New Mexico State University’s University Museum will open a new exhibit, “Ceramics and Culture: A Window into Casas Grandes,” on April 17. The student-curated exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore the ancient Casas Grandes culture, with pottery and artifacts from the museum’s collection highlighting the story of the Paquimé archaeological site in northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico.
The exhibit is the result of months of hard work by students in museum curator and instructor Heather Para’s Museum Field Methods class, who have worked closely with the museum’s collection to create a meaningful experience for visitors. The public is invited to join the opening celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, with the exhibit remaining open during regular museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
“This exhibit gives our students the chance to gain hands-on experience with every stage of exhibit creation from research and design to construction and storytelling,” Para said. “We aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how museums operate, preparing them for careers in the field.”
The Casas Grandes culture, also known as Paquimé, thrived between A.D. 1130 and 1450. The site is renowned for its complex architecture, advanced craftsmanship, and the role it played in the cultural and trade networks of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The exhibit shows beyond a simple display of ceramics, instead focusing on how these individual pieces, which range from beautifully crafted effigy pots to plainware ceramics, tell the broader story of the Casas Grandes people.
“This exhibit helps visitors better understand the significance of Casas Grandes and its connections to the wider cultural landscape of the region,” said Mikayla Gonzales, an anthropology graduate student who worked on the exhibit. “By studying the pottery and artifacts, visitors can see how the pieces serve as a window into the daily lives, beliefs, and trade practices of the Casas Grandes culture.”
A striking element of the exhibit is a large mural depicting the horned serpent, a water deity central to Casas Grandes mythology. Designed by student artist Elizabeth Swenson, the mural was painted collaboratively by the class and several museum work-study students. This artistic component ties together the visual and cultural elements of the exhibit. In addition to the mural, the exhibit features a variety of ceramics, including effigy pots and examples of Ramos Polychrome and Plainware pottery, offering insights into the region’s artistic and cultural diversity.
The exhibit also incorporates modern technology, thanks to a collaboration with Nathan Camp, Emerging Technologies Librarian at NMSU’s Branson Library. Camp assisted students in creating 3D models of several artifacts, that will allow visitors to interact with the objects in a digital format and explore them from different angles without risking damage to the original pieces.
Along with Gonzales and Swenson, students Sabrina Gonzalez, Alejandra Maese-Mora, Sammi Burke and Ulises Castañeda played key roles in shaping the exhibit’s research, design and overall presentation. The exhibit will remain on display through Spring 2027, when the next group of museum field methods students will create a new pottery-focused exhibit.
For more information on NMSU’s University Museum, current and upcoming exhibits, follow their Facebook page here, https://www.facebook.com/NMSU.UniversityMuseum.
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CUTLINE: Students in museum curator and instructor Heather Para’s Museum Field Methods class worked closely with the museum’s collection to create a meaningful experience for visitors. (Courtesy Photo)
CUTLINE: A tortoise effigy pot from the Casas Grandes culture is one of several artifacts on display in “Ceramics and Culture: A Window into Casas Grandes” at NMSU’s University Museum. The student-curated exhibit opens April 17. (Courtesy Photo)
CUTLINE: Four Casas Grandes pots of varying sizes showcase the distinctive styles and craftsmanship of the ancient culture. The pieces are featured in NMSU’s student-curated exhibit, “Ceramics and Culture: A Window into Casas Grandes,” opening April 17 at the University Museum. (Courtesy Photo)