Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
5
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The renowned Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is everything you could want in a Sonoran Desert adventure! Mostly outdoors and comprised of an AZA-accredited zoo, extensive botanical garden, two art galleries, and a natural history museum, the Desert Museum sits on 98 acres of pristine desert landscape. The Museum showcases the diverse flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert region (with over 55,000 plants!) featuring wildlife such as coyotes, javelinas, mountain lions, and bighorn sheep in naturalistic habitats. Bird lovers delight in visiting the Museum's two aviaries, one dedicated to hummingbirds! Kids love the interactive Packrat Playhouse and Stingray Touch exhibits, learning to appreciate our unique environment from a young age. The Museum's gift shops offer a bounty of books, jewelry, crafts, and more. This family-friendly establishment offers something for everyone!
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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- TeresaB25Tulsa, Oklahoma300 contributionsSuperlative experienceThe desert setting for the museum is spectacular, but the docents made the experience great. We arrived in time to see the free fly raptor show, then heard a presentation on the life cycle of the saguaro and enjoyed walking the grounds. High quality experience from start to finish. Hint: Reserve your Uber ride back to town if you don’t have your own transportation.Visited November 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 19 November 2023
- Cindy PSeabeck, Washington209 contributionsSo much more!Sonora Desert Museum is so much more than a museum! It's a botanical garden, aquarium, zoo, enrichment center and gallery! It's got big animals, fish, rodents, reptiles and birds! The plant life is extraordinary and it's all labeled throughout so you can learn more about native plants without guessing! It's a complete program from start to finish and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of every hour we spent there! We took the opportunity to participate in the Avian Experience with an amazing team and two stunningly gorgeous owls! I highly recommend spending a day in Tucson at this amazing discovery!Visited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 27 November 2023
- Gena FauselSavannah, Georgia38 contributionsMet friendsWe met up with friends. Non of us wanted to miss this opportunity to get together and to see the museum. We were glad there were electric scooters to rent. Very thankful. Amazed at the variety of animals we saw! Well done in every way! Even the restaurant rice bowls were YUMMO. Very glad we went!Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 December 2023
- KMTGraeagle, California40 contributionsThe best attraction in TucsonOne place in Tucson you should not miss. It’s in the beautiful Tucson mountains with wonderful hiking trails nearby. The drive to the museum is gorgeous. You won’t be disappointed. Allow enough time to see all the exhibits. Don’t rush. I’ve lived in Tucson and every time I visit I have to go to the museum.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 17 December 2023
- Zoom_GottiHenderson, Nevada1,525 contributionsWonderful Desert ExperienceA mixture of zoo, desert plants, and aquarium. A bit west of town surrounded by unending sightings of Saguaros. Stiff entry fees almost force you to buy an annual membership. Best to visit on more temperate days because most of the activities are outdoors. There are special programs like the raptor exhibit which are only offered once a day. But mostly you grab a map and do a comprehensive walk- through which might take 4-5 hours. Best to follow the signage or you'll wind up lost and doing circles on your route. The aquarium is neat and almost every thing is on display. But you'll also see animals in the wild who choose to remain in their outside habitats. On this trip we saw bobcat, mountain lion, javelin, bighorn, and a variety of birds. Also groves cultivated for bees, butterfly, and agave. Water and restrooms are available along most of the walkway. But the sun beats down so you'll need some protection. Eateries are so-so. Could be expensive to feed a family. One sit down restaurant closes by 3 PM.Visited December 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 18 December 2023
- RuVancouver, Washington20 contributionsGood varietyWe went with another family and spent 3 hours there. The museum includes many things in a slightly small scale but with good variety. Kids enjoyed the 12:30 pm talk about rattle snake and Gila monster.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 25 December 2023
- Patrick OMount Holly, North Carolina1,139 contributionsGreat way to see and learn about the desert!I visited this museum with a friend of mine from Tucson and it was wonderful. They have a great walking loop trail that is both informative and worth taking. This is a great place to see animals as well. We did not see any javalinas, but the mountain lion, Cayote, and lots of snakes could be seen. Not to worry as they are all separated from people by either a netted area or in glassed in areas. Reptiles are also on display. This is a wonderful place to visit for groups or alone. Lots of educational information is available and guides were present to answer questions. Well worth a few hours to explore and learn about the desert. Great photo opportunities as well.Visited December 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 29 December 2023
