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Albuquerque Launches Expanded Summer Programs: Workshops, Animals, Trails

Albuquerque venues roll out expanded summer schedules with workshops, animal encounters and trail programs starting this week.

By Albuquerque Things-to-do Desk · Published July 24, 2026

Conditions change. This report describes the situation as of July 24, 2026; roads, warnings and services may have reopened or changed since. Check the official channels before you travel or act on it.

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Albuquerque families gain access to new July workshops and extended hours at multiple sites this weekend.

Schools across the city closed for summer on June 5 and remain closed until August 12, pushing parents toward structured daytime plans amid rising daytime temperatures that hit 95 degrees on average this month.

The Albuquerque BioPark at 903 10th St SW added daily penguin feedings at 10 a.m. while the Explora science center on Mountain Road NW launched a new robotics session for ages 6 to 10 that runs every Tuesday and Thursday through July 30.

Indoor and hands-on choices

Explora staff now limit each robotics group to 12 children after last summer's sessions filled within hours of opening. The center sits two blocks from the Rail Runner station, allowing families to combine a morning visit with a short train ride to Old Town Plaza for lunch at the San Felipe de Neri Church grounds.

The Albuquerque Public Library's main branch on Copper Avenue NW runs a weekly story time tied to its summer reading challenge that logged 18,400 participants last year. Branches in the North Valley and Southeast Heights also host craft tables on Fridays.

Outdoor and trail programs

The Open Space Visitor Center on Coors Boulevard NW offers guided nature walks every Saturday at 9 a.m. through the end of July, with trail maps that cover the 1.8-mile Candelaria loop. City records show 4,200 people joined these walks in July 2025.

Admission to the BioPark costs $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 12, with the city parks department reporting a 25 percent attendance increase in the first week of July compared with June. Families can reserve spots for the robotics sessions at Explora for $8 online.

Check the BioPark and Explora websites each morning for same-day capacity updates before heading out.

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