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# Space Murals Museum, A New Mexican Roadside Curiosity
- URL: https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/space-murals-museum-nm/
- Published: 2014-06-26T22:49:06.000Z
- Updated: 2021-01-08T17:32:05.000Z
- Author: Nikki Wynn
- Tags: Adventures, Van & RV Life, USA, #wp, #Import 2023-10-03 16:11, #Import 2023-12-05 14:16

Have you ever walked in somewhere and thought to yourself, “I don’t know how this place got started and I definitely don’t know how it’s still going”? Well, that’s exactly what I thought when we walked into the **Space Murals Museum** just outside Las Cruces, New Mexico.

![space murals museum new mexico](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2571.jpg)

Driving down highway 70 you can spot the **giant painted steel tank** from a good distance away, however if we had not already had this **roadside attraction** on our radar, we wouldn’t have known it was open for business.

We were greeted by a nice woman **reading a book** and **smoking a cigarette**. She casually let us know we were free to roam and take as many photos as we like. There was no fee, just a donation box and a dusty gift shop. We of course headed straight for the **outdoor rocket garden** (where the murals are).

![new mexico space murals museum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2575.jpg)![space murals museum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2577.jpg)![new mexico roadside attraction](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2578.jpg)![space murals museum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2579.jpg)![_MG_2580](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2580.jpg)![_MG_2582](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2582.jpg)![astronaut ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2583.jpg)

## The whole place has a certain **garage sale charm** to it, and since I’m drawn to **roadside attractions** like a magnet my **curiosity meter** was on high.

We asked the woman working where all this stuff came from and she informed us that some items were **Lou Gariano’s** (the owner) personal collections and others were donated by enthusiasts or friends of the owner.

![space murals museum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2585.jpg)

![space murals museum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2587.jpg)

## There were smiling astronauts, iconic spacecraft parts, dioramas and old photo copies staring at us from all directions. It’s like they have amassed the largest collection of NASA knick-knacks and spacey leftovers no one else wanted.

![rocket ship](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2589.jpg)

![space murals museum](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2590.jpg)

We had fun rifling through everything and I have to say that I admire the dedication and sense of patriotism that goes into it all. We left a few dollars in the donation box, hopped back in the RV and headed on down the road. I can’t say I would go out of my way to come back, but I would be curious to see if it survives and what else makes its way into the collection.

![_MG_2581](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/26/e9265740-cf9f-4d22-8ec3-333b3b0a4788/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MG_2581.jpg)

Have you been to the Space Murals Museum? Are you a roadside attraction junkie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!