Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

When I moved to Tucson, Arizona, this was the first place my family + I visited. It’s packed with fun interactive activities + intriguing facts about life in the desert! The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a combination of a zoo, natural history museum, botanical garden, art gallery, + aquarium. Below I’ll go through all of the amazing aspects so you can pick out the things that interest you the most!

MISSION

“The mission of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is to inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert.”

SONORAN DESERT + BRIEF HISTORY

The Sonoran Desert is one of the four major deserts in North America, spreads throughout Arizona, California, + Northern areas of Mexico, + covers approximately 100,000 square miles. Surprisingly, the region contains many types of biomes, experiences massive amounts of seasonal rainfall, + is home to unique organisms you can’t find anywhere else!

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum was founded in 1952 by William H. Carr + his conservationist friend Arthur Pack, who wanted to educate people about the desert in order to protect + conserve its ecosystem. Today, the museum continues to support Carr’s dream by educating visitors + carrying out many conservation + research projects.

ZOO

The zoo has a wide variety of desert dwellers including bears, mountain goats, frogs, tranchulas, coyotes, snakes, + so many more! The animals’ environments are carefully created to represent their natural habitat in the wild. An interesting description is also posted outside their home so you can read + learn about them!

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

In the museum you can learn about animals, plants, fossils, + other features of the Sonoran Desert. Be sure to check out the geology exhibit that showcases many gorgeous minerals + gemstones!

TRAILS

There are around two miles of trails that branch out from the museum into the desert. I really enjoyed the Desert Loop Trail where I saw javelinas, coyotes, lizards, + more desert wildlife! The half mile trail takes you through areas of rough desert terrain + lets you experience Sonoran life in its untouched state!

BOTANICAL GARDEN

The gardens are so lovely + abundant with native plants such as the famous saguaro cactus! There are little walkways to explore + a sign next to the plant that indicates the common + botanical name. Bees + other wildlife may greet you along your journey as well!

HUMMINGBIRD AVIARY

Walk into a hummingbird’s habitat while they fly all around you. Notice their detailed shiny color + swift swoops from flower to flower. This was one of my favorite areas to visit; they are such magnificent creatures!

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Shop
- Visit the two gift stores that offer locally made, southwestern themed, + eco-friendly products!

Eat
- Taste some delicious food at the Ocotillo Café (fine dining), Ironwood Terraces (casual setting), snack shops, picnic areas, coffee bar, or ice-cream shop!

Admire Art
- Get inspired at art exhibits, take an art class, or experience one of the artistic venues!

PLAN YOUR TRIP!

Around 85% of the Sonora Desert Museum is outdoors, so make sure to pack a water bottle / sun protection + plan to visit in the morning or evening during the summer months (May-September can get up to 100°F!)
It takes 2+ hours to explore everything
View the museum map here
Hours of operation:
- October – February: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- March – September: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- June – August: Sun-Fri 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Sat 7:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Find directions to the museum here

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

I adore this museum! The amount of areas to explore kept me extremely fascinated during my entire southwestern adventure! I loved discussing topics with the informational docents (educational guides) who host presentations throughout the museum + getting a glimpse of an animal’s natural habitat! It was so rewarding to learn about organisms + their role in the Sonoran Desert; it gave me a huge appreciation for the conservation projects run by the museum! It’s also only a half hour drive outside of Tucson + right next to Saguaro National Park, so I thoroughly recommend a visit!

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