This article is part of a collection of updates in the Winter, 2014 edition of Muse News, the newsletter of the Las Cruces Museum System.
Every month, all four of the Las Cruces Museums host a book club tailored to the background and purpose of each museum with books selected for readability and discussion potential. These books generally focus on some aspect of an exhibit currently on display at each museum.
The focus of the Museum of Nature & Science’s “Southwest Reading Connections” book club is life in the Southwest, paleontology, and desert life. Some of the books we’ve read in the past are Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls and Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker. In the spring, we plan to read a series of Southwestern mysteries and biographies of famous New Mexican scientists such as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the native New Yorker who traveled down to New Mexico and became “the father of the atomic bomb.” “Southwest Reading Connections” meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 1:30—3:00 pm.
The Branigan Cultural Center hosts the “Cultural Connections Book Club” on the third Wednesday of each month from 2:00—4:00 pm. Focusing on books that address the unique history and culture of the Southwest, this book club is aligned with another of Branigan’s programs, “History Notes” to provide an in-depth look at a facet of Southwestern culture each month.
The longest-running of the book clubs, “Reading Art Book Club,” started in 2008 and focuses on books relating to art and artists, with many of the books relating to an exhibition on display at the Museum of Art. When appropriate, “Reading Art” will also incorporate media or movies related to the chosen book. This book club meets every second Wednesday from 2:30 to 4:00 pm.
Inspired by Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, the “Rail Readers Book Club” selects books about trains and travel—many of which also involve a mystery! Every month, these books spark a dynamic discussion and transport everyone to exotic destinations. “Rail Readers” meets every third Wednesday at 11:00 am.
Whatever your taste in reading, the museums have a book club for you. For information about any of our book clubs, contact the museums below.
Museum of Nature & Science (575) 532-3372
Branigan Cultural Center (575) 541-2154
Museum of Art (575) 541-2221
Las Cruces Railroad Museum (575) 647-4480
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