A museum dedicated to an exploration of the wonders of both natural history and science is receiving just over $1.1 million in state funding for the planning, design, building, and upgrading of exhibits and overall facilities.
Located at 1801 Mountain Road NW, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science was opened in 1986 and attracts visitors from across the country due to its creative volcano, dinosaur, and ice age exhibits, among other features.
The museum, which also features an interactive planetarium, is a part of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
Earlier this year, members of the New Mexico State Legislature voted to approve a capital outlay of $1.1 million for upgrades to the popular museum. That outlay was later signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The Cultural Affairs Department oversees the single largest museum system sponsored by any state in the nation. During this year’s legislative system the department also requested a capital outlay of $795,000 for planning, design, construction and upgrading work at the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Property in the town of Mesilla at the southern end of the state.
That property, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is made up of a large residence, and two storefronts, all dating to the 1850s.
Another successful capital outlay request submitted by the Department of Cultural Affairs is seeing $725,000 going for planning, design, construction and upgrade work to the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe.
Opened in 1953, the folk-art museum houses more than 135,000 artifacts related to international folk art.
By Garry Boulard
