# Christmas break with kids in Albuquerque, 2026

> What to do with kids in Albuquerque over Christmas break, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We read the holiday hours posted by six museums, zoos and play places: none of them opens on Christmas Day. Plus three dated outings on Christmas Eve and the days in between.

- Last checked: 2026-10-21
- 6 places’ holiday hours; 4 dated outings
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/albuquerque/christmas-break/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/albuquerque/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/albuquerque/llms.txt

## Open or closed: Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1

- **Petroglyph National Monument**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day closed; New Year’s Day closed. Their page says: “The Visitor Information Center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 25th, and January 1st .” Source: https://www.nps.gov/petr/planyourvisit/hours.htm (checked 2026-10-21)
- **Explora**: Christmas Eve Closes at 2 p.m.; Christmas Day closed; New Year’s Day closed. Their page says: “We close early at 2 pm on December 24, and December 31. Explora is CLOSED on January 1, July 4, Thanksgiving, and December 25.” Source: https://www.explora.us/visitor-information/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- **ABQ BioPark Zoo**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day closed; New Year’s Day closed. Their page says: “Closed Jan. 1, Thanksgiving, and Dec. 25” Source: https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/biopark/about-the-biopark/tickets (checked 2026-10-21)
- **ABQ BioPark Aquarium & Botanic Garden**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day closed; New Year’s Day closed. Their page says: “Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1” Source: https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/biopark/aquarium (checked 2026-10-21)
- **New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day closed; New Year’s Day closed. Their page says: “The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.” Source: https://www.nmnaturalhistory.dca.nm.gov/visit/tickets-and-admissions/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- **Albuquerque Museum**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day closed; New Year’s Day closed. Their page says: “Closed: Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day” Source: https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/albuquerque-museum/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-10-21)

## Christmas Eve

- **Santa Photos at Coronado Center** at Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd NE., Albuquerque, NM 87110. When: Nov 21–Dec 24, 2026 (closed Thanksgiving). Time: Most days 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Dec 24 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; hours change by day, full schedule on the booking page. Price: See photo packages on the booking page. Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 8 evenings (Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 7, Dec 8…). Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/0834 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Santa Photos at Cottonwood Mall (NM)** at Cottonwood Mall (NM), 10000 Coors Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114. When: Nov 13–Dec 24, 2026 (closed Thanksgiving). Time: Most days 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Dec 24 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; hours change by day, full schedule on the booking page. Price: See photo packages on the booking page. Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 2 evenings (Dec 7, Dec 14). Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/1357 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **River of Lights** at ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, Old Town area. When: Nov 28 – Jan 3. Time: 5–10 p.m. (last entry 8 p.m.). Price: Tickets required. Closed Dec. 24 and 25. Official page: https://riveroflights.org/ (checked 2026-10-21)

## New Year’s Eve and Day

- **River of Lights** at ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, Old Town area. When: Nov 28 – Jan 3. Time: 5–10 p.m. (last entry 8 p.m.). Price: Tickets required. Closed Dec. 24 and 25. Official page: https://riveroflights.org/ (checked 2026-10-21)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
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## FAQ

### What’s open on Christmas Day in Albuquerque with kids?
Of the six places we checked, none posts Christmas Day hours as open; Petroglyph National Monument, Explora, ABQ BioPark Zoo and ABQ BioPark Aquarium & Botanic Garden are closed. A park or a drive past the lights is the easy plan.

### What can we do with kids on Christmas Eve in Albuquerque?
Open with posted hours: Explora (Closes at 2 p.m.). On the calendar: Santa Photos at Coronado Center, Santa Photos at Cottonwood Mall (NM) and River of Lights.

### What’s open on New Year’s Day in Albuquerque?
None of the places that post New Year’s Day hours says it’s open.

### What can we do with kids on New Year’s Day in Albuquerque?
On the calendar for Jan 1: River of Lights. Check each one’s own page before you go, since holiday hours can change.

### How do you check these holiday hours?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 21, 2026, and we recheck them in early December and again the week before Christmas. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).