Free Museums

The word “Museum” stops many from  considering a visit, even the well educated think “how boring”. Our day was enhanced by three museum visits that were not only not boring but also were Free – not something we often find. First stop was the Las Cruces Art Museum. We visited to see the current exhibition of the Gustave Baumann, a renowned New Mexico printmaker. Although we have several of his prints and books this show included many works we had never seen plus we learned of Baumann’s talents as a marionette artist.

The Las Cruces Museum of Nature and Science is in an adjoining building. With the intention of just taking a peek the well presented exhibits lured us into a complete walkthrough. In the process we learned a great deal about the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. Next door is the Branigan Cultural Center which we will check out on our next visit.

Sixty miles west of Las Cruces, in Deming, New Mexico, we made another discovery. Again a particular interest drew us in only to find a treasure trove. The Luna County Museum is known for their collection of Mimbres Indian pottery.

Two hours later we were still exploring the amazing collections found in the rambling structure.  A thousand antique dolls, the military room, transportation wing, original art, western history, quilts, bells, on-and-on. Besides the Mimbres pottery the most amazing to us was the geode collection. This compares with those we’ve seen in university mineral museums. We made a note to visit nearby Rockhound State Park on a future trip.

Historic Trail, Birds, Lava Flow, Petroglyphs

 – And, Green Chili Cheeseburger

Visible from I-25, a dramatic sculpture points skyward marking the access road to the El Camino Real International Heritage Center. Located approximately 100 miles south of Albuquerque, the interpretive center transports visitors along the 1500-mile “Royal Road” during  more than five centuries of history.

We spent twice as much time at the El Camino Real Center as planned. A 15-minute film relates background information before we wind our way through the informative exhibits.

Stepping out to the observation deck we overlook a stretch of the National Historic Trail. A well placed bench encourages  quiet respite while reflecting on the trail’s significance. A short nature trail highlights local desert vegetation.

We made a quick stop at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The site deserves much more time and our past visits have been more comprehensive. Upon exiting the car in the visitor center parking lot the first thing Bob notes is the chorus of a multitude of song birds. We especially like to visit this birding paradise in January and February when thousands of sandhill cranes and Canada geese escape the northern climes.

Upon arrival in the small town of San Antonio (New Mexico) there’s no doubt we’ll make a stop at the Owl Cafe and Bar known far and wide for their green chili cheeseburger.  The exterior would never entice me to stop but their reputation and past experiences confirm this is the place for a delicious lunch.

More to come:

• Valley of Fires
• Three Rivers Petroglyphs