- dirtdonthurt30 contributionsWorthwhile!Hesitated paying $29.95/person, but it was worthwhile. We spent the whole day here wandering around and visiting the offerings. There was more to see than expected. The cacti and variations of them were amazing. We went in December and the weather was ideal to walk around to see the flora and fauna. The only thing I wasn’t sure about was the animals on the property. I am hoping that they are there because they could not be released into the wilderness as they seemed unhappy and unable to roam freely in the space that they had. I’m not a fan of zoos so I may be biased. Otherwise, I enjoyed walking around the outdoor museum. They offer sunscreen in the restrooms, which I thought was great. I can see why bringing water, wearing sunscreen and a hat is vital when visiting during the hotter months. A must visit in Tucson!Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 30 December 2023
- JCMD21Chicago, Illinois97 contributionsAvian AdventuresHad a fun day at the Desert Museum yesterday with our family of four. Make sure to check the time for the Raptor Free Flight exhibition on their website. For a special treat the Avian Adventure is unique. You get to meet and hold an Eurasian Eagle owl. So cool! The Free Flight trainers were great. There are plenty of water stations throughout the facility so bring a water bottle and the food available to purchase was quite good.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 January 2024
- Julie PWest Bend, Wisconsin248 contributionsYou’ll be amazed.This was amazing!! You can feed stingray, see a bobcat or ocelot. It is accessible by stroller or wheelchair (most of it). Lots of gift shops and places to buy food. Plan on spending 3-5 hours there. There are shaded places- bring water and sunscreen.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 January 2024
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5.0
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33
carlotaTravel4fun
california663 contributions
Jan 2021
I'm sure during normal times this is a good day trip; however, the day we were there many of the things we were looking forward to experiencing were not available. The rapture show was not going on, or any other animal presentations. On a positive note, it was not very crowded so you didn't feel rushed or unable to see things because of too many people. There was a good variety of desert plants. The aquarium has some interesting displays. Some have mentioned the cost of entering...it was over $20 pp; however, I'm sure the cost to maintain and conserve this area is quite high. The discounts offered for different groups was not much. They recommend buying tickets on line as you can be denied entry without a reservation if they meet their daily capacity. If you do purchase your tickets at the site, they are not accepting cash payments. It was a good side trip, and I'm glad we went; however, I probably wouldn't go again.
Written 26 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write a review! We are sorry to hear that you experience was less than what you had hoped for. We strive to give every guest a fantastic and informative experience, and unfortunately, as you noted, we are unable to provide some of our favorite guest experiences such as the Packrat Playhouse and the Raptor Free Flight show out of concern for our guests' safety. We hope you'll visit again in the future!
Written 3 February 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JohnGalt2
Oxnard, CA834 contributions
Sept 2020
It has been 3 decades since we last visited. We enjoyed the drive through the saguaro forests to get here and pulled into the near empty parking lot, only to see signs saying that reservations were required. After parking we purchased our tickets for the day online and went to the window. The lady at the ticket window was very unfriendly. First, she went ballistic when my wife came up to the window without a mask. My wife had forgot and quickly put it on. Then the lady complained about the size of the bar code on the screen which was hard to manipulate while sliding the phone through the slot. We have to tolerate these new rules and restrictions and she should have been more tolerant about the inconveniences put onto us. After finally getting in, we looped though the park according to the numbers on the map, seeing all of it except for the loop into the desert. It was a good and informative stroll on a warm day. The one thing that I found odd was the stingray exhibit. It seems inappropriate for a desert museum. It looks like there is a separate charge to visit this exhibit so it appears to be an attraction to keep the attention of children or to gain some additional revenue from tourists.
Written 30 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and for taking the time to provide valuable feedback. We take all comments seriously and regularly use them in our decision making. We sincerely appreciate hearing your opinions and apologize that your registration and check-in experience was frustrating.
Although the Sonoran Desert may be known for its dry climate, the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) and the stingrays that flow through it are critically important and the primary reason the Sonoran Desert has been named the “lushest desert on earth.” As the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, we care for and represent animals and plants that are native to the entire Sonoran Desert region, which includes the Sea of Cortez! We are very proud to have recently added the Packrat Playhouse and Stingray Touch areas, both designed to build a deeper connection to the natural world with new audiences.
