Tucson

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

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  • 2021 North Kinney Road
     Tucson, Arizona 85743
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PabloDiablo
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1-5 of 19

A Museum That Is Not a Museum

  • September 29, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ArizonaTourism from Phoenix, Arizona
A Museum That Is Not a Museum

The word 'museum' is a bit misleading.

Museum means that items and artifacts are behind glass, long-since dead and are not to be touched.

But, the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is alive.

Encompassing several hundred acres in the rugged landscape of the Sonoran Desert outside of Tucson, the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is more zoo than museum.

Beautify created habits present the animals...mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters...in a natural state as you wander the nearly 2 miles of paths and trails within the museum.

A great kids program, regular activities and hands-on experiences make the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum a must for families visiting Tucson.

Trust me, my little girl asks when we can go back almost daily.
Editor Pick

Arizona Desert Museum

  • April 24, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by mh75 from Harrisonburg, Virginia
Arizona Desert Museum

The Arizona Desert Museum is very unique in that it is a living museum. The majority of the exhibits are a collection of the wide variety of cacti and plants native to the local Sonoran Desert. In addition, there are live snakes, other reptiles, insects, and other animals that are native to this ecosystem and that are displayed on 100 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert. They are set through an outdoor walking course with descriptions alongside of them that clarify what each is. It is very informative and gives one a complete understanding of how complex this environment is.

There are also restaurants called the Ironwood Terrace, the Ocotillo Cafe, Phoebe's Coffee Bar, and The Cottonwood Snack Bar, to satisfy your hunger and thirst. I've tryed all but the Ironwood Terrace and found that they are very good. Check out some of the items that are for sale in the gift shop as well. There are some very unique books, minerals, and other knick-knacks that will help you to remember your visit.

Directions from Tucson are as follows: From I-10, take the Speedway Blvd. Exit and head west. Turn right onto Kinney Road. In about 2.5 miles, the Desert Museum will be on your left.

Prices are reasonable also. Here are the fees along with the seasons that apply. June-Aug; $9 Adults, $2 Kids 6-12. Sept-May
$12 Adults, $4 Kids 6-12, Children 5 and under are free!

From journal Old home Arizona

Sonora Desert Museum

Sonora Desert Museum

The Sonoran Desert Museum was my favorite part of our family trip to Tucson. This is my favorite place to go! The Desert Museum features many local animals and plants that are found only in the Sonoran Desert region, but doesn't stop there. You will also find a desert garden, a cave and minerals section, and tons of other neat stuff. This is not your typical "zoo", and the critters are running free, or in barricades. You are not looking through glass or wires most of the time, and their environments look completely natural. (In most cases, they are!) There is a paved path that takes you through most of the exhibits, and through a "real" cave. Kids love to climb through the cave (and hey - so did I!) Also along this path are several booths attended by Desert Museum volunteers. They have neat little exhibits set up, be sure to stop and look at these, I didn't notice them the first time I went, but every time since I have made a point to see them. One was the rocks found in this area, another was a collection of birds nests, and there are a ton more. I found that there are plenty of water stations and benches that are great to relax and take in the view. Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera! We decided to have lunch at the cafe half way through the park. It was pretty much exactly what I had expected, nothing spectacular, but cold drinks were just the pick me up we needed. My children's favorite parts were the cave, the meerkats, and the archeology exhibit (where they can "find" dinosaur bones). My favorite part was the Butterfly Garden, local flowering plants and trees, with a little pond (with fish in it!) to sit by. There is also a pretty little gazebo to sit under, and it seemed that is where most of the butterflies were. All in all, this was a great trip, and I cannot wait to take my family back. We had a wonderful time, and every one of us learned something new. If you didn't have lunch at the cafe, or you plan to picnic, stop off at the Saguaro National Park. It's easy to find, any of the museum people can tell you how to get there. We all enjoyed the views, and couldn't have found a better place to enjoy our snack!

From journal Weekend in Tucson

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

  • November 29, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by ParrotTalk from Boston, Massachusetts
This is a smallish but very well-done zoo. I loved how natural many of the enclosures were. This zoo/park focuses on animals and plants that you will find in the Sonoran Desert.

From journal Tucson: A Nature Lover's Dream

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

  • August 16, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by rem22310 from Tucson, Arizona
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a zoo, a natural history museum, and a botanical garden all in one. The majority of the museum is made up of outdoor exhibits. You can see all the native desert animals.

Just be careful what time of year you visit. It can be very hot in the summer, which makes it uncomfortable to trek outdoors. Also, the animals sleep during the hot part of the day.

The museum is open every day of the year. The hours of operation vary depending on the season.
June - August
7:30 am - 10:00 pm
March - September
7:30 am - 5:00 pm
October - February
8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Also, the road leading to the museum runs through the desert and mountains. It's a steep and narrow road with great views.

The cost to enter the museum is really reasonable.
Prices are also tied to the season.
May - October
$9 Adults
$2 Kids 6-12
November - April
$12 Adults
$4 Kids 6-12
Children 5 and under are always free.

A couple of suggestions, bring a hat, sunscreen and water. There is a gift shop and small cafe, but the water is overpriced. The desert trail has water fountains and ramadas to cool in. Also, the reptile house, the butterfly exhibit, the aviary and the small art museums are great places to stop and get out of the sun for a bit.

One last thing, keep an eye out for the docents. They're able to share loads of great info and sometimes they'll bring out animals to view up close and personal.

From journal Tucson Highlights

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