Our Mission

The mission of the University Museum at New Mexico State University is to enhance the appreciation and understanding of the region’s past. The University Museum is an extension of New Mexico State University’s Department of Anthropology, and as such it derives from anthropological approaches to material culture representational of New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, the state of New Mexico, the US-Mexico border region, and the diversity of the world’s cultures beyond. This is consistent with the mission of New Mexico State University and furthers the university’s role as a public educational and research institution by preserving and holding collections in the public trust while actively promoting knowledge of diverse historical, contemporary, local, and global cultural heritage. 

What We Do

Preservation: The University Museum is dedicated to acquiring and preserving collections of material culture, and holding these collections in the public trust. The museum acquires collections in line with its stated mission. It strives to meet the highest standards of responsible stewardship, documentation, and care to preserve these collections (and the knowledge associated with them) for future generations.  
 
Exhibitions: The University Museum uses interpretive exhibitions to provide opportunities for diverse audiences to engage with informal education about local and global cultural heritage. Staff, faculty, student, and community curators implement a mixture of permanent, semi-permanent, and rotating exhibitions to make the museum an active, knowledge-producing center in the local community.
 
Teaching: The University Museum supports teaching and enhances instructional activities in the Department of Anthropology, the College of Arts and Sciences, and other NMSU academic units through the creation of collaborative object-based learning opportunities. The museum makes its collections available for course work, along with the expertise of its staff. The museum also provides formal instruction in Museum Studies and helps train undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines—including anthropology, museum conservation, public history, and art—for future careers in museums and public heritage work.
 
Research: The University Museum encourages research utilizing the museum’s collections by students, faculty, and scholars both within and outside the university. Through independent and collaborative research with other NMSU departments, private/state/federal/international organizations, other universities and museums, and outside researchers, the museum engages with diverse disciplines and supports the dissemination of research.
 
Outreach and Collaboration: The University Museum supports local, state, national, and global communities through educational outreach and collaborative activities. The museum strives to make its experiences accessible to the broadest possible audience and enriching for the university and local community.

Land Acknowledgement

New Mexico State University honors Native American knowledges and worldviews based on intimate relationships to the natural world. The genesis of the Southwest Indigenous Peoples, including the Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache, established their guardianship of the lands now occupied by New Mexico State University. As the state’s Land-Grant University, we acknowledge and respect the sovereign Indian Nations and Indigenous Peoples. We pledge to have a meaningful and respectful relationship with the sovereign Indian Nations, Indigenous communities, and Native American Peoples within the institution.