Written 7 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TravelHound_12
Portland, OR257 contributions
Feb 2020
This always ranks as one of Tucson's most recommended attractions and for good reason. I was hesitant at first when my husband suggested it, thinking it would literally be a museum about the desert. Yawn. Well, boy was I wrong. To call this a "museum" grossly underestimates its value as a beautiful, immersive and educational outdoor experience. It is at once a botanic garden, a zoo, an art gallery and a museum of natural science and history.
Even before you arrive, the drive from the freeway is stunning, as you gradually become fully immersed in the natural beauty of the Arizona desert. Once there, we were immediately impressed with the fair pricing ($23/adult), relative to a similar price at the Tucson Botanical Garden which was not at all worth it in comparison.
The A-S Desert Museum is massive, something like 500+ acres of natural desert habitat snaked with nicely maintained and accessible pathways. (Wear comfortable shoes, it's a lot of walking.) Interspersed throughout the grounds are both flora and fauna exhibits with excellent educational signage. There's a hummingbird enclosure, a reptile/amphibian exhibit, a small aquarium and an aviary (which was actually the only disappointing part of the entire museum). There are mountain lions, bobcats, wolves, grey foxes, coyotes, javelinas and a black bear. I was most happy to see that the animal habitats are, for the most part, quite large and natural. We were also surprised by the "Cave" exhibit which was incredibly well done (but dark and with uneven flooring, so be careful). I would think it would be a highlight for kids, if you plan to bring them.
But our very favorite experience was the Raptor Free Flight, a live exhibition provided by the museum's knowledgeable raptor experts. The day we were there, we saw a peregrine falcon, a barn owl and four Harris hawks. They were released to fly free over the desert surroundings. It's amazing to see these beautiful birds of prey up close and then watch them soar high overhead, returning right over your head as they fly back to their trainers for treats. The show only occurs twice a day at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, so plan your day around it.
Overall, this is a wonderful experience and shouldn't be missed. (Note: we went in February and it was unseasonably cool, but I imagine it can get quite hot. Take a refillable water bottle, as there are refill stations throughout the park.)
Even before you arrive, the drive from the freeway is stunning, as you gradually become fully immersed in the natural beauty of the Arizona desert. Once there, we were immediately impressed with the fair pricing ($23/adult), relative to a similar price at the Tucson Botanical Garden which was not at all worth it in comparison.
The A-S Desert Museum is massive, something like 500+ acres of natural desert habitat snaked with nicely maintained and accessible pathways. (Wear comfortable shoes, it's a lot of walking.) Interspersed throughout the grounds are both flora and fauna exhibits with excellent educational signage. There's a hummingbird enclosure, a reptile/amphibian exhibit, a small aquarium and an aviary (which was actually the only disappointing part of the entire museum). There are mountain lions, bobcats, wolves, grey foxes, coyotes, javelinas and a black bear. I was most happy to see that the animal habitats are, for the most part, quite large and natural. We were also surprised by the "Cave" exhibit which was incredibly well done (but dark and with uneven flooring, so be careful). I would think it would be a highlight for kids, if you plan to bring them.
But our very favorite experience was the Raptor Free Flight, a live exhibition provided by the museum's knowledgeable raptor experts. The day we were there, we saw a peregrine falcon, a barn owl and four Harris hawks. They were released to fly free over the desert surroundings. It's amazing to see these beautiful birds of prey up close and then watch them soar high overhead, returning right over your head as they fly back to their trainers for treats. The show only occurs twice a day at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, so plan your day around it.
Overall, this is a wonderful experience and shouldn't be missed. (Note: we went in February and it was unseasonably cool, but I imagine it can get quite hot. Take a refillable water bottle, as there are refill stations throughout the park.)
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write such an extensive review. We are so glad that you enjoyed your visit to the Museum, especially the Raptor Free Flight demonstration.
