Explore Las Cruces Museums this summer

Summer vacation is here and that means the kids are out of school and family is coming to visit. It also means that you have people to keep entertained, preferably someplace out of the heat. Fortunately for you, the City of Las Cruces has four very cool museums to enjoy this summer: Museum of Art, Branigan Cultural Center, Railroad Museum and Museum of Natural History. The programming at these museums is as diverse as their missions, providing something enjoyable for everyone.

The most visited museum in the system is located in the Mesilla Valley Mall on Telshor. The Museum of Natural History is popular with kids and adults alike and is a great place to visit with children or grandchildren. Want to find out what kinds of animals are native to the Chihuahua Desert? A variety of specimens reside at the museum, including snakes, turtles, spiders, lizards and amphibians.

Summer is a perfect time to think about getting fit, so the museum’s current exhibition “Let’s Get Active” is a great way to get motivated. Visitors can check their flexibility, grip strength, and balance or challenge each other to an electronic jump-rope contest. Interactive displays provide information on nutrition and health, too. This exhibit will be on display through September 13.

Along with the regular exhibits, the museum offers a variety of special classes. Check the sidebar calendar for dates and times of July events. For additional information, call 575-522-3120.

Another museum that appeals to kids of all ages is the Railroad Museum, which is located in the historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot at Las Cruces Avenue and Mesilla Street. Model train layouts, exhibits of authentic railroadiana, and the history of the building itself make it a fascinating place to visit.

This museum also offers special programming, this month including a class where you can make your own telegraph key and learn Morse Code and another on other forms of railroad communication. Call the Railroad Museum at 575-647-4480 for details.

The Branigan Cultural Center on the north end of the Downtown Mall once housed the Branigan Library. That connection to books is all the more poignant during the current exhibit, “Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings.” This excellent exhibit features information and photograph panels detailing the history of book censorship and the battle over words during World War II. If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t delay as the exhibit closes July 11.
The Branigan Cultural center also features a permanent exhibit entitled “Las Cruces: Crossroads of History.” This comprehensive look at the history of Las Cruces and the Mesilla Valley spans the past 400 years through the use of photographs, documents, artifacts and narrative. The final gallery houses the exhibit “Cycles of Life” which features the work of six regional artists. This exhibit will be on display through July 25.
The Branigan offers a variety of traditional crafts workshops during the summer. Check the calendar for dates and times. Be sure to call 575-541-2155 to find out how to register and about age restrictions.
A very exciting and unique exhibit is currently on display at the Las Cruces Museum of Art just across from the Branigan Cultural Center. If you’ve ever wondered what local art collectors have hanging on their walls, this is your chance. The art represents the diverse interests of the collectors and provides an intriguing opportunity to get a peak into their collecting lives. The exhibit continues through August 15.
A regular component of the Museum of Art is the wide variety of art classes they offer, including a Saturday Studio for kids aged five to 12. Beginning in July, the Las Cruces Museum of Art is offering two new art classes for adults on drawing and watercolor. Call 575-541-2137 for information on class schedules and fees.
The Reading Art Book Club offers another opportunity to explore the arts. The Reading Art Book Club is dedicated to exploring the connections between art and literature by reading and discussing books. The next meeting is set for 2:30 on Wednesday, July 8. This meeting will focus on the novel “The Yellow House” by Martin Gayford, the story of Van Gogh and Gauguin sharing a house in the south of France.
If you want a momento of your visit to the museums, be sure to drop by El Mercado de los Museos, located inside the Museum of Art on the east side. The gift shop, operated by the Foundation for Las Cruces Museums, offers items ranging from exquisite Mata Ortiz pottery and handmade jewelry to T-shirts and toy trains. El Mercado has numerous items that make wonderful gifts for residents and visitors alike.
For more information, go to the museum website at www.las-cruces.org/museums. To learn more about the Foundation for Las Cruces, go to www.friendsoflcm.blogspot.com.