Nicolai Fechin, his wife Alexandra, and daughter Eya emigrated from Russia to New York in 1923. At the invitation of Taos patroness Mabel Dodge Luhan, the family came to Taos in 1926, and a year later bought the property where they would build the home Fechin needed for the privacy to paint.
Working with masons from Taos Pueblo and directing construction through hand-built cardboard models, Fechin spent five years reshaping a plain adobe cube into a 3,545-square-foot home full of his own woodwork, metalwork, and architectural carving. His daughter Eya later described it simply: “A Russian house evolved out of New Mexico mud.”
1927–1933. Nicolai Fechin remodels the house, carving columns, stair rails, doors, vigas, and furniture by hand, while building the home's electrical and plumbing systems alongside the arrival of electricity and sewage service in Taos.
The divorce. Nicolai and a 19-year-old Eya leave Taos; Alexandra maintains the property alone until 1946, when she closes the house and moves into Fechin's studio.
1946–1977. The house sits untouched for 30 years.
1977. Eya Fechin returns to New Mexico, is appointed conservator, and begins restoring the home.
1979. The Fechin House is placed on the National Register of Historic Places and New Mexico's Register of Cultural Properties. Eya founds the Fechin Institute, running exhibitions and education programs from the studio until her death in 2002.
$20 adult, $15 senior and military, $10 student, free for children 12 and under. Taos County residents free every Sunday. Taos school groups free. The Fechin Studio and Gardens are always free to visit.
Closures
Closed Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Closes at 2 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Also closed for the Annual Gala, Saturday and Sunday, August 22–23, 2026.
Accessibility
The first floor of the house, the Fechin Studio, Museum Store, gardens, and restrooms are wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking at the main entrance. Trained service animals are welcome.
Visit the Museum
Type. Historic Home and Art Museum, 501(c)(3) NonprofitAddress. 227 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571, a short stroll from Taos Plaza with free parkingPhone.(575) 758-2690Website.taosartmuseum.org
Free Guide. Taos Art Museum at Fechin House is featured editorially by HeyTaos because it is one of the most architecturally significant sites in the region, not because of any paid relationship. Confirm current hours, admission, and closures directly with taosartmuseum.org before visiting.
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