February 27, 2024

Zuhl Museum

775 College Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88003

“Part art gallery, part natural history museum, the Zuhl collection at NMSU showcases thousands of beautiful specimens of petrified wood, fossils and minerals. The Zuhl Collection, on display in the Zuhl Museum in the east wing gallery of the New Mexico State University Alumni and Visitors Center, contains petrified wood, fossils, rocks and minerals. This gallery is easily accessible to local citizens, school groups and visitors to the university and southern New Mexico.” - newmexico.org

This relatively small museum was full of amazing pieces of petrified wood, fossils, and other rocks and minerals. I’m glad I was the only visitor while there as I know my mouth kept dropping as I moved from exhibit to exhibit. The collection was started in 1970 by Herb and Joan Zuhl of New York, who while on vacation in Arizona saw a rancher removing a petrified log. The Zuhls dug up the long, shipped it to New York beginning their passion and successful business. What was most impressive to me is the descriptions with the pieces telling they type of tree and where it originated.

I would put this museum as the number one spot one should visit while in Las Cruces. And there was no admission.