During a recent business trip to ABQ, I decided to venture over to the Turquoise Museum, despite some of the negative reviews. In my experience, you always have those difficult to please individuals. I, (nor the people with whom I associate with), would characterize myself as such. However, I do believe $20 is quite a steep admittance fee. The gift shop (or the first leg of the experience) leaves much to be desired. It felt much like a junior high field trip in that we followed the guide in a single file line. Obviously, it was a look but don't touch event and it appeared that each of us understood the assignment. However, I struggled to thoroughly enjoy myself because the guide was adamantly observing each of us as we proceeded through the tour. I would agree with others who made note of the owner, (who I have to assume was the guide), in that he was very arrogant. I can't quite put my finger on it, but he made several snide comments throughout the duration of the time that I was there. He was borderline rude and almost acted like we were a bother to him, that our being there was menial and he had much better things to attend. Very little conversation took place and it was uncomfortable at best. I caught myself looking at my watch and as I walked out, thought "Indeed, it was a beautiful castle but I just dropped $20 in what could have bought a nice glass or two of wine." I will not return, nor will I recommend to my team when they are in town for business. Several museums, boutiques, vendors, outdoor exhibits, etc delivered much more appeal and with kindhearted individuals who make you feel like your presence isn't a burden, but rather welcomed. Albuquerque is a beautiful city and should be explored! Just be cognizant of how and where you spend your time - and pay attention to reviews. I wish I had.

Worth it! The whole reason I went to the turquoise museum was to see the inside of that mansion! I didn’t really know anything about turquoise. I was surprised when the tour was top notch. The guide was a miner, super knowledgeable. It was a treat. I thought I would be board, I was not! Guide was excellent and fun. The history was awesome. How was cool too. A must do. Wait till you get upstairs, wow!

Pretentious, and short sited. This is a great opportunity in one of the most remarkable homes in Albuquerque, built by and amazing business woman Gertrude Zachary. But sadly, there is not a single mention of Gertrude, nor of the amazing home she built or the incredible antiques through the house. While the info on turquoise is vast and interesting. It’s tainted right from the get go by an introductory video that end in “if you think you can become an expert on natural turquoise in an hour, I would love to hear more about what other things you are an expert in”. On top of all this, when I inquired about who Gertrude was as this is based in the home she built, and there isn’t a single mention of her. I was told “*sigh* she married into the family, then divorced out of it 2 years later. But she kept the name to help her business”. Overall, overpriced, underwhelming, and missed the mark.

If you LOVE turquoise, then this place is a must see for you. It's a self-guided tour with very little interaction with the staff. Certainly an education. The mansion that hosts the turquoise is pretty cool too. However, I wouldn't make a return visit.

Great learning experience. They have many turquoise variations and jewelry from all over the world. Free to explore and take your time with a self guided tour. The guides are always on hand to ask questions, if you wish though. 95% of turquoise sold is imitation.

Do not waste your time at this tourist trap. The owner is quite pompous and not at all inviting. Definitely not worth the $20 entrance fee, especially when made to feel as though your every move is being scrutinized. Visit Old Town instead. The gift shops there are full of local artists and beautiful jewelry!

Ti keys need to be purchased online. We got discount because of triple A, and senior citizens. Amazing and interesting pieces of history. Turquoise from around the world was displayed so beautifully.

I have always loved Turquoise. But I did not know many of the things we learned at the museum. It was informative. And some of the pieces were Absolutely Beautiful. I also got a few little pieces of The Chandler you see as you walk into the entrance of this wonderful place..... a lovely pair of Earrings made from the Extra pieces.

Absolutely wonderful place! A lot of history! Many relics! The family's business has shop with natural stones jewelery. Prices are very reasonable. Recommend to everyone.

Wow! This is an incredible place to spend your time when visiting New Mexico; this place alone gives meaning to the term “enchantment”. The entire staff was friendly and knowledgeable; questions and conversation are welcomed. The castle makes it a unique experience; as you are gazing at the beauty of the building, you can’t miss the equally stunning turquoise! 💙 The world section is a favorite, as it explains the pieces and history of it. Tasteful and many photo opportunities are here. Sandy was the curator I spent the most time talking to; it was like visiting a friend! Kind, knowledgeable and I shared a wonderful long conversation about many topics! I highly recommend this place to anyone 💙

I did the tour to see inside the mansion. But it was awesome seeing and learning about all the different types of turquoise they have in there.

My wife wanted to go here. It was interesting. I enjoyed the mansion more. Lovely architechure and views. Educational.

