 PM. Historic site tours continue by appointment in the meantime. Confirm current status at couse-sharp.org before visiting.
What's on the Campus
Couse Home, Studio & Garden
Couse's studio sits virtually intact, exactly as he left it in 1936.
Sharp's Studios
Sharp's 1915 studio was restored in 2017 and now hosts a rotating exhibition of his work and ephemera.
Machine Shop
A 1936 lab and machine shop built by Kibbey Couse, a noted inventor, including a mobile machine shop he built for WWII.
Lunder Research Center
A state-of-the-art research and museum facility dedicated to the early Taos art colony and the Taos Society of Artists.
The Site, Then and Now
Planning a Visit
Historic Site Tours
A 2-hour docent-led tour, by appointment Monday through Saturday, is the only way to access the interiors of the historic buildings. Reserve through the Tours page.
Gallery Hours
Tuesday through Saturday, 1–5 PM, when an exhibition is installed and open.
Closures
Closed New Year's Eve and Day, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, San Geronimo Feast Day, Thanksgiving weekend, and Christmas through Boxing Day. Periodic closures also occur for the biennial gala and similar events.
Research Access
The Lunder Research Center's physical library and archives are open by appointment, Tuesday through Saturday, excluding holidays. Catalogs are also browsable online.
Visit Couse-Sharp
Free Guide. Couse-Sharp Historic Site is featured editorially by HeyTaos because it's one of the most significant art-historical sites in the region, not because of any paid relationship. Confirm current exhibition status, tour availability, and hours directly with couse-sharp.org before visiting.