Every UFO believer and conspiracy theorist knows the name of Roswell, a small but legendary town in southeastern New Mexico. Known as the UFO Capital of the World, Roswell was the site of the notorious ‘incident’ in July 1947, when the US government tried to cover up strange debris which fell from the sky on a local rancher’s land.
Roswell has always been a military town, thanks to the nearby Roswell Air Base and New Mexico Military Institute. This typical Main street town is very small and offers few amenities for visitors who trek out to this remote corner of New Mexico. The main, and perhaps only, draw to Roswell is its role in the lore of UFOs.
The International UFO Museum and Research Center will get you started on becoming a believer, but there are also a number of military museums and centers devoted to the history of rocket building, which was the focus of the Roswell Air Base back in the 1930s. Although there’s little else to do in this town but talk about UFOs and government conspiracies, you can be guaranteed of some interesting people-watching in the local cafes.
Highlights
International UFO Museum: located right on Main street, this is the place to go to learn about the infamous crash in 1947 and the alleged military cover up of four alien bodies and their spacecraft.
Historic Center for Southeast New Mexico: set in a wonderful old mansion, this perfectly preserved and furnished building is both a museum for the pioneering heritage of the area and an excellent example of early 20th-century prairie lifestyle.
McBride Military Museum: located at the prestigious New Mexico Military Institute, this small museum explores the role of New Mexico in America’s many wars.
Roswell Museum: this strange mix of famous western art from the likes of Georgia O’Keefe and original rocket parts built by the scientist Robert Goddard celebrates Roswell’s role as a leader in both the arts and the space industry.
Spring River Park and Zoo: comprising 36 acres with a stream running through it, this charming park features a large prairie dog town, an antique carousel, a children’s fishing pond and a zoo with over 150 indigenous species.