If you are in Albuquerque this museum is a must see. It was such a wonderful surprise and was so very unique from what one expects.expects. history of the Southwest and of turquoise all over the world and since prehistoric times. You should have a guided tour with Joe Dan or his son Jacob which will add a wholly special and different dimension to your visit including Indian and early miners' lore. For some it can be a spiritual experience. Plan on taking more time than you're expecting to. You need to buy your tickets online in advance. ...

If you like turquoise, this place is for you! There is a lot to see at the museum. The staff is very friendly and helpful!

I assume the owner, but could have been another staff member, was incredibly pompous, rude, and unbelievably unhelpful. Do not give your money to this place, and trust the reviews that the staff is unfriendly. Such a shame that such a cool place is run by such lame people.

This place is a wealth of knowledge! The use of Turquoise through the centuries. The countries around the world that mine and historically use Turquoise. Plus the different aspects of Natural and not natural Turquoise! Just wow!!! If you love learning about gemstones and jewelry this place is the perfect place! Also the family was on site to answer questions and talk to us! I loved hearing about the grading system they are proposing!

To creepy for my taste. Would be a great haunted mansion.

If you are in Albuquerque with some time to explore, this is where you want to spend it. The family that runs the museum will make you feel at home, showing you not only where turquoise comes from but how to cut it, polish it, and hand-make the jewelry. See Jacob and his family. If I am asked if i would return, I am already looking at next year's travel plans. This is definitely a stop on our travels.

This is an amazing place! If you like turquoise, this is a must visit! So much information about turquoise and an incredible amount of turquoise rough, cabs and jewelry! Very friendly and the most knowledgeable people you could possibly meet.

A must see museum in Albuquerque if you like a bit of history, hands-on learning and fun facts. The store also has a nice selection of jewelry. Get there on time to watch an overview video. The self guided tour does not take long, and there are so many different types of turquoise to see. You must buy your tickets in advance online.

A bit overpriced for a two story self guided tour to look at turquoise, but if you're into that kinda thing this is the place for you. It cost $21 per person. A lot of the placards have spelling and grammar errors. The house is gorgeous and the staff are very nice.

The founder's son was on hand to explain every detail of the fabulous collection of turquoise from around the world. The gems there are thoughtfully set out in various settings and we spent two and a half hours fascinated by the location (originally home to a wealthy woman) and the vast variety of masks, jewelry and polished stones. Truly one of a kind and a must see.

I’m not usually one to comment on things, but my visit to the Turquoise Museum inspired one of those rare circumstances. By all means they have a very impressive collection of turquoise and well worth the visit.  The bizarre stucco “castle” that houses it sits in a decrepit part of Albuquerque and the defensive perimeter walls certainly inspire one to consider their own security when visiting. The “castle” itself, its disparate non-turquoise related conglomeration of antiques and ephemera, and it’s history (Google it) are all very weird and evoke a Herman Munster just won the lottery vibe. All are major detractions from the collection if you’re interest is turquoise. My biggest gripe was our “pseudo guide”, …… a self-professed expert (with an apparent ego problem) on turquoise that bad mouthed many of the famous multi-generational turquoise mining families in AZ and NV as well as the Gemological Society if America as not knowing anything about turquoise…..all the while admitting (and displaying) that he didn’t know much about science or geology but knew everything about turquoise. As a degrees geologist with 50+ years experience, and having collected and studied turquoise since the 1970s, I found that to be a major league turn off. So, definitely go to see the turquoise, but take along a healthy supply of salt.

The setting is a wonderful castle like building and the turquoise was magnificent! But, it was too much hassle and not worth $21/person. OK, if you are a rock hound and throughly into turquoise then you will probably love it. That's not me.

My wife and I spent part of our 25th Anniversary by taking a tour here and we had a great time. We learned a lot about turquoise. Jacob took time to talk with us and was very friendly and knowledgeable. Thank you Jacob for the great conversation and taking time to make us feel so welcome.

I have a new respect for turquoise. I’ve never been a big fan, but I love minerals, so learning about this stone and the problems in the industry was really helpful to understand how special true natural turquoise is. Takes about 2 hours if you read most of the information.

Very cool! The chandelier is striking but I had a hard time getting a pic trying to look up with my vertigo! The building itself is gorgeous and complements the displays perfectly. Definitely something for everyone and definitely a lot! We were done after an hour and a half or so, but you could spend all day in there easily. We picked up some beautiful jewelry in the gift shop and a Nick the miner plush because it was too cute. :) Check it out if you're in Albuquerque, it's a real gem!