New Mexico’s Museum of Natural History & Science will reopen to the public on April 4 after its $3.7-million makeover that refreshed exhibit spaces, upgraded facilities, and new visitor experiences. The museum closed in August 2025 for major renovation funded by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
Executive director Anthony Fiorillo said the museum team is eager to welcome guests back after months of closure. “This museum should be pulsing with activity,” Fiorillo said. He noted that the staff has missed the presence of visitors moving through the galleries.
The renovation began after museum personnel discovered the building’s aging sewer line had to be replaced. From the loading dock, the pipe passes through the lobby to the outdoor dinosaur statues known as Spike and Alberta.
It started as a plumbing fix. But eventually ends up in broader upgrades across the museum. The renovations include modernized skylights, refinished railings, improved flooring, and updated interpretive signage in many exhibits.
Live animals and interactive spaces
The upgrades also extend to the Naturalist Center. It houses live animals and hands-on exhibits. The center now has refreshed signage, new paint, and improved habitats for several animals. One of these animals is Baroness Snaplet deChomper, a snapping turtle affectionately called Snaplet by museum peronnel.
Amy Pilling, an educator and supervisor, said Snaplet will soon move into a customized tank designed to support the turtle as it continues to grow. “We want her to be safe and healthy, and visitors will be able to see her better,” Pilling explained.
Updated enclosures to reflect ecosystems found in New Mexico have been added. These include habitats resembling ranchlands where certain spiders commonly live.
The Naturalist Center expands interactive features to make it more welcoming for families, particularly those with children who want a place to pause, explore, or read.
Keeping community favorites
Museum leaders say many of the institution’s most beloved exhibits remain the same despite the makeover. A quarter of the exhibit space has been refreshed. But the key attractions — including the Volcanoes exhibit and the Evolator — were preserved following concerns from visitors that their favorite displays might disappear.
The Evolator, a simulated geological ride guided by a retro-style on-screen host, received technological upgrades but remains largely unchanged. “It’s a vault of family memories,” Fiorillo said. He noted that many adults who visited as children are now bringing their own kids and grandchildren.
The Cretaceous Hall also remains largely intact. Popular among museum visitors, its towering dinosaur skeletons still dominate the gallery. The makeover focused instead on interpretive panels explaining to visitors the new scientific findings about the fossils on display.
New traveling exhibit
To debut during the reopening is a traveling exhibition titled “Animal Armor: The Evolution of Armor in Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals.” The exhibition, developed by Gaston Design Inc., explores how prehistoric animals evolved their protective armor — and how modern technologies drew inspiration from those biological designs.
A model of the massive prehistoric predator Deinosuchus, a relative of modern alligators and crocodiles, serves as the museum’s centerpiece. It will also feature fossils from its own collection alongside the traveling exhibition, part of an effort to bring more stored specimens into public view.
The exhibit will run through early fall, according to Fiorillo. He said the reopening marks only the beginning of a greater effort to keep the museum evolving. “Even though we ribbon-cut on April 4, we’re not done,” he said.