Written 27 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kathryn A
Homosassa, FL274 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
This outdoor museum is an incredible opportunity for those unfamiliar with Southwest wildlife and Flora to learn. Docents are well informed and experienced, and various demonstrations including that on raptors are worth taking the additional time. The cost is high - $21 for adults. Given the number of animals they must feed and care for, as well as maintaining the pathways and gardens it is understandable that the price would be high. Unfortunately, this can deter visitors. There are some discounts for Arizona residents as well as seniors, but this museum does not recognize any of the memberships for the Alliance of American museums or the North American museum consortium - very disappointing for those of us who support these organizations. It is worth the time to go there - expect to spend at least 2 hours. We are comfortable shoes because not all of the pathways are paved. I have not visited for 5 or 6 years, and it was nice to see that the grounds have been improved.
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting us and taking the time to write us a review. We are so glad that you enjoyed your visit!
As a nonprofit organization, we rely on earned revenues and public donations to fulfill our mission to foster love, appreciation and understanding of the Sonoran Desert. We take pride in inspiring people to live in harmony with the natural world by maintaining a natural history museum, zoo, aquarium, botanical garden and art institute. Our complex operations are open every day of the year, employees almost 150 staff, as well as providing educational programming and critical conservation efforts.
To specifically address your concern, our regular and seasonal prices are comparable to other major attractions in Arizona. We provide discount categories for seniors, residents, military and children. Children under the age of 3 are free. We also provide a variety of membership levels from student to family rates.
Thank you, again, for the feedback. We are constantly striving to provide a guest experience that exceeds expectations. We hope that you and your family will return to enjoy our grounds and exhibits.
Written 19 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sean W
Loveland, CO14 contributions
June 2020
For those who are new to the desert, a trip to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum will provide you with an upclose but safe way to see the real personality of the desert. There is a lot of life in the desert though it may appear to be a dry wasteland to some. I grew up in Tucson, but I love going to the Desert Museum when I visit there now just because it's a fun place to relax. Please bring a refillable water-bottle, and even an umbrella if it's going to be a hot day that will provide you with shade, as most of the Desert Museum is experienced outside. For us it was 110 degrees and sunny the day we visited, but the umbrella helped. The only down side I think is that the cost of water and snacks at the Desert Museum seems high to me, but hey you can bring your own. Overall, I highly recommend the Desert Museum as they really bring a clear picture to all the life that is in the Sonora desert.
Written 22 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. We are so glad that you enjoyed the Museum and everything it has to offer!
Written 7 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NewStart78
Des Moines, IA371 contributions
Feb 2020
This is a big place--quasi zoo and garden. Location is very close to the National Park (east section). The entry fee to the museum is a bit steep, which is fine if a place is good. This place is "good", but we didn't think it rose above that.
On the pro, the museum is large, colorful, nicely themed around the local environment, and has some friendly people on staff (including volunteers) out among the exhibits.
On the con, the layout is confusing, and we wondered why signage, and numbered map notations didn't sync up. Quite a few of the animal exhibits were lacking animals, and some of the larger mammal spaces seemed inadequate by current animal welfare standards.
Restrooms are plentiful and clean, and there appears to be 2 good dining options onsite. The onsite shopping venues are large and have some interesting items for sale. That said, we were surprised that the staff in the primary store (which was not busy) never looked up, smiled, or spoke with us during our 15 minutes shopping around. We had slight interest in buying a piece of art, but ended up leaving bemused that apparently no one had interest in selling it to us.
If you are in the area to see the NP (as we were), then I'd recommend adding this museum as a stop. It was not a "wow" for us, but it is nice. We covered it all in about 90 minutes, and that includes shopping, and longer looks at some of the animals.
On the pro, the museum is large, colorful, nicely themed around the local environment, and has some friendly people on staff (including volunteers) out among the exhibits.
On the con, the layout is confusing, and we wondered why signage, and numbered map notations didn't sync up. Quite a few of the animal exhibits were lacking animals, and some of the larger mammal spaces seemed inadequate by current animal welfare standards.
Restrooms are plentiful and clean, and there appears to be 2 good dining options onsite. The onsite shopping venues are large and have some interesting items for sale. That said, we were surprised that the staff in the primary store (which was not busy) never looked up, smiled, or spoke with us during our 15 minutes shopping around. We had slight interest in buying a piece of art, but ended up leaving bemused that apparently no one had interest in selling it to us.
