The New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo is marking 50 years since it opened its doors, and the milestone comes with a packed schedule: a renovated fifth floor, a new archaeoastronomy exhibit centered on Chaco Canyon, and an October gala that will induct astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly into the International Space Hall of Fame. The museum's actual 50th anniversary falls on October 5, but the celebration has already begun, with a new exhibit called To Build a Space Museum opening August 8 to tell the origin story of the facility itself.
According to KRWG Public Media, the museum was established within just three years of a 1973 idea from Alamogordo's mayor at the time, who conceived a space hall of fame after reportedly getting governor approval within three days of pitching it. That quick turnaround set the stage for what would become the museum's signature building, and per the same account, the facility now serves as a genuine community pillar in Alamogordo, helping tell the story of space history and the pioneers who expanded space-exploration knowledge.
A Golden Cube Overlooking White Sands
The museum's four-story building, opened October 5, 1976, earned its nickname for a reason: architect Charles E. Nolan Jr. and Associates designed it with gold-tinted reflective glass paired with Southwestern adobe pillars, according to the Las Cruces Bulletin. The building overlooks White Sands, per KRWG's report, placing it squarely within a landscape shaped by decades of American aerospace testing.
The complex has evolved considerably since its 1976 opening. In 1981, it added the Clyde W. Tombaugh Theater and Planetarium, named for the New Mexico astronomer who discovered Pluto, and the site went through rebrandings as the Space Center in 1987 before adopting its current name in 2001, the Las Cruces Bulletin reports. The museum's grounds also hold a quieter piece of space history: Ham the Astrochimp, the first hominid launched into space in 1961, has his partial remains buried near the flagpoles, a burial that took place on March 28, 1983, according to CNET.
Fifth Floor Closing for a Full Redesign
Curator supervisor Brianna Buller is overseeing renovations that will bring new paint, panels, interactive exhibits, and artifacts to the museum's fifth floor, per KRWG's reporting. The museum is preparing to shut down that floor as part of the work, with plans for a whole renovation stretching over the next couple of years. The forthcoming archaeoastronomy exhibit will center on Chaco Canyon, adding another layer to a museum that already provides STEM programming to the region.
The renovation push arrives alongside the museum's broader role as a repository for the region's aerospace legacy. The museum is one of eight state museums operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, has held accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums since 1993, and operates as an official Smithsonian Affiliate, according to the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. It also serves as the official repository and archive for Spaceport America, the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport, and anchors the 52-site New Mexico Space Trail, per SpaceValley.
Kelly Twins Headline a Five-Part Induction Class
The International Space Hall of Fame, housed within the museum, is set to induct five individuals and groups on October 3 in Alamogordo, per KRWG. Astronauts Mark Kelly and Scott Kelly will be among them. Beyond the twin astronauts, the 2026 class also includes the Mercury 13 group of female pilots, NASA mathematician Creola Katherine Johnson, NASA aerospace nurse Dolores “Dee” O'Hara, and Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Michel Mayor, according to the Gallup Sun.
Before this class joins the roster, the Hall of Fame counted 174 individual inductees and one team recognized for advancing human space exploration, per a collectSPACE count. Hall of fame candidates are nominated from across the globe and evaluated under criteria requiring either a single breakthrough achievement, a career pattern of major contributions, or visionary leadership in space science, with nominations reviewed annually by a joint foundation and state commission committee, according to the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
Golden Jubilee Gala Set for October
The formal celebration, billed as the Golden Jubilee Gala, will take place Saturday, October 3, at the Tays Special Event Center in Alamogordo, running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation. General admission tickets are priced at $90 per person. The event will double as the formal induction ceremony for the 2026 class alongside the broader 50th-anniversary festivities.
KRWG's report on the anniversary was written by journalist Susan Morée, who hosts All Things Considered for the station and has nearly 15 years of journalism experience. Morée previously served as managing editor of the Las Cruces Bulletin and Desert Exposure, reported for the Silver City Sun-News and New Mexico Political Report, worked as an environmental reporter in Montana, and covered what KRWG describes as the largest Superfund complex in the nation.
