The historic adobe compound which houses the Harwood Museum dates to the mid-19th century. It has been a landmark since Burt and Elizabeth Harwood bought the property in 1916 and made it into one of the first and finest examples of Pueblo Revival architecture. Southwest architect John Gaw Meem oversaw its further expansion in 1937.

In 1923, Elizabeth Case Harwood and a group of Taos artists created the Harwood Foundation as a private non-profit organization to serve as a library, museum and educational center. In 1936, the Harwood became a department of The University of New Mexico and since then has been a base for its programs in northern New Mexico. The Harwood Museum is the second oldest art museum in the state and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Museum features paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and photography by 20th century artists who have lived or worked in Taos. Many of the best known artists of Taos are represented from early days of the art colony with work by Victor Higgins, Ernest Blumenschein and other members of the Taos Society of Artists. Artwork by a number of contemporary artists such as Larry Bell, Edward Corbett, Agnes Martin, Louis Ribak and Earl Stroh may also be seen.

The permanent collection also includes: 19th century New Mexico Santos, retablos (religious paintings on wood), bultos and tin work; a collection of 19th and 20th century woodwork including pieces from the Work Projects Administration (WPA); and the largest public collection of sculpture by Patrocino Barela.

The photographic archive includes 17,000 images of the land, people and art work of New Mexico from the early 1900s to the present day.

The Harwood's collection is a unique record of both the community's rich multicultural heritage and Taos' role in the development of seminal American Art.

A handbook of the collection is available through the Museum's gift shop at 505-758-9826.