International UFO Museum and Research Center and Gift Shop

Roswell UFO Museum: Information About Visiting the Museum

"I found the Roswell UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico, opened to visitors in 1992 with a mission to educate the public about all aspects of the UFO phenomenon. Its exhibits cover Roswell, crop circles, sightings, Area 51, government cover-ups, and alien abductions; the highlight is a fake alien corpse from the 1994 Showtime movie “Roswell: The UFO Coverup,” and there’s also a replica of the Mayan sarcophagus lid from Palenque that supposedly shows a man blasting off in a spaceship. I thought the museum was super cheesy and not well done — there are lots of pictures and dioramas but the sections lack a cohesive story, the information is hard to follow and jumps around, and unless you already know the crash you probably won’t come away understanding what happened. That said, there are many photos of UFOs, first-person abduction stories, and videos that give insight into what believers think about aliens and government cover-ups; the museum also supports research with a library used by die-hards and has a great bookstore of so-called “seminal works.” Since 1996 the annual Roswell UFO Festival draws researchers and enthusiasts for carnivals, trade shows, alien costume contests, and lectures. I left hoping for more, but if you’re passing through it’s worth a stop — especially for sci-fi and alien fans or skeptics curious to see the other side. Practical details: located at 114 N Main Street in Roswell, NM; admission is $5 USD for adults with discounts for children, seniors, military members, and first responders; open daily 9am–5pm (closed on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Thanksgiving); they offer lectures and events and can be contacted at +1 575-625-9495 or roswellufomuseum.com." - Matthew Kepnes