How many times have you visited the same museum? Whether your answer is “one” or “hundreds” this episode of Encounter Culture invites listeners behind the scenes to hear about the rewards of visiting and revisiting the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. Longtime security guard Nick Wadell and docent and customer service rep, Michelle Rodriguez, share stories about works of art, mysteries, and memorable visitors that will give listeners a deeper experience of the museum—and hopefully, entice them back again.

Mentioned in this Episode: 

Girard Wing at the Museum of International Folk Art

Santero Felix Lopez

Article in fall issue of El Palacio: The Art of Survival: The Aftermath of the Deadly 1980 New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot

Amidst Cries from the Rubble: Art of Loss and Resilience from Ukraine: Exhibition at MOIFA through April 27, 2025

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We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what you loved about the episode, share a personal story it made you think of, or ask us a question at [email protected]. You can write a regular email or record a short voice memo and attach it for us to listen to. 

Visit newmexicoculture.org for info about our museums, historic sites, virtual tours, and more. 

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Encounter Culture is a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios.

Hosted by Emily Withnall, editor at El Palacio Magazine Executive Producer: Daniel Zillmann Technical Director & Post-Production Audio: Edwin R. Ruiz Recording Engineer: Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe Editor & Production Manager: Alex Riegler Associate Producer & Editor: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Lakota) Theme Music: D’Santi Nava

Instagram: @newmexicanculture and @elpalaciomagazine

For further reading and more resources, view the full show notes.