MUSEUMS

The Las Cruces Museum System aims to provide a welcoming environment for the curious so they can gain new insights and experience personal and community enrichment. The museums showcase exhibitions on local, national, and global themes to educate and inspire visitors from near and far. Admission is FREE.

Our new Calendar of Events for July to September, 2023, is available in the museums.

For all our programs and classes, you may now sign up online.

Click here to register for museum classes

  1. The Historical Amador Family in a black and white photo

    "The Amadors" Opens at Branigan Cultural Center

    Join us at Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main St., for the opening of our newest exhibition, “The Amadors: Family, Culture, and Identity in Early Las Cruces.” Read on...
  2. Painting of a snake with two heads and honeycomb with bees

    "Artistas de las Fronterizas – Borderland Contemporary Artists"

    Join us at the Museum of Art, 491 N. Main St., for our newest exhibition, “Artistas de las Fronterizas – Borderland Contemporary Artists.” Read on...
  3. Women carrying flowers for Day of the Dead

    "A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico"

    Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main St., announces a new exhibit, “A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico,” that explores the history, heritage, and traditions of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in Oaxaca, Mexico. Read on...
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Aerial landscape photo of the Branigan Cultural Center building

BRANIGAN CULTURAL CENTER

The Branigan Cultural Center is dedicated to engaging visitors in the rich heritage of the Southwest and the world-at-large through artistic, cultural and historical exhibitions and programs. Housed in a 1935 Pueblo Revival- style building, it was the first library in Las Cruces.

A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico

October 6 - December 23, 2023 

The history, heritage, and traditions of Dia de los Muertos have deep roots in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, roots that are often lost in modern times. This photograph exhibition presents the heritage and traditions of the celebration in and around Oaxaca, Mexico. It focuses on the rituals within the family and home, the preparations for the festivities, and the community activities found in Day of the Dead celebrations. Images of ofrendas (offerings) to departed family members, traditional items sold at the central market, the making of hot chocolate, and finally the journey to the cemetery are all presented in this wonderful, comprehensive look at an ancient Oaxaca tradition. 

This traveling exhibition was developed by the Field Museum in collaboration with Mars, Incorporated.


The Historical Amador Family in a black and white photo

The Amadors: Family, Culture, and Identity in Early Las Cruces

October 20, 2023-January 13, 2024 

The influence of the Martin and Refugio Amador family in the early development of Las Cruces is examined in this exhibit through Amador family papers, letters, photographs, and business records. It highlights the experiences of Mexican American families living in the Mesilla Valley during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. In many aspects, the Amador’s story exemplifies the transborder experience of Mexican families living along the U.S. side of the international boundary following the Mexican American War, as they adjusted to new social, economic, educational, and political systems of the United States while holding on to their Mexican identities and cultural values.  

This exhibition was curated by the staff of the New Mexico State University Library, Archives, and Special Collections using documents from the Amador family papers.

Museum of Art

MUSEUM OF ART

The Museum of Art features juried, invitational, and traveling exhibitions with artwork by nationally and internationally known artists. Through the Studio Program, the Museum offers professional art instruction for youth and adults in drawing, painting, ceramics, and other media.

Current Exhibit

Art piece by Eva Flynn named Frontera

Artistas de la Fronterizas – Artists of the Borderland  

October 6–December 16, 2023 

Artistas de la Fronterizas- Borderland Contemporary Artists features a diverse group of sixteen contemporary artists from local Borderland communities, including Las Cruces, El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The participating artists initially were selected from a 2021 call for art by the Las Cruces Museum of Art that was presented virtually over a period of 13 months on the Las Cruces Museums social media platforms. In this exhibit, the artists showcase their artwork-most of which are new creations-in the physical space of the museum’s gallery.   

This exhibit specifically highlights works from minoritized communities, which in this case are artists with Hispanic and Latino origins. The Museum of Art chose to focus on upcoming and prominent Hispanic and Latino artists to celebrate and recognize their importance to the Borderland art world and its culture.  


Museum of Nature and Science Sign

MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE

The Las Cruces Museum of Nature and Science, or MoNaS, inspires curiosity about the sciences, facilitates life-long learning, and promotes stewardship of the natural environment of the Chihuahuan Desert and southern New Mexico.

Railroad Museum

RAILROAD MUSEUM

The mission of the Railroad Museum is to preserve the heritage of railroading through a series of miniature representations of New Mexico railroads, as well as research and preserve the history of model railroading.