Entry No. 23 — the Santa Fe file — filed under: oddities
The Crow's Nest Oddities
A small retail cabinet-of-curiosities tucked into a strip off Old Santa Fe Trail, stocked with framed taxidermy, mummified heads, insects pinned or set in resin, bone and skull mounts, ouija boards, and toe-tag charms, presided over by a resident shop cat.
The story
Santa Fe isn't short on turquoise or high-end gallery walls, but tucked away at 518 Old Santa Fe Trail lies something entirely different. Texas transplant Rose Hutson opened The Crow's Nest in late 2023 as an antidote to predictable Southwestern decor, filling a small storefront with items that celebrate the strange, the dark, and the dead.
Instead of silver belt buckles, the glass cases here house mummified heads, skull mounts, resin-encased scorpions, and pinned insects. Hutson uses the shop as a physical showcase for local and regional creators who work in memento mori, creating a condensed cabinet of curiosities where framed taxidermy sits alongside toe-tag charms and Ouija boards.
It is compact and quiet, save for the resident shop cat who wanders between the glass display counters, keeping watch over the bone collections and pinned beetles. If you are hunting for a piece of Santa Fe that will not match your aunt's coffee table, this is where you start.
What it's like
Expect a narrow footprint stacked floor-to-ceiling with delicate specimens and dark curiosities. You will need to bend down to catch the smaller resin insects on lower shelves, and you will likely share the room with the shop cat lounging near the cases. Confirm their current operating hours before heading over, as schedules can vary.
The move: Browse the cases together and each pick a matching "memento mori" trinket to take home, then compare who found the weirdest specimen — the mummified head or the resin scorpions.
- 📍 South Capitol / Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 518 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Dragon Room at The Pink Adobe — Walk two minutes down Old Santa Fe Trail after browsing the oddities to grab a drink under the indoor elm tree at this low-beamed bar.
- The Matador — Keep the dark atmosphere going by taking a short walk downtown and ducking down the stairs into this subterranean, cash-only dive bar.
- Illuminated Perfume / School of the Lost Arts — Double down on obscure collections by visiting perfumer Roxana Villa's studio, which blends natural botanical scents inside its own cabinet of curiosities.
- Secreto Lounge — Contrast the macabre taxidermy display with a short stroll to Hotel St. Francis for a garden-to-glass cocktail in the lobby lounge.
Good to know
Who owns The Crow's Nest Oddities?
The shop was opened in late 2023 by Texas-raised, Santa Fe-based owner Rose Hutson.
What kind of oddities are for sale?
You will find framed taxidermy, bone and skull mounts, mummified heads, insects pinned or set in resin, Ouija boards, toe-tag charms, and dark art by regional makers.
Is there really a resident shop cat?
Yes, a resident cat roams the store and keeps watch near the display cabinets while you browse.
Where is the store located?
It is located at 518 Old Santa Fe Trail in Santa Fe's South Capitol / Old Santa Fe Trail area.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Instagram · sfreporter.com · newmexicomagazine.org
last checked: 2026-07-20