The best arts & culture spots in El Paso

“Free-admission history museum occupying a former jail and offering glimpses into Texas's past.”

“If your walls need soul, Romy Hawkins Studio Gallery turns ancient metal embossing into modern, one-of-a-kind pieces rooted in Mexican tradition, plus clever horseshoe art that actually feels personal. They also take custom requests, so you can get something that fits your style and your Socorro home.”

From the Socorro newsletter, September 5, 2026

“Los Portales Museum and Information Center serves up San Elizario history with free exhibits, low-key tours, and the kind of lore your Tío swears by. In a circa-1850 building that once housed El Paso County’s first public school, it’s a quick, satisfying pop-in, Second Thanksgiving story included.”

From the Socorro newsletter, September 13, 2026

“Eduardo Pedregon Veterans Museum keeps San Elizario’s military stories close to home, honoring local veterans and the legacy of Cpl. Eduardo Pedregon, once MIA in 1950 and finally laid to rest more than six decades later.”

From the Socorro newsletter, September 1, 2026

“Bodega Loya is the kind of spot where your veggies are grown following certified organic practices and you can literally watch them get pulled from the field behind the shop. Add local eggs, Licon Dairy cheese and butter, a little art on the walls, plus cafecito and fresh juices.”

From the Socorro newsletter, September 8, 2026

“Sister Cities Mural by LosDos stitches El Paso and Juárez into one story, two sisters split by a river yet mirroring each other. It’s a bright, thoughtful pause from the grind, a free reminder of who we are out here and how close our neighbors really are.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 6, 2026

“National Border Patrol Museum lines up vehicles, uniforms, weapons, and special unit stories, plus historical photos that map how the job has evolved right here at the border. If you need an interesting hour this week, consider it your no-sunscreen-required adventure.”

From the Trans-Pecos newsletter, August 4, 2026

“Set inside a 1910 mansion designed by Henry C. Trost, International Museum of Art mixes works from Africa, Mexico, and the Southwest with rotating shows by local artists. It’s the kind of El Paso spot you pop into once and suddenly plan return trips with friends.”

From the El Paso newsletter, September 8, 2026

“El Paso Museum of Art keeps things borderless, with American, Mexican, and European collections across five galleries, plus seasonal programs that keep the city feeling lively. Admission is free, always, and their Art School runs classes for all ages when you need to trade screen time for studio time.”

“La Nube STEAM Discovery Center channels kid energy into hands-on tinkering, with interactive exhibits to forecast the weather, code music, design a sustainable city, and tackle the largest indoor inclusive climber in Texas.”

From the El Paso newsletter, September 16, 2026

“While the historic adobe at Magoffin Home State Historic Site is getting a restoration, the Visitor Center is open with exhibits and stories about the Southwest borderlands told through the lives of a prominent El Paso family.”

From the Trans-Pecos newsletter, August 14, 2026

“Created in 2016, this large mural by Victor Ving features El Paso icons.”

“Pancho Villa Stash House is a free-admission slice of borderland lore that turns a regular afternoon into a mini field trip. ” moments, and leave with bragging rights for actually doing something cool in El Paso this week.”

From the Socorro newsletter, September 6, 2026

“Locals know the neighborhood, but El Segundo Barrio Murals strings it together in color, from Pancho Villa and pachucos to the Virgen de Guadalupe and Aztec calendar vibes. An open-air gallery that turns an everyday stroll into a proud, memory-sparking history lesson you can revisit whenever the mood hits.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 30, 2026

“Have a birthday, memory, or team win to shout out this week? El Paso Star lets you request a Starlighter so the mountain star glows for your moment, with color options that make it feel personal. A borderland ritual that turns everyday milestones into something the whole city can share.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 22, 2026

“One quick detour to Historic Boundary Marker gets you face to face with International Boundary Marker No. -Mexico line, celebrating the Emory-Salazar survey and recognized as an ASCE Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 24, 2026

“Wigwam Museum and Ghosts915 turn El Paso history into goosebumps, with tours like Downtown Gunfighter and Ghosts, Chinatown Ghost Tour, and the delightfully unnerving Haunted Brothel Tour. A fun way to shake up this week’s plans and learn some local lore.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 18, 2026

“Museum featuring exhibits on the ancient history of the Southwest & northern Mexico, plus a garden.”

“House Of Sugar is a free-admission, home-turned museum where late El Paso artist Rufino Loya Rivas spent 1973 to 1998 creating a visionary folk art environment visible right from the street. Swing by when you need a quick jolt of wonder without leaving the neighborhood.”

From the El Paso newsletter, September 3, 2026

“Treat yourself to El Paso Museum of History, where more than 1,000 years of border life unfolds through community-curated exhibits like Neighborhoods & Shared Memories: Austin Terrace and DIGIE, the only interactive digital wall of its kind in the United States, perfect for a quick midweek curiosity recharge.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 21, 2026

“Bilingual narrative of WWII genocide with photos & artifacts in a center for tolerance & research.”

“Rediscover the story of La Esmelda at Smeltertown Historical Site, born from a late-1800s smelter that ASARCO took over in 1899, then blossomed into a tight-knit neighborhood with its own school, YMCA, and traditions from barrio life to pilgrimages up Mount Cristo Rey. Local history that actually sticks.”

From the El Paso newsletter, August 23, 2026

“Large, free museum with tanks, trucks and military displays, uniforms and artifacts documenting the history of Fort Bliss and the First Armored Division.”