Taos Pueblo Visitor Guide
HeyTaos · Taos Pueblo
Taos Pueblo Visitor Guide
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a living Native community where Tiwa-speaking people have lived continuously for more than a thousand years. What to know before you go, what to expect when you arrive, and how to visit respectfully.
Always call or check the website before visiting. Taos Pueblo closes for approximately eight weeks each spring for ceremonial observance, and may close for additional ceremonies throughout the year. Access is at the Pueblo's discretion. taospueblo.com · 575-758-1028
Access and Hours
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 120 Veterans Highway, Taos, NM 87571 |
| Phone | 575-758-1028 |
| Website | taospueblo.com |
| Hours | Daily 9 AM to 4 PM when open to visitors. Last entry 3:30 PM. |
| Admission | Adults $25 · Seniors and students $22 · Children 10 and under free. Photography permit required separately. |
| Closures | Closes approximately 8 weeks each spring for ceremonial observance. May close additionally for other ceremonies. Always confirm before visiting. |
| From Taos Plaza | About 2.6 miles north on Veterans Highway. Drive time under 10 minutes. |
| Parking | Free parking lot on site. |
What to Expect
Taos Pueblo is not a museum or a theme park. It is a living community. The multistory adobe buildings, Hlauuma to the north and Hlaukwima to the south, have stood in this form since between 1000 and 1450 AD. People live in them today by choice, maintaining a way of life without electricity or running water in the old village.
When you arrive, you pay admission and receive a map. Guided tours are offered and are worth it on a first visit. Guides are Pueblo members who can explain what you are looking at and answer questions. Without a guide, many visitors walk past significant things without realizing it.
You will see artisans working and selling from their homes and studios. Bread baked in horno ovens. Pottery, silver, drums, moccasins, and other handmade work sold directly by the people who made it. This direct commerce has been part of how the Pueblo functions for centuries.
The whole visit takes about 1.5 to 2 hours at a relaxed pace. Wear comfortable shoes. The ground is unpaved and uneven.
The Red Willow Creek runs between the two house complexes. It is the Pueblo's water source and is sacred. Do not enter it or touch it.
Rules and Etiquette
These are the Pueblo's rules. Follow them exactly.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Photography permit required | You must pay a photography fee to take photos. Photography is restricted to certain areas and subjects. Photographing ceremonial activities, the interior of the church, and individual people without permission is not allowed. |
| No entry to private areas | Only enter buildings and areas that are clearly open to visitors. Closed doors mean closed. Homes are homes. |
| No drones | Drones and aerial photography are prohibited. |
| No sketching or painting without permission | Artists must obtain permission before sketching or painting on Pueblo grounds. |
| No recording during ceremonies | On feast days and ceremony days when visitors are permitted, no photography, video, or audio recording of any kind. |
| Respectful dress | Dress modestly. This is a place of active religious and cultural life. |
| Stay on marked paths | Do not wander off the visitor route or into unmarked areas. |
| No alcohol or drugs | Taos Pueblo is a dry community. No alcohol or drugs on Pueblo land. |
History
The Tiwa-speaking people of Taos Pueblo have lived in this valley since approximately 900 AD. The current multistory adobe structures are estimated to date from between 1000 and 1450 AD. Spanish soldiers first entered the valley in 1540 and found the buildings much as they appear today.
The Pueblo participated in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, when Pueblo people across New Mexico drove the Spanish out of the territory for twelve years. The 1847 Taos Revolt, in which Pueblo members and Hispano allies killed the first American governor of New Mexico, took place partly on Pueblo grounds. The ruins of the old church destroyed during that conflict are still visible on the site.
In 1906 the federal government took Blue Lake and 48,000 acres of sacred mountain land from the Pueblo without compensation. After a 64-year legal and political fight, President Nixon signed legislation in 1970 returning the land. It was one of the first major Native land returns in American history.
Taos Pueblo was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Buying Direct from the Makers
The most meaningful thing you can do as a visitor is buy work directly from Pueblo artisans. Micaceous pottery, silver jewelry, drums, moccasins, embroidered clothing, and other handmade goods are sold from homes and studios throughout the Pueblo during visitor hours.
Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, it is a federal crime to misrepresent the tribal origin of Native American work. When you buy directly from a Pueblo member at Taos Pueblo, you are getting the real thing. Prices are set by the makers. Negotiating is not appropriate.
Buying directly from artisans at the Pueblo keeps money inside the community and supports a living cultural tradition. It is a better souvenir than anything sold on the highway.
More Taos Guides
Sources: Taos Pueblo official history, UNESCO World Heritage Centre listing, National Park Service. Admission, hours, and access rules subject to change , always verify at taospueblo.com before visiting.