Oldest House Museum — Attraction in Santa Fe

The Oldest House Museum, also known as the De Vargas Street House, is a historic site located on De Vargas St. in Santa Fe. It’s a two-room adobe building with a collection of historical artifacts not related to the home.

The “oldest house” claim isn’t accurate; a study of the wooden ceiling beams in the house reportedly showed they were cut between 1740 and 1767 - a century after the Braman-Nothnagle Log House which was built between 1638 and 1643 in Gibbstown, New Jersey. There also isn’t a firm date for when the De Vargas House was constructed and different scientists and historians have posited different date ranges.

Despite this, the museum not only makes the claim it’s the oldest home, but has posted a condescending list of claims of why people shouldn’t question them, writing “think about it.”

The museum isn’t manned with any personnel or docent, and there isn’t a check-in of any kind or reception area. You enter into the gift shop, take a left, read the condescending signs in the first room and then step down into a second room with unrelated items along the walls.

To call this former house a “museum” is generous. It’s a gift shop that happens to have two rooms attached with an undetermined history and will take about 10 minutes to walk through if you include the gift shop. It is not a member of the New Mexico Association of Museums.

Don’t waste your time here - there’s much better sites to visit...

I visited here with my wife on a Thursday afternoon. I had no idea this place was here until we walked by and saw a sign on the street. I thought the house was really neat and given that it is the oldest house in the US is really special! However the building is composed of only 2 small rooms depicting the old life with artifacts and the rest is gift shop. The building was very small and easily congested, with the main focus being the gift shop. I rate it 4 stars because I did not find anything special or memorable about this place, our entire visit lasted about 15 minutes. If I had to pay for this experience I would be fairly disappointed, but the fact that it was free admission made it worthwhile. To stop here is more so to say you've been in "the oldest house in the...

I really liked this stop. Yes it is a small 2 room house with a gift shop attached. If you take the time and really want to know about the house, it's history and what was found in around and under it. Take as few extra minutes and READ what the pictures and displays tell you. Feel the struggles of those living here and the people who went out of their way to save it .. over and over again. Drop a few bucks in the box and help them keep the house up an running FREE to anyone who will pass thru the doors. Please give a little or purchase some of the unique items...