New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences will host it’s second annual ACES Open House this Saturday April 6. 

ACES Open House is a free and family-friendly hands–on experience that will take place on the west side of campus in the agricultural college’s buildings and labs. It will explore the college’s museums, animal exhibits and scientific laboratories and will showcase the college’s numerous programs and research areas such as wine and beer brewing, the arthropod museum and the horse carnival. 

The event will begin at the welcome center outside of Gerald Thomas Hall, where visitors will receive an exploration map that will help lead them on a self-guided tour of all 56 areas as well as an area to collect stamps from the places they visit.  

Natalie Goldberg, Interim Associate Dean and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, said ACES Open House helps showcase the various work that the College of ACES does.  

“We just really want the people that come to sort of take away the vast areas of expertise within the college and the work that we’re doing and see how that impacts their daily life,” Goldberg said. 

The ACES college is home to many diverse areas of study, such as fashion, hotel management and animal science, and Goldberg hopes the open house will give people an inside look at what all the ACES college does. 

“We don’t want to be the best kept secret, on campus or in the community. We want people to know what we’re doing here in the ag college,” Goldberg said. “I think there’s just a lot of things that people don’t think of as being as associated with the College of Agriculture, but that’s what we’re kind of trying to do is show how broad we reach.” 

After exploring the college, they can return to Gerald Thomas Hall lobby and, depending on what exhibits have been visited and stamped, get prizes from some of the departments. Refreshments and food samples will also be provided during some of the exhibits.   

ACES Open House will take place on April 6 starting at 10 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m., with a student awards ceremony beginning at 1:15 p.m.