If you are in the area to see the NP (as we were), then I'd recommend adding this museum as a stop. It was not a "wow" for us, but it is nice. We covered it all in about 90 minutes, and that includes shopping, and longer looks at some of the animals.
Written 3 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting us and taking the time to write us a review.
As a nonprofit organization, we rely on earned revenues and public donations to fulfill our mission to foster love, appreciation and understanding of the Sonoran Desert. We take pride in inspiring people to live in harmony with the natural world by maintaining a natural history museum, zoo, aquarium, botanical garden and art institute. Our regular and seasonal prices are comparable to other major attractions in Arizona. We provide discount categories for seniors, residents, military and children. Children under the age of 3 are free.
Thank you for your interest in animal welfare as well. Though the Desert Museum is many things, chief among them is being a zoo that is an accredited institution by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a national organization that sets the highest standards for animal care. We pride ourselves in exceeding the requirements set by the AZA, including those related to enclosure design and size, veterinary care, and enrichment. Many of the animals have access to larger spaces throughout the day, or at different times of day. Additionally, the museum has a robust enrichment program to both physically and mentally stimulate our animals. Some of the enrichment happens in their off exhibit areas, which would explain why you didn’t see much enrichment during your visit. While the size of an enclosure certainly matters, equally important, is what goes on in the enclosure that offers the animal physical and psychological stimulation.
We also want you to know that the vast majority of our larger animals are brought to us through different wildlife agencies and wildlife rehabilitation facilities that take in injured/orphaned animals, giving them a second chance at life. We all agree that no enclosure will ever be a replacement for the wild, but when these animals can't survive in the wild and are not suitable for release, the museum is proud to offer them a great way to spend the rest of their lives and serve as ambassadors of their species serving our mission that strives to inspire people about living in harmony with the natural world so that animals in the wild have a much better chance of surviving there.
We are sorry to hear about the customer service experience you received in the Gift Store and will make sure to pass along this feedback to the appropriate parties. Again, thank you for your feedback. Every guest here is a direct contributor to all of our conservation, education, and scientific efforts and we very much hope you will consider visiting us again in the future.
Written 5 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ransom007
Anaheim, CA1,113 contributions
Sept 2020
The museum has free parking. The museum is located well outside town next to Saguaro National Park. It is an outdoor museum. After paying admission, you may take a map and start walking around the place. The main paths are paved, but some auxiliary paths are dirt or gravel. It is also somewhat hilly. There are a few enclosures and a couple of theaters (closed when I was there). One exhibit is a hummingbird aviary (I saw no birds), another is about bees (I saw no bees), and a good representation of desert flora. There is a surprisingly good amount of shade and many benches around the grounds. Signage is also quite good. There is dining and a large gift shop. COVID-19: employees wear face coverings and visitors are expected to wear them also as well as practice social distancing.
Written 26 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review! We are so glad that you enjoyed your visit to the Museum and hope you were able to learn something new about the Sonoran Desert!
Written 7 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shali
San Diego, CA151 contributions
Dec 2019
we visited the museum during the Christmas holidays. Major part of the museum is outdoors. We visited all the attractions and our favorite was the reptile exhibit ,bird aviary and the outdoor cave. They had a Raptor Free Flight show at 10 am and we could visit that too just before we head to the Saguaro National Park. The only thing that we didn't like is that its expensive .Adults it was $22 and children it was $10. we almost spent $60 and we couldn't see all the attractions. But i highly recommend to spend few hours and winter will be a good time to visit as well.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting us and taking the time to write us a review. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on earned revenues and public donations to fulfill our mission to foster love, appreciation and understanding of the Sonoran Desert. We take pride in inspiring people to live in harmony with the natural world by maintaining a natural history museum, zoo, aquarium, botanical garden and art institute. Our complex operations are open every day of the year and cost nearly $30,000 per day for the care and feeding of the plants and animals, the utilities, cleaning, repair and maintenance of grounds and facilities, wages and benefits for our 140 staff members, as well as providing educational programming and critical conservation efforts.
To specifically address your concern, our regular and seasonal prices are comparable to other major attractions in Arizona. We provide discount categories for seniors, residents, military and children. Children under the age of 3 are free. We also provide a variety of membership levels from student to family rates. You can explore the different membership levels and benefits on our website.
