Explore 18th, 19th Century N.M. at Living History Museum

For kids who know and love American Girl Josefina Montoya, a visit to El Rancho de las Golondrinas living history museum can be extra special.
In the American Girl world of books and dolls, Josefina is a young girl growing up on a rancho near Santa Fe in 1824. The ranch that she lives on and some of the scenes in the books were modeled in part on Las Golondrinas, said Director Daniel Goodman. Josefina is one of the beloved American Girl historical characters, and her story is set during New Mexico’s Spanish/Mexican period.
El Rancho de las Golondrinas, nestled in a rural farming valley just south of Santa Fe, was a real ranch starting in the 1700s and opened as a museum in 1972 to showcase examples of historic lifeways. Although the museum is open for general admission only from June through September, guided tours are available upon request starting in April. One of those is a Josefina tour.
“They get to see some of those buildings that were depicted in the book, which is fun,” Goodman said of the tour, adding that the Baca House was the model for Josefina’s house. “It kind of makes history come to life.”
Bringing history to life is what Las Golondrinas is all about. Visitors can explore the history, heritage and culture of 18th and 19th century New Mexico on their own, on a guided tour or at one of the many festivals held there throughout the year. 
In addition to the Josefina tour, Las Golondrinas, or the Ranch of the Swallows, offers general history and geology/ecology tours starting in April. The geology/ecology tour focuses on the La Cienega Valley and the wetlands and other ecological zones at the rancho. Each tour runs about two hours and there is no minimum group size. To make a reservation, call the tour office at (505) 471-2261, extension 101.
The ranch, which served as an official rest stop for travelers on the Camino Real that extended from Mexico City to San Juan Pueblo, just north of Santa Fe and provided goods for trade, boasts more than 30 historic buildings, including a working water-powered grain mill that is popular with children. 
Costumed interpreters who demonstrate skills that would have been used when the ranch was in operation create an immersive experience, and the museum offers a wealth of hands-on activities. At various times of year, kids and adults alike can learn about and try their hand at traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, sheep shearing and weaving, ristra stringing, rope making, candle dipping and making sorghum syrup.
“We try to get people engaged,” Goodman said. 
For example, Las Golondrinas has a flock of native churro sheep that are sheared by hand during the annual spring festival. Visitors can participate in cleaning and carding the wool and weaving it into blankets at other times in the season, he said.
“History can seem so distant to children, and let's be frank, a lot of kids maybe find it even boring,” said Director of Education Laura Gonzales. “I think it's important for them to come out and be immersed in history and really walk in the past so to speak. … I think it's important for kids to have a different way to learn that takes them out of the classroom.”
Las Golondrinas offers New Mexican children a special opportunity to learn about their heritage and the history of their ancestors, Gonzales added.
With 200 scenic acres to explore, there are also plenty of opportunities for kids just to run around or splash in the creek that runs through the property.
Las Golondrinas also offers eight heritage days a year dedicated solely to school field trips. There could be 1,000 kids on site visiting the historic buildings, interacting with the interpreters and engaging in hands-on activities such as grinding corn with a mano and metate.
General admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and teens and free for children 12 and under. New Mexico residents get in free on Wednesdays from June 2 to Oct. 3, but prices are different during festivals.
Festivals scheduled for this year include:

l The 18th annual Santa Fe Spring & Fiber Festival on June 3 and 4: A celebration of the state’s historic fiber arts offers activities and demonstrations such as sheep shearing, spinning and weaving, plus a fiber arts marketplace featuring local artisans and craftsmen and horno bread baking.
l The 20th annual Santa Fe Fiesta de los Niños on Sept. 2 and 3: Perfect for kids of all ages, this weekend features activities like tin stamping, rope and tortilla making, old time schoolhouse games and a chance make to a mini adobe house. Children can meet the rancho’s resident goats, burros and churro sheep and partake in wool spinning, weaving and dyeing.
l The 15th annual Santa Fe Renaissance Faire on Sept. 16 and 17: A journey back in time to the Kingdom of Golondrinas features an enchanted fairy village, the knights of the Order of Epona, performances by Clan Tynker and dancing to Medieval music.
l The 51st Annual Santa Fe Harvest Festival on Oct. 7 and 8: Visit the ranch during the magic of autumn and learn how a traditional red chile ristra is made, pick a pumpkin, stomp grapes by foot, make corn husk crafts and visit the animals.
l The 6th annual Santa Fe Spirits of New Mexico on Oct. 21: Meet the ghosts of history who lived and died in the Land of Enchantment! Step back in time and encounter an assortment of characters from New Mexico’s past. Lit by lantern light and campfires, the wondrous site takes on a family friendly, but spooky Halloween atmosphere.