White Sands: Fossil Tracks/Huellas Fósiles
The human footprints recently discovered in White Sands are dated to be about 23,000 to 21,000 years old. This exhibit showcases detailed information about various sites and the interaction of ancient humans with their environment, especially with the last Ice Age megafauna. On display are two casts and molds of both human and animal prints, created by Fab Lab El Paso, and two real samples of the strata layers, with one of them showing the seeds used to date the foot prints, generously donated by White Sands National Park.
Featured as one of the top ten world archaeological discoveries in 2021 by Archaeology Magazine, it has proven to be crucial in the studies of early human occupation of the Americas, helping us understand that human arrival to the continent clearly happened before the 12,000 B.C. mark. The White Sands National Park discoveries change this, providing footing for more exciting finds in the future.
Image courtesy of White Sands National Park.
Woven Treasures, Baskets from the Museum Collection
This semi-permanent exhibit showcases Native American basketry from the Southwest region as well as pieces from California, The Pacific Northwest, and the state of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Most of the baskets in exhibit date from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century and form part of our museum's permanent collection.
From being simply functional to having ceremonial or sacred purpose, we are pleased to honor the basket weavers that have been creating authentic pieces of art since at least 10,000 years ago worldwide.
Apache Baskets, Edward S. Curtis, 1907. Courtesy of American Indian film gallery, culture of Apache tribes and Hopi tribes, https://scalar.usc.edu/works/american-indian-film-archive/apache-arts-and-crafts
✨Sun Sparkle: Micaceous Pottery from Utilitarian to Art / Destello Solar: Cerámica Micácea de Utilitaria a Arte
⚱️New Exhibit at EPMArch!🏛️
✨ Get ready to shine at our newest exhibit, Sun Sparkle: Micaceous Pottery from Utilitarian to Art! We are thrilled to showcase micaceous pottery. These pieces have a touch of mica, a desert mineral, that makes them glimmer. Come see how the magic of minerals and light are sparkling in each piece of pottery. This is an exhibit presented by the El Paso Museum of Archaeology with participation of Lisa M. Pugh, Albert Alvidrez, and UTEP Centennial Musuem.
✨Sun Sparkle: Micaceous Pottery from Utilitarian to Art / Destello Solar: Cerámica Micácea de Utilitaria a Arte
📅 Opens December 21 (on display until July 5, 2025)
⏲ 9am - 5pm Tues-Sat
🏛 4301 Transmountain
Pop Up at EPMH - Chinese Archaeology in Downtown El Paso
The El Paso Museum of Archaeology is excited to partner up with the El Paso Museum of History to present the "Chinese Archaeology in Downtown El Paso" Pop-up exhibit! This exhibit is about the past archaeological work done Downtown El Paso and showcases the early Chinese population of El Paso in the early 1880s. This display consists of original Chinese artifacts recovered from the NMSU dig at the Cortez Parking Lot, in the 1980s, on loan from UTEP Centennial Museum.
Photo: The Chinese railroad construction camp of the Central Pacific (1st intercontinental railway). Browns Station, Nevada. Possibly mid-1860s. Courtesy of https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/chinese-railroad-workers-utah/
Water and Wildlife in the Chihuahuan Desert
Thank you to ALL the wonderful photographers that shared their photos with us! EPMArch is proud to announce our next lobby exhibit, "Water and Wildlife in the Chihuahuan Desert." Come check out our talented community's photographs that help tell the story of our area's wildlife. These photographs will be on display from February 1st to August 8th. See you soon!
Photo by Scott Cutler features a Cactus Wren (Camphylorhynchus brunneicapillus)