Palace of the Governors

Fronting Santa Fe's plaza, this low adobe building is one of the oldest continuously used public structures in the United States, begun by Spanish colonists around 1610 as the seat of colonial New Mexico. Over four centuries it served Spanish, Pueblo, Mexican, and American administrations before becoming a history museum. Beneath its long portal, Native American artisans sell handmade jewelry and pottery daily, a program that regulates and authenticates the work.