MUSEUMS

PUBLIC NOTICE:

City of Las Cruces Museums remain temporarily closed to reduce the risk to our communities during the public health emergency. Visit cv.nmhealth.org for the most up to date information on COVID-19 in New Mexico.

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 museum system includes:

Senior Couple watching a old Mexican wrestler movie surrounded by luchador mask

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.

Gallery with pictures, ceramic vases and a big wooden bench

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.

Little Boy playing at the exhibit

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.

Model railroad train in a mountain

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.

  1. image of the a fence and sun sculpture with a white silhouette of the house

    Inland Sea

    Inland Sea refers to New Mexico’s geological history and the time in which the desert was a marine environment. This exhibit showcases photographer Allyson Packers work as it explores urban landscapes relationship with the southwest. Read on...
  2. image of wooden cabinet

    Wood for Wood: The WPA and Spanish Colonial Style Furniture

    This exhibit explores the impact of the Works Progress Administration impact in New Mexico and Southwest. Read on...
  3. Colorful Luchador Masks

    Lucha Libre: Stories from the Ring

    Experience Lucha libre like never before! The exhibit tells the history of Lucha Libre, its connections to the border region, and the stories that have come from the sport. Read on...
  4. Small Dinosaur Fossil

    Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas

    This exciting exhibition showcases the world of modern paleontology, introducing a dynamic vision of dinosaurs and the scientists who study them. Read on...
View All News