Take Your Kids To These Out Of The Way El Paso Area Museums

There are some pretty nice museums here in El Paso. One of my favorites is the International Museum of Art. It housed the original El Paso Museum of Art until the new facility was built downtown across the street from the convention center. The International now has a different collection of art and shows classic movies every Saturday afternoon. Here are a couple of other under-the-radar museums that you might want to check out with your family:

1. New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum: This Las Cruces gem is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. There are interactive displays about the 4,000-year history of farming and ranching in New Mexico. This is no little ranch, however. There is a 24,000 sq. ft. building that can be rented out for meetings and events, as well as a mercantile and theater. You can see livestock, walk in several gardens, or see different demonstrations about farm life, past and present.
The museum is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens (60 and over), $3 for children ages 4 to 17 and $2 for active U.S. military and veterans. Kids 4 and under get in for free.

2. El Paso Museum of Archeology: The history of the desert southwest didn't begin a couple hundred years ago - there is history of people living here for 14,000 years. The Museum of Archeology explains that history with dioramas and exhibits of American Indians from the Paleoindian hunters of the Ice Age to their modern descendants. There are permanent exhibits as well as special exhibits that tell more extensive stories of our region. Kids can even check out drawers of artifacts from across the country. If you are an outdoorsy type, you can walk along nature trails over 15 acres and check out over 250 varieties of Chihuahuan desert native plants, outdoor exhibits, and an Indian Garden. If you would like a free tour of the museum and grounds, you can call (915) 755-4332. The museum is located at 4301 Transmountain Road.

3. Tech H2O Museum: This museum is part of the El Paso Water Utilities and it may seem like an odd choice of outing, but it really is a fun place to check out. You will need to make an appointment for a tour. They usually last between 1-3 hours, depending on the size of your group. There are a number of exhibits you can choose from. You can get information by calling (915) 621-2000.