Thank you, again, for the feedback. We are constantly striving to provide a guest experience that exceeds expectations. We hope that you and your family will return to enjoy our grounds and exhibits when we reopen.
Written 9 April 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TyHampton
Phoenix, AZ2 contributions
Aug 2019
I did not completely understand what I was supposed to do in the moment, when I first walked into the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum with my visiting dad. The staff was occupied adjusting a display. I explained the contents of the exhibit to my dad in the meantime, using what I learned in my studies at the University of Arizona. This actually helped me assess my knowledge, build my confidence, and report as a tour guid for my dad. Soon after walking through the exhibit, which we went to after exploring the National Forest surrounding the museum, a member of the staff came over and asked if we had any questions. I must have provided just enough information to peak my dads interest about every display, leading him to inquire about the specific details of the interesting subjects in the exhibit. All and all, the experience was enjoyable. The only reason I knew the museum was there was because I came across it, while exploring the desert. I suggest keeping the desert museum advertised less than other to ensure the quality and exclusivity is retained.
Written 18 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review! We are so glad that you enjoyed your visit to the Museum and hope you were able to learn something new about the Sonoran Desert!
Written 7 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
katiepenney
Galway, Ireland256 contributions
Jan 2020
We visited on a Monday holiday and it was extremely busy. This did interfere with any meditative experiences that we've had in the past. The raptor show is always the highlight, with amazing shows from a peregrine, barn owl and 5 Harris hawks. There weren't as many helpful docents as in past visits. The restaurants were understaffed and by 2:00 had run out of food. Lines took more than 30 minutes. Despite all this seeing the cactus garden, raptor show and animals was worth the price of admission. Wonderful for children.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review and for your support of the Desert Museum! We are so glad that you enjoyed your day learning all about the Sonoran Desert. Our apologies for the long wait times and lack of food at the restaurant, this will be pass on to the appropriate parties.
Written 6 April 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is this part of Saguaro Nat'l Park? If so, are any entry fees already included with Saguaro entry?
Written 16 March 2021
I think as a general rule Spring is the best, say from mid-March to late April is a good time to see the desert in bloom, at least that was my experience growing up. It may be a good idea to get in touch with a botanical garden in Arizona and people there might have a better sense of specific conditions yearly.
Written 25 October 2020
It is raining today. Would this be a good thing to do? I can’t tell if it’s mostly outside.
Written 29 November 2019
Mostly outside wouldn’t go if raining
Written 25 December 2019
DesertMuseum
Tucson, Arizona
Yes, we do allow trained service dogs. Thank you for your question and we hope to see you soon!
Written 1 March 2019
Is there motorized carts or wheel chairs for handicapped
Written 7 February 2019
DesertMuseum
Tucson, Arizona
Hi Julie, Yes, we do offer wheel chairs ($8, $7 for members) and motorized carts ($25, $20 for members) for rent. We hope to see you soon!
Written 7 February 2019
how long show I reserve for the Museum? Thanks
Written 24 December 2018
DesertMuseum
Tucson, Arizona
Most guests find that they are able to visit the Museum within 2-4 hours but usually wish they had set aside most the of the day to explore and see the different shows we have to offer. Currently we have our Raptor Free Fight presentation at 10 and 2. The Fur, Feather, and Fangs presentation is at 12:15 in the Warden Oasis Theater on Thursdays, Friday, and Saturdays. The Live and (sort of) on the program is Sunday - Wednesday at 12:15 at the Warden Oasis Theater as well.
Written 26 December 2018
Hey all, I'm planning to stop by Tucson for a day and I'm planning to visit this museum. Do I have to book tickets early or I can just buy them dhen I got there? Thanks to you all
Written 26 January 2018
When you get there. I second the Raptor show! It’s SO cool.
Written 27 January 2018
Hi,
I will be visiting Tucson next week and will be staying in a hotel nearby Airport. Are there any Taxi/bus/public transport services to this Museum or is Uber the only option? Google map says it’s close to 20 miles..
Written 22 October 2017
I don't think there are any other options it is away from town. I recommend renting a car as Tucson is not well connected and it's attractions are for the most part not in the actual town. If a rental is not an option uber is your best bet.
Written 22 October 2017
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