Starting Monday, August 4, the museum is embarking on its first major facility renovation in decades, including a redesigned entrance, box office, and gift shop, refreshed exhibition spaces, and infrastructure improvements. As part of this transformation, our museum will close to the public for approximately seven months. 

As soon as next spring, visitors can expect to see a new entrance with an enlarged, rebuilt lobby to better accommodate busy days. The box office will be unified to streamline ticket-buying, the NatureWorks Discovery Store will be expanded, new skylights will add more natural light in the Museum’s atrium, and permanent exhibition halls will be modernized and refreshed. Finally, updates to the sewer line will accommodate future growth. 

Our goal is to create a more engaging and navigable experience while preserving the aspects that our visitors know and love about our museum.  

The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide input during a “What’s Old Will Be New” community engagement event on Friday, June 27, at 3:00 p.m. at the museum. In the meantime, here’s what to expect from the upcoming closure: 

• How long will you be closed? Our last day open will be August 3rd, and we’re hoping to reopen by next March, just in time for Spring Break. 

• What does this mean for recurring programs? We’re hoping that some evening programming, including First Friday Fractals and Mesmerica 360’s new Planetarium show Beautifica, will be available at points during the closure. We’re excited to resume beloved programs like Family Days and Relaxed Nights once the museum reopens in 2026. 

• Why is this work happening now? There’s no easy time to shut down a popular museum, but we’re hopeful that this timeframe will allow us to stay open through our busiest time of the year, from March through July. 

• Where can we find you in the meantime? Throughout the closure, educators from the museum will focus on outreach to schools and public events through expanded and new partnerships, bringing natural history education into the local community. This will include the development of a mobile exhibition and pop-up exhibits available to libraries, community centers, and other public partners. Education programs will continue at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center east of town. 

• How can we learn more about this closure? Our Public Engagement Event, ‘What’s Old Will Be New,’ scheduled for Friday, June 27, is a chance for visitors to learn more, ask questions, and contribute to making the museum a more vibrant place. We’re also hosting a farewell weekend during the weekend of August 2, so folks can visit this familiar building one more time before the closure. And we’ll be posting regular updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as in our monthly newsletter. 
• What does this project mean for Museum members? The museum and the NM Museum of Natural History Foundation are committed to making sure memberships continue to provide value during the upcoming closure. With that in mind, here’s what we have available for our members: 
  All active memberships will be automatically extended by seven months, so members won’t miss a thing when the Museum re-opens. And beginning August 4, members will enjoy complimentary admission to our wonderful neighbors at Explora, as well as free admission at other museums and historic sites operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Just bring a current, valid membership card, and you're all set!