An article written by Dr. Jessica Ziegenfuss on the museum's exhibition Cara Despain: Specter New Mexico was featured in Southwest Contemporary.

The article states, "Two concurrent art exhibitions in Las Cruces, New Mexico, delve into the history and legacy of nuclear testing in New Mexico: Cara Despain: Specter New Mexico at the University Art Museum at New Mexico State University (June 6–September 16, 2023) and Trinity: Legacies of Nuclear Testing- A People's Perspective at Branigan Cultural Center (July 15–September 23, 2023). These presentations examine fallout as a social and environmental issue, past and present, impacting both Indigenous and settler communities.

Despain's traveling exhibition focuses on the unheard memories and histories entangled with nuclear weapons development. Her artworks activate a sensorial connection to the peoples and places impacted by colonial and industrial expansionism in the United States. Sculptures, found objects, video-based installations, and archival film and audio address the hidden cost of a post-war imaginary attempt to justify nuclear testing as an act of patriotism and national security."