Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum

Great displays of educational and historic topics around flight of balloons! See actual balloons and gondolas that carried pilots around the world and read the historical recollections of successes and failures. Very cool exhibit on weather and forecasting too. Even when the balloon festival is not running (October) this is a preset cool place to see and. Ring the kids. Reasonable entry fees, cool, well kept exhibits and knowledgeable docents to answer your questions!

What an adorable ballooning museum! My boys love visiting museums, so we decided to stop by since it was on the way to our hotel. The museum offers a fascinating history of ballooning and how it all began. They also have a charming gift shop with unique finds. If you're in the area, I'd definitely recommend checking it out!

This was a quick stop while we waited to check in to our hotel. It was a cute museum. I think it would be fun for children. I did enjoy playing with the interactive exhibits. There is a senior discount and the cost was very reasonable.

Wonderful museum free on Sunday! This place was really so cool... If you've ever been in Albuquerque during the balloon fiesta, you know what a riot this place is.I learned so much about early ballooning... Crossing the Atlantic, going around the world... I can't even imagine doing that. This is a must do if you come to Albuquerque.

Great ballooning museum. Beyond the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, there are displays on the early history, technology, and achievements of balloons. Gondolas from historic flights are on display. As to the science, an interactive display explains how weather interacts with ballooning.I really enjoy the global approach to the topic of ballooning that this museum takes. So may others focus on the local history and you leave with a feeling of emptiness. That is not the case here. Worth the visit.

It's the larger complex on the campus and further down the road, not the first smaller building when you turn onto balloon road. There are signs for Covid tests in the same lot as the museum. $6/adult out of stater, quite a reasonable entry fee. So much information and the history of balloons, it's balloon 101 and weather too.

This was a short stop while waiting to check into our hotel. It was inexpensive. There were some really fun interactive things. Other areas had a lot of reading and pictures. We had just driven 7 hours so we didn't feel up to reading. If you are interested in hot air balloons this is your stop.

One of the best things about Albuquerque is, by far, the hot air ballooning that happens here, and this museum does a great job showcasing it's history. We attended Stories in the sky (usually happens every Wednesday) and enjoyed story time and craft time. A local author read his own Children's book, called Curly Crow. And afterwards the kids could meet him, make a craft or two, and play lawn games. In my opinion, this is one of the most organized kid activities in the city and it is free for ages 0-6. Plus, everyone who attends is welcome to explore the museum afterwards.

Balloons...and SNOW!!Nice to spend about an hour learning about the history, science and adventurers in ballooning on a snowy winter day. Named after two Albuquerque pilots, Ben Abruzzo and Maxie Anderson were part of the first crews to make a successful trans-Atlantic crossing in a balloon in 1978, followed by a trans-Pacific in 1981. Interesting to learn about their expeditions and others, both successful and not. The permanent and special exhibits offered different insights into the challenges faced by balloon pilots and how balloons fly. The tragic expedition to try to reach the North Pole by S. A. Andree in 1897 was fascinating and quite sad. Nice to also see many women in ballooning featured throughout the museum as well. Although several exhibits and the 4-D Theater were closed, it was reassuring to be the only two guests in the museum. Social distancing and face masks are mandatory. Timed entry required and limited to 90 minute time slots. Information was taken for contact tracing which fortunately was not needed. Interested in learning more? Several virtual tours are available to visit the museum from the comfort and safety of your own home.

We have been to the museum a few times. The most recent was after the morning ascension for Fiesta! What a cute museum with lots of interesting facts about ballooning. We went with a 1 year old and an 8 year old and they both had a fun time. Baby changing station available in a private bathroom! Yay! We love to see that!! Warning if you go during fiesta, some parts may be closed off for events!