The Museo del Desierto — officially the Desert Museum — is Saltillo's most impressive cultural institution. Housed in a large modern complex southeast of the city centre, it focuses on the ecology, geology, and natural history of Mexico's desert regions, with particular emphasis on the Chihuahuan Desert that surrounds the city.
The exhibits cover dinosaur fossils excavated in Coahuila (the state has been remarkably productive for paleontologists), desert wildlife dioramas, and an outdoor section with living desert plants and animals. The museum is genuinely well done — not a dusty provincial effort but a proper natural history museum. Admission is around 100 pesos; check current hours before visiting as they vary by season.