As the fall semester begins, new and returning students rush to class, passing by the Centennial Museum without a second thought. Inside its doors are artworks and exhibits that highlight the Chihuahuan Desert’s unique culture and environment.
As one of the oldest museums in El Paso, established in 1936, the Centennial Museum offers more than quiet galleries. It serves as a resource that blends natural history, regional identity and educational opportunities on the campus of The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
With features like the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens and the historic Bhutanese Lhakhang, the museum continues to grow as a cultural and educational hub.
As a part of UTEP, the museum supports student and faculty research, often hosting public programs and inviting the wider El Paso community to engage with its resources and build a genuine appreciation for the region.
Museum Director Daniel Carey-Whalen shared what he hopes visitors take away from the museum each time they visit.
“Loving where you live. I hope people come here and learn more about life in the Chihuahuan Desert and they feel like it’s cool to live here. That’s what I would want people to take away from it,” Carey-Whalen said.
Just outside the museum, the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens showcases more than 600 plant species native to or adapted to the desert region. The gardens were first established in 1999 and certified as a Texas Wildscape. The garden serves as a scenic detour for students on their way to class and a quiet oasis from the summer heat.
One of the most visually striking parts of the museum is the Lhakhang, a Bhutanese temple originally built for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and would later become a symbol of friendship between Bhutan and UTEP. This relationship which has inspired much of the university’s unique Bhutanese-inspired architecture.
Today the Lhakhang serves as the cultural jewel of the campus, open to visitors every Wednesday and first Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Inside, visitors can admire colorful and intricate traditional artworks like the wall-to-wall murals depicting the life of Bhudda.
The Centennial Museum features a variety of exhibits, from semester long guest speaker events to exhibits based on conservation, prehistoric life, Indigenous artistry and a plethora of permanent and rotating artifacts.
As the Chihuahuan Desert Garden celebrates its 25th anniversary, a new speaker is featured every month during a semester long celebration. The series began in May 2025 and will conclude on Dec. 10. The museum’s speaker series Cultivating Your Home: Embracing Chihuahuan Desert Diversity invites the community to learn about the Chihuahuan Desert.
As the largest desert in North America, the Chihuahuan Desert is also one of the most biodiverse in the continent.
“We want people in El Paso to love where they live and get out and explore the Chihuahuan Desert more,” Carey-Whalen said.
The Bees Wax Jaguar/Wixárika Beadwork highlights an indigenous art form that uses beeswax to secure bead patterns. The jaguar on display offers a stunning modern example of the beadwork that reflects their cultural heritage, belief systems and the development of this colorful art form.
The Centennial Museum’s latest exhibit, Biodiversity Hotspots Reimagined, opened Sept. 4, highlighting some of the most biologically rich and endangered regions on earth.
The exhibit spotlights the following three regions: The East African Mountains, Southwest Australia and the Sierra Madre The conservation exhibit is a collaborative effort between the museum, biology professors, and biology students and graphic design students.
“This exhibit’s just about getting people excited about it,” Carey-Whalen said.
The exhibit worked with graphic design students to create ways to interact with these animals that are in danger.
Alongside these exhibits, the museum works with student organizations, offering work study and volunteer educational opportunities across campus.
One highlight of this fall is FloraFest, a native plant sale taking place in the plaza space of the Undergraduate Learning Center Building this October. The event serves to support the upkeep of the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens.
Whether a student, faculty member or El Paso local, visitors can find an enriching experience at the Centennial Museum. For exhibit hours, visit the Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens website.
Jewel Ocampo is a staff reporter for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected]
