Tucked away in Albuquerque’s Old Town tourist area is a flat, nondescript building that houses the city’s very own Rattlesnake Museum — a collection of live rattlesnakes, snakes found in New Mexico, and a smattering of insects, reptiles, and memorabilia.
The memorabilia is the stuff that doesn’t move, everything else does. I mention this because the word museum implies stasis, i.e., stuffed snakes, but this is actually a private zoo.
The entry fee for the museum is $6 for adults, $4 for kids. There is a a $1 discount for seniors, students, teachers and active military personnel. You’ll receive a certificate of bravery as your ticket to the museum. I treasured mine for the duration of the visit. So, what do you get for that ticket?
The museum claims to house the largest collection of rattlesnakes in the world. While I’m not going to rush out to every snake museum on the planet to confirm, I think there are enough varieties of rattlesnakes to satisfy the enthusiasm of anyone with a passing interest.
There are three tortoises that roam the premises for photo ops. They duck under stools to escape the younger patrons and/or paparazzi so I wasn’t offended to only see one. Everyone needs a break.
There is also a Gila monster, several scorpions, a snapping turtle, and a few tarantulas for your viewing pleasure. These, however, are behind plate glass for your protection as well as theirs. The proprietor made a comment about loose snakes as he was opening the rear room though I’m pretty sure he was joking.
If you want to learn more, the museum shows snake documentaries and television programs in their back room, though we preferred to wander around the perimeter to see how the snakes blend into their environments. Some of the desert species are especially difficult to spot. It makes you wonder how many snakes you’ve walked past without even knowing.
A few of the snakes were rattling — which is an indication that the animal is scared and you should move on. That’s probably good advice to follow if you see a rattling snake in the wild, too.
The museum was well worth the price of admission and I recommend it if you happen to be in Old Town. You get a little bit of education and appreciation for these animals, as well as the thrill of getting this close to certain danger. Snake selfies? The only time I’d recommend it.
The museum keeps regular hours, though that may change during low season. Check the site before you slither that way.