Millicent Rogers Museum

After our thorough exploration of the Blumenschein Home, we walked across the Taos Plaza to Doc Martin’s for lunch. Doc Martin’s is in the historic Taos Inn. We always enjoy the excellent food in the heart of Taos and often see celebrities lunching.

On Previous trips, we gallery hopped and shopped down Bent Street and Kit Carson Road. This trip we were committed to the history. So after our excellent lunch, we drive north to the Millicent Rogers Museum.

Millicent Rogers was a fashion icon and collector. Her youngest son built the museum for her collection after she died in 1953. She was well known before Taos but her Legacy was her inspiring taste and bringing Taos tri-cultural arts to widespread awareness.

Millicent Rogers came to Taos after an already adventurous life and a break up with Clark Gable. She had been offered a Legion of Honor by the French government for her relief work in WWII. In Taos, she championed the rights of the Native Indians of Taos Pueblos, and made a a bid to get Native American Art recognized as “historic,” so it would be protected. She worked with others to hire lawyers to go to Washington and lobby on the behalf of Taos Pueblos.

A thousand years of Southwestern arts and cultures are housed in the fourteen galleries of the Millicent Rogers Museum. We were totally enchanted by Native American jewelry, pottery, weavings, baskets as well as Hispanic folk art, blankets and Millicent’s own jewelry designs. We were especially impressed by the pottery. I have never seen pottery so well displayed. It was eye-opening. The quality of workmanship throughout the collection is incredible.

We ran into our buddy, Mary Karen, again. She was asking a museum curator a question and was on her way to Jan Sessler’s Studio. The staff is wonderful, knowledgeable, and welcoming. We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon spent there. When you go, plan for a half day of absorbing the offering.

Then we were off to meet Kathleen Brennan and Kat Duff for a 5 Star Burger and get an update on Kathleen’s work. Wait till you hear this next entry! Old World Coffee on the way.

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