Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Turn your idea of a museum inside out! We are a fusion experience: botanical garden, zoo, and more! More than 85% of what you will experience here is alive!
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Rated Tucson's #2 tourist attraction by TripAdvisor, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is mostly an outdoor experience on 21 acres of pristine desert, and focuses on the Sonoran Desert region of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. The Museum includes 230 animal species in a zoo with a popular hummingbird aviary, 56,000 plants in the botanical gardens, a natural history museum, one of the most comprehensive regional mineral collections, the Warden Aquarium, the Ironwood Art Gallery, two miles of walking trails and casual dining in two restaurants.

10/14/2026

Happy National Fossil Day! 🦴

Did you know that Arizona's state dinosaur is the Sonorasaurus, which was discovered in 1994 by University of Arizona student Richard Thompson? 🦕

During the time of Sonorasaurus, about 100 million years ago, the Sonoran Desert was near the edge of an inland sea that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. Flowering plants and trees had only recently evolved and taken up residence among conifers, ferns and cycads rather than saguaros and palo verdes.

🌎 Experience a piece of Arizona's prehistoric past and continue the celebration of Earth Sciences week with us by speaking to one of our Earth Scientists or docents at our Earth Sciences exhibit today through Saturday, between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Owl we can think about is how Raptor Free Flight returns IN LESS THAN A MONTH.🦉Starting November 12, join us Thursday–Mo...
10/14/2026

Owl we can think about is how Raptor Free Flight returns IN LESS THAN A MONTH.🦉

Starting November 12, join us Thursday–Monday at 10:30 a.m. to watch our great horned owl, and other Sonoran Desert birds of prey soar overhead, while learning about their attributes, habits, and behaviors from an expert narrator.

Whoo is excited to join us this Raptor Free Flight season? 👀

10/12/2026

Take a pause and admire Arizona's state mineral with us on Minerals Day! ⛏️

Wulfenite, was named after Austrian mineralogist Franz Xavier von Wulfen, who in 1785 first described and published colored drawings of specimens from Austria.

Here in Arizona this mineral has about 250 localities in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties and you can also view this colorful classic on exhibit in our Mineral Hall.

💎 Interested in learning more about minerals? Join our Earth Scientists and docents in our Earth Sciences Exhibit through this Saturday, October 17 to celebrate Earth Sciences Week.

It's Earth Sciences Week! And to kick it off, we're revisiting this 1982 publication of our newsletter Sonorensis, where...
10/12/2026

It's Earth Sciences Week! And to kick it off, we're revisiting this 1982 publication of our newsletter Sonorensis, where we featured our new (at the time), Earth Sciences Exhibit 🌎 What a blast from the past!

You may notice some things have evolved, but a lot has stayed the same, too. This week, we welcome you to join our Earth Scientists and docents to ask all your questions on geology, meteorology, oceanography and astronomy from 9:00-11:00 a.m. daily October 11–17. 🌌

💫 Reminder: during your visit, pick up an Earth Sciences Week map at our entrance for a special scavenger hunt.

10/11/2026

October is officially here and today we are highlighting one of the Sonoran Desert's creepy crawlers. 🎃

Here's a few hints: this species lives in a burrow, is fuzzy all over, eats meat and has 8 legs. Can you guess what it is?

👉 Tune in to hear from Education Specialist Kyleigh to learn about this animal that is not so spooky after all.

10/09/2026

It's shaping up to be the perfect weekend to visit us! Rain in the desert? Now that's a forecast of fun!

Reminder: We are now open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. See you soon! 🌵

Press paws during your visit and head over to our Warden Oasis Theater October 25, for a special screening of the docume...
10/09/2026

Press paws during your visit and head over to our Warden Oasis Theater October 25, for a special screening of the documentary Borderlands Jaguar. 🐾

Join the Desert Museum in partnership with Border Community Alliance to catch a glimpse into the life of an elusive twelve-year old female jaguar, Libuéla and her cubs.

This screening will be followed by a panel Q&A discussion with the producer and cinematographer Ryan Olinger and staff of conservation organizations La Tierra del Jaguar, Northern Jaguar Project , Cuenca Los Ojos and Center for Biological Diversity.🌵

This event is free with Desert Museum admission. Learn more: https://www.desertmuseum.org/visit/events_borderlands_jaguar.php

Pinecone loves his scratch post that he received from a donor who shopped our Amazon Prime Big Deal Days!😊Shop with a pu...
10/07/2026

Pinecone loves his scratch post that he received from a donor who shopped our Amazon Prime Big Deal Days!😊

Shop with a purpose and support the Desert Museum with big savings till midnight tonight! By purchasing an item from our Wish List, you can help provide the plants, animals, and staff at the Museum with items we need every day. 🌵

Purchase an item from our wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/3PI32X56EXULY

10/06/2026

Amazon Prime Big Deals Days are here, October 6-7 and our animals love new toys and opportunities for enrichment. Gucci especially loves his puzzle feeder!🦨

Shop our Amazon wishlist to directly support the Museum’s animals, plants, and people by visiting here: https://www.amazon.com/regist.../gl/guest-view/3PI32X56EXULY.

Thank you for your support! 💚

Who else agrees that x-rays are spooky?💀 Each week this month we inviting you to take a guess at which animal is picture...
10/06/2026

Who else agrees that x-rays are spooky?💀

Each week this month we inviting you to take a guess at which animal is pictured to celebrate the season. Comment your guesses down below and check back tomorrow for the reveal! 🎃

Answer: Great horned owl

Address

2021 N Kinney Road
Tucson, AZ
85743

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm
Saturday 8:30am - 5pm
Sunday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+15208832702

Website

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