New Mexico, Where a 1947 "Alien Crash" Became a City

At a Glance

The International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico opened 1992 on Main Street. Built around the 1947 incident when the local Army Air Field first reported recovering a "flying disc" before quickly retracting to "weather balloon". 200,000 visitors a year.

The 1947 Mystery

Retired officer Jesse Marcel's 1978 testimony revived the case. The Air Force's 1994 report attributed the debris to "Project Mogul" surveillance balloons, but debate continues. The museum presents official documents and testimonies side by side.

Highlights

• Original 1947 press statements and 1994 Air Force report.
• 200+ witness testimonies on video.
• Reconstruction of debris and "alien" based on testimony.
• Global UFO cases mapped.
• 10,000-volume UFO research library.

Visiting Tips

3-hour drive from Albuquerque. $7. 1.5–2 hours. Open year-round. The July UFO Festival transforms the whole city.