Kit Carson Historic Museums' extensive collections include five historic properties, artifacts associated with the individual sites' histories and families, general historic artifacts, and photographic, text and archival research materials. These collections were developed over a nearly fifty year period: originally,the primary collecting area was in commemoration of Kit Carson, however, under a later expanded mission the emphasis was changed to acquire other properties and articles of cultural, historical and archaeological value for the preservation, maintenance, exhibition, and education of the public. Presently, the collections' focus is on the history and cultures of Taos and northern New Mexico with additional material related to the American Southwest generally.

The museums' five historic properties are both its primary artifacts and most significant interpretive materials. The buildings and their contents represent and convey the entire historic development of the community of Taos. The properties portray the lifeways of the multi-ethnic people of this frontier community fom the Spanish Colonial, through the Mexican Republic and the opening of the Santa Fe Trail, to the American Territorial periods, and finally the establishment of Taos as a world renown art colony.