TOP
new mexico space murals museum

Space Murals Museum, A New Mexican Roadside Curiosity

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

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

space murals museum

new mexico roadside attraction

space murals museum

_MG_2580

_MG_2582

astronaut

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

space murals museum

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

space murals museum

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

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

Hello there! I honestly don’t know what to say, so I am going to tell you a bunch of random facts instead. I'm a fish eating vegetarian who hates spiders and loves snakes. I almost never took vacations growing up. I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking (still do). I misspell about every other word I write and still struggle with grammar. I love splurging on a good high tea (which is really hard to find these days). And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I'll HAVE to do it!

Comments (18)

  • Chris

    I grew up only a few miles from there. Me and some other kids would ride our bikes to it and buy the “astronaut ice cream” freeze dried ice cream any chance we could get.

    reply
  • Hmm – never been there and probably would not be inclined to stop but I was quite surprised at the quality of the murals and the artifacts on display. Looks like an interesting and worthwhile stop along the way.

    reply
  • connie woods

    My dad flew a plane years ago NASA had built to carry space stuff….it was called the Super Guppy…he was one out of five of the very first flight crew…..so yes space stuff is very cool to me!

    reply
    • Doug Forrest

      Connie, I’d really like to talk to you about your Dad’s involvement with the Super Guppy – I just saw the plane the other day at Pima Air & Space Museum. I’m very interested in the Apollo program and everything to do with it. Not sure if you can see my email from this reply. Hope to hear from you.
      BTW, the Space Murals Museum is awesome and well worth a visit, for anyone who is in the area.

      reply
  • Not been to this one but it seems familiar – have encountered similar in our travels, and as long as it’s free or by donation, we like to check them out.

    Unlike a lot of people who are drawn to collecting “stuff” and then keep it stored in boxes or on dusty shelves in their home, these collectors have created a way to talk about and show off their collections. I imagine that would provide much more pleasure than simply owning it.

    These “attractions” and the people and stories behind them are hidden gems for travelers – certainly far better than the obvious “tourist traps” lining the roadsides to “reel-in” vacationers and fleece their wallets.

    If the attraction is in a popular tourist area and has a set entry fee it’s probably a tourist trap. If not, it might be really wierd but is likely worth stopping. A couple of small donations and a chance to talk to a few people each day is probably all the owner hopes for.

    reply
  • kristi

    Have fun !

    reply
  • kristi

    Thanks for sharing that. The desert dwellers appreciate space. Probably more aware of the celestial bodies and moon phases than most of us in the cities.
    We stopped in to Arizona’s Meteorite Crater and Petrified “forest” west of New Mexico

    reply
  • David C. Burdick

    This museum appears to be a fantastic showing of space age memorabilia, even as important as NASA | Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. I can see it’s VERY IMPORTANT to support them out their in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
    Everybody go take a look…

    reply
  • Lorraine

    Awesome..I lived in Las Cruces for 12 years and my parents are still there. Have thought the very same thing when I go into that place, but it is neat. The Space Museum in Alamogordo is much better.

    reply
  • Steve

    I’m confused. Your blog today is about about Las Cruces NM, but your map says you’re in western Michigan.

    I’m new to your site, so……Wasup??

    reply
      • Steve

        Thanks for the reply!

        That makes sense as I know minutes of video shot, turns into hours (and hours) of editing. Not to mention the prep work. Your videos are very well done and enjoyable to watch…..which brings me to another ” thank you”

        I think I’ve become a composting toilet convertee.

        My wife first introduced me to the option via the Good Luck Duck’s blog. At the time I thought it was an interesting idea, but generally just poo-pooed the idea until watching all of your videos recently. I’m now reasonably enlightened to the benefits that composting, and the combining of the black and grey tanks will offer (all of) us in our travels. And, she was so caught up in the moment of my conversion that she offered to assume all the doodys of maintaining the device!

        Looks like a Wynn- Wynn situation for us! Our thanks to the both of you!

        reply
  • AJ

    How far away is this from the White Sands Test Facility?

    reply
  • Ann Morgan

    Hey there Jason & Nikki!!

    My husband Rich and I are new RVer’s, and we’re really enjoying your newsletter. I’m curious about your gas mileage – I read your posts last year, and saw your records of mileage and other expenses.

    After our 3 trips in our 33 ft. Tiffin Allegro, how is it that you can get 22 miles per gallon??? I’ve been reading so many other posts, that claims the best gas mileage they can get is 6-7 mpg. And that is consistent with what we’re getting. Can you explain how you can help us get better gas mileage?? Thanks so kindly, Ann Morgan

    reply

Post a Comment