Las Cruces
Museum of Nature & Science

May Schedule of Events
Get a jump on your Summer with programs at the museums in May!

We have a series of fun and exciting events at the museums this month. Come visit us Tuesday - Saturdays between 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Summer Camp

Summer camp registration is open! Camps run Tuesday - Friday in the June for students in grades 1-8. To register, contact the museum at (575) 522-3120 or [email protected].

 

Exploring Environments

June 2-5, 8:00 - 4:00 PM

6th - 8th grade students

Fee: $150.00

Learn about local environments through hikes and activities. We will be visiting a river, a volcanic site, a desert site and a mountain site throughout the week.

 

Earth, Wind & Fire: An Introduction to the Elements

June 9-12, 8:00 - 12:00 PM

3rd - 5th grade students

Fee: $125.00

Learn about the elements with a series of hands-on experiences exploring geology, water, air and fire/electricity.

 

Day of the Dinosaur

June 16-21, 8:00 - 12:00 PM

1st & 2nd grade students

Fee: $100.00

Learn about the many ancient creatures that have roamed across the Earth including dinosaurs, pelycosaurs, plesiosaurs and pteranodons through activities, games and crafts.
 

Earth, Wind & Fire: An Introduction to the Elements

June 23-26 8:00 - 12:00 PM

3rd - 5th grade students

Fee: $125.00

Learn about the elements with a series of hands-on experiences exploring geology, water, air and fire/electricity. 

 

Fees apply and pre-registration is required. Interested participants can register by calling the museum at (575) 522-3120 or e-mailing [email protected].

 

 

Permanent Exhibitions
In addition to the classes and special events, the museum's permanent exhibits are open to the public Tuesdays - Saturdays from 9 am - 4:30 pm, including:
  
The Chihuahuan Desert featuring the diversity of our desert home, with exhibits of live reptiles, amphibians, arthropods & fish.  The exhibit also includes taxidermy of mammals & birds.
  
The Paleozoic Trackways exhibition encourages everyone to explore the ancient world, learning about New Mexico in the Permian Era, 280 million years ago.  This exhibit features pieces of trackway discovered in the Robledo Mountains and a replica Dimetrodon skeleton.

The Magic Planet is back and better than ever.  In addition to a new, bright projector, the globe now is able to play short science movies at the touch of a button.  Look for new movies every few weeks!

Continue exploring New Mexico's Ancient Past with a display about Tyrannosaurus Rex and our state dinosaur...Coelophysis!

The Solar System can be at your fingertips with the museum's  Light & Space room where you can play with light and watch short movies about current research by NASA on Viewspace.

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
Saturdays at 11:30 AM
Each Saturday, join the Naturalist staff as they explore the animal diversity in the Chihuahuan Desert through interactions with the museum's collection of live animals.
May 2: Birds
May 9: Reptiles
May 16: Amphibians
May 23: Fish
May 30: Arthropods

MoNaS Web Calendar
EVOLVED
Fridays at 3 PM
Join us every Friday at 3 pm for Evolved as we make circuits through time, discussing important points in evolution and the development of the world as it exists today.  Join us as we explore the beginnings of the universe and discuss what the future may hold for us.
May 1: TBD
May 8: TBD
May 15: TBD
May 22: TBD
May 29: TBD
  
FAMILY SCIENCE SATURDAY: ASTRONOMY
Saturdays at 10 AM
Explore new science topic each month at the museum.  We will be exploring a new topic in depth each month with a series of related classes.  Each class builds on the previous class, but don't worry, if you miss a class, just join us the next week and dive into science! Families and science enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to join!
May 2: The Sun & The Earth
May 9: The Solar System
May 16: Constellations
May 23: Comets

MoNaS Web Calendar
FETCH!
Saturdays from 11 AM - 1 PM
This short program is based on the PBS TV show Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman.  Each week, museum staff highlight a new scientific concept with a hands-on experiment or demonstration.  Join us for an exploration anytime during program hours.
May 2: Nanoscience
May 9: Thaumatropes
May 16: Seeing Through Alien Eyes
May 23: Bubbles
  
FRIDAY RAMBLE
Friday, May 1 from 5 - 7 PM
The Friday Ramble is coordinated by the Downtown Las Cruces Partnership and includes museums, galleries and shops on downtown Main Street.

In May, join us  for our monthly backroom tours of our Nature Center. The museum proudly displays between 20 and 25 species of live animals in the gallery, but we have 48 species in the backroom of the Nature Center. Ramble visitors will get the chance to view these additional animals and ask questions of Richard Quick, our Naturalist.


MoNaS Web Calendar
PRE-K PROGRAMS
Thursdays at 9 AM
Every Thursday we welcome our youngest visitors for programs related to the museum exhibitions.  On the first Thursday of the month, we explore the Solar System with Planeteers, followed by Grandma Mona's Science Story Time on the second Thursday.  Dinosaur Train, a collaboration with the Las Cruces Railroad Museum, is presented on the third Thursday and we finish the month with Nature Kids on the fourth week.
May 7: Planeteers:  Neptune
May 14: Grandma Mona's Science Story Time reading When the Fly Flew In by Lisa Westberg Peters and Eye Wonder: Bugs
May 21: Dinosaur Train: Camoflauge
May 28: Nature Kids: White Sands
  
SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
Saturdays at 1 PM

Join us at the museum as we finish Exploring Environments, a class created by our student staff, studying ecosystems across the world.  A new ecosystem will be highlighted each week covering deserts, forests, marine, arctic and grassland habitats.

 

Starting at the end of April, we will be offering a series of single topics related to the exhibits at the museum, starting with a discussion of geologic time.
 
May 2: Bones and Faunal Analysis
May 9: Climate Change
May 16: Recycled Papermaking
May 23:  Geologic Time
May 30: No Workshop

MoNaS Web Calendar
SCIENCE CAFE
Thursday, May 28 at 5:30 pm

Join us for the next Science Cafe on May 28 at 5:30 pm where two NMSU students will present their research.

  • Gabriela Rodriguez recently participated in the International Research Conference and will present her research "Algae as a Biochemical Source".
  • Kristin Corl recently received a Sigma Xi Grant in Aid to support her Anthropology studies, focusing on communities in southern New Mexico.

Co-hosted by the Museum and Sigma Xi: the Scientific Research Society, Science Cafe explores a new science topic each month. All discussions are free and open to the public. 

  
In This Issue
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the museum, exhibits or programs, please contact the museum at:
  
(575) 522-3120

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