Journal of Property Management

“Over 400 years the building has changed in response to our changing trade patterns and our changing ideas of style,” Levine said.

Through the centuries, the palace has been under the control of a number of countries. Between 1609-1821, it belonged to Spain. In fact, it is considered one of the crown jewels of Colonial Spanish architecture in North America. Then, from 1821-1846 Santa Fe was the capital of the Mexican province before becoming a territory in the United States from 1846 to 1912. In 1909, the palace became the first museum of New Mexico and has served as a museum since then. It was designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark in 1960 and an American Treasure in 1999.

While the palace’s rich history makes it the perfect museum setting, its age is troublesome. Many artifacts cannot be safely displayed because it does not have the modern conservation requirements for climate control and light levels. Therefore, although scholars spent decades collecting and studying artifacts, maps, documents and photographs to educate and enlighten museum visitors, they could not be shared because of the structure’s limitations.

As a result, the New Mexico Museum of History was built, and it opened in May 2009. The 96,000-square-foot museum is a world-class cultural institution that now acts as the anchor of the museum campus that includes the Palace of the Governors, the Palace Press, the Fray Angelico Chavez History Library and Photo Archives.

“There was a lot of forethought and planning
about how to make a modern building that
speaks to the time in which it was built, and yet
is sensitive to the historic neighborhood and its
national historic landmark counterpart,” Levine
said. “The museum and palace each speak to
their time and their history. There is a very
elegant connection between the two buildings.”
Despite the new museum, the palace remains
central to this historic and cultural district.

The east end of the palace houses its core exhibitions, such as a magnificent collection of 18th and 19th century New Mexican devotional art called Tesoros de Devocion. The west end is the changing exhibition gallery, which changes every 12 to18 months. At the center of the palace is a portrait gallery and a room devoted to the architectural history of the building. The palace is planning an exhibit that will explore New Mexico and statehood for the state’s centennial in 2012.

Making changes to the palace’s exhibits is notably hard on the building. Therefore, protecting the historic fabric of the building is a top priority. Levine said they ensure the changes they make are not permanent to the building. Another challenge in maintaining the palace is funding. Levine said the building needs a new roof, preservation work on the windows and a replacement gas heat system.

“There is ongoing maintenance, and upkeep
is always a challenge,” he said. “So I try to lever-
age every penny.”
As both a historic artifact and a museum in
its own right, the palace represents how history
lives on.

“We live in the presence of the past,” Levine said. “When you look at the Palace of the Governors, you understand that American history has an enormous time depth.” n