International UFO Museum and Research Center
The International UFO Museum and Research Center is a nonprofit museum located in Roswell, New Mexico, dedicated to documenting reported UFO encounters and the history of human interest in unidentified aerial phenomena. Founded in 1991 and housed in a former 1930s movie theater in the downtown district, the museum focuses principally on the 1947 Roswell incident — in which debris of uncertain origin was recovered from a ranch north of town, triggering decades of speculation about extraterrestrial visitation. It serves as the cultural anchor for the annual UFOfest that draws tens of thousands of visitors to Roswell each summer.
- Type
- Specialty museum; nonprofit educational organization (501(c)(3))
- Period
- Founded 1991; building dates to the 1930s (former movie theater)
- Style
- Art Deco commercial building, adapted museum interior
- Location
- 114 N. Main Street, Roswell, NM 88203, USA
- Coordinates
- 33.3937° N, 104.5251° W
Overview
The museum occupies a prominent position on North Main Street in Roswell’s historic downtown, a city of roughly 50,000 people in southeastern New Mexico. Exhibits cover the full arc of UFO research — from early 20th-century sightings to modern declassified government investigations such as the U.S. government’s AATIP (Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program). An extensive library of books, periodicals, and declassified documents on UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) is available for researchers, making it a genuine reference point for serious investigators alongside its role as a popular tourist attraction.
History
On 8 July 1947, the Roswell Army Air Field issued a press release announcing the recovery of a “flying disc” from a ranch near Corona, New Mexico; the statement was retracted the following day, with authorities attributing the debris to a weather balloon. This brief official admission ignited decades of controversy and made Roswell the world’s most famous UFO case. The museum was founded in 1991 by a group of local residents and researchers seeking to preserve documents, testimonies, and artefacts related to the incident; it was incorporated as a nonprofit and quickly grew into one of the most-visited attractions in New Mexico.
What you see
The main exhibition hall features life-size dioramas recreating the alleged 1947 crash site and a supposed alien autopsy, alongside newspaper front pages, military documents, and photographs from the period. Interactive exhibits invite visitors to explore competing explanations for the Roswell incident, from the official Project Mogul balloon hypothesis to extraterrestrial theories. A research library and reading room hold thousands of volumes and archived materials, and a gift shop offers an eclectic range of UFO-themed merchandise.
Cultural significance
Whatever the ultimate explanation for the 1947 incident, the Roswell case permanently shaped American popular culture’s engagement with the idea of extraterrestrial life, spawning films, television series, and a global industry of UFO tourism. The museum reflects a broader phenomenon — the human fascination with the unknown and the tension between official narrative and popular belief — that has made Roswell a pilgrimage site for millions of curious travellers worldwide.
Practical information
- Address
- 114 N. Main Street, Roswell, NM 88203, USA
- Opening hours
- Check official website for current hours; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Admission
- Free; donations welcomed
- Annual event
- UFOfest held each summer (usually late June–early July)
Getting there
Roswell is located in southeastern New Mexico, approximately 200 km from Albuquerque via US-285 south and NM-285. The Roswell International Air Center (ROW) offers limited commercial service. Most visitors arrive by car; the museum is in the walkable downtown district alongside several other UFO-themed shops and restaurants.
Sources & resources
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