top of page

Enter your email to get CDM news and updates

Map and Directions

Open daily: 9am-5pm  

Closed Only  Thanksgiving and Christmas Day

email:  desertmuseum@gmail.com

The Chiricahua Desert Museum

NM 80  & Portal Road
Rodeo, NM  88056

575-557-5757  or 575-545-5307
Fax 575-557-7575

Thank you joining our email list!

Enter your email to get CDM news and updates

Kim Gee has been managing the Desert Museum Gift Shop since the opening day on April 1st 2009. Having lived in the Rodeo, New Mexico / Portal, Arizona area for almost 25 years and with a interest in natural history,  she is very knowledgeable regarding the local wildlife. She enjoys answering questions and helping customers find the perfect gift, get directions or point out local interests.

Our official greeter Trixie, our three year old White Miniature Schnauzer

Peter Lindsey was born and raised in southeastern Ohio and from early childhood developed a great interest in reptiles and amphibians.  He has attended college at University of Florida, Santa Fe Community College, University of Louisiana at Monroe and Morehead State University and after 40 years of study is still in pursuit of his bachelors degree in biological science.  He has worked at The Atlanta Zoo, Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo and the Kentucky Reptile Zoo as well as spending twenty years as a police officer prior joining the Chiricahua Desert Museum.  He has done extensive field work in the United States and has also spent time in the field in Mexico and Central America as well as Australia and New Zealand.  His main interest currently is the captive maintenance and breeding of pit vipers. Married to Sara Lindsey they reside in Rodeo, NM.

Sheri Ashley moved to Portal, AZ with her husband Bob in January 2009.  She is the Buyer for the Gift Shop and runs marketing and order fullfillment  

for ECO Wear and Publishing. 

 

Bob Ashley was born and raised in Michigan and grew up in East Grand Rapids. There,  from 8 years old on up, he spent his youth catching turtles and snakes in the swamps and fields of Michigan. He  was an active member of the Michigan Society of Herpetologists and started the company Exotics in 1984, supplying  mostly pet shops in five states with imported and captive bred reptiles from around the globe. Bob started ECO Wear and Publishing in 1995 offering custom T-shirt designs, art and books and has to date published over 40 books on reptile and amphibian natural history and husbandry.  Bob Ashley is the Past President of the  International Herpetological Symposium and the current Vice President.  Bob started the North American Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Shows with partner  Brian Potter in 2001.  He currently co-owns and runs these events that take place in Anaheim, CA, Arlington, Tx and Tinley Park, IL and are the largest reptile events in the United States. On April 1st 2009 Bob opened the Chiricahua Desert Museum in Rodeo, New Mexico.  This facility is an educational exhibit of reptiles and amphibians from the Western Hemisphere associated with the deserts of the Southwestern United States and Mexico with a focus on rattlesnakes of the Sky Islands.  

I'm Michelle Simpler, I grew up in the Portal, Rodeo area. I moved back east for college, but I couldn't stay away from my desert home. Now, I'm back to stay and raising my daughter here. I've been at the Chiricahua Desert Museum since 2010 and love learning about all the desert creatures that thrive here and passing it on to all our visitors.

 

My name is Ana Grossman.  I grew up in central part of New Mexico.   My family and I moved here to the beautiful desert, Apache, AZ in 1999.  I began working at the Chiricuahua Desert Museum four months after the museum opened their doors. I come from a family of Native American jewelers, so I especially enjoy working in the jewelry department.  It is a joy to help a customer find the perfect piece for a loved one, or just for themselves.

 

bottom of page