Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

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.

06/20/2026

Why do scorpions glow under black light? 🦂

Scorpions glow under black lights because of fluorescent chemicals found in their exoskeletons! These substances absorb invisible UV light and re-emit it as a glowing blue-green light visible to the human eye, creating one of nature’s coolest nighttime effects. ✨

Theories suggest this adaptation might be used as a UV light detection system, enabling the scorpion to find the best hiding spots and the darkest places, it could also help them find each other, confuse prey, some mix of the above, or could simply be a byproduct of the cuticle (outer covering of a scorpion's exoskeleton) formation process.

Want to see scorpions with your own eyes? Join us this Saturday, June 20, at our Desert Dwellers Cool Summer Night! The first 200 guests starting at 6:00 p.m. will receive a FREE blacklight flashlight.

👉 Learn more about Cool Summer Nights here: https://desertmuseum.org/visit/events_saturday_csn.php

06/18/2026

June 18 is Veterinary Appreciation Day and today we are celebrating the Desert Museum's veterinarian, Dr. Giles! ❤️‍🩹

From caring for our majestic baby seahorses and leopard frogs to our new mountain lion duo and javelina quintet, Dr. Giles does not only gives quality care and love to our animals but also guides our keepers and other veterinary staff members with compassion every day.

Although her work often happens behind the scenes, it plays a vital role in the health and wellbeing of the incredible animals that call the Desert Museum home and we cannot thank her enough! 🐾

We are delighted to announce the official names of our two newest animal residents and the story behind how these names ...
06/18/2026

We are delighted to announce the official names of our two newest animal residents and the story behind how these names were chosen.

In April, during the Desert Museum’s annual Desert Gala, a generous supporter won the exclusive naming rights for the rescued two mountain lion brothers. Inspired by their support of Beads of Courage, another local nonprofit organization that helps children and teens coping with serious illnesses, the donor chose to share this special opportunity with the young people served by the organization.

Children participating through Beads of Courage submitted dozens of imaginative and heartfelt name ideas for the cubs. Following a Beads of Courage voting period, two winning names emerged.

No need to paws for suspense any longer—say hello to Moonbead and Pretzel!

What began as a fundraising opportunity transformed into a chance for children facing significant medical challenges to leave their mark on two of the Museum’s newest animal ambassadors. We’re grateful to this donor for creating a unique connection between the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Beads of Courage, bringing together conservation, community, and courage in a meaningful and lasting way.

Guests are invited to visit Moonbead and Pretzel and follow along as the young brothers continue to grow, play, and develop new skills at their new home in the desert.

Photo by Associate Director of Education Catherine Bartlett.

06/18/2026

Tune in to see a positive example of wildlife adapting to human-driven changes in the environment in ways that benefit them, featuring a Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) and Western Diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)! 🦎🐍

Seeing animals use corrugated irrigation tubes as shelter, especially across multiple species, is encouraging; however, it also highlights something very important: as human populations grow, natural habitats for native species continue to shrink.

But there is a silver lining! ⛅

Examples like this demonstrate that some species can benefit from certain forms of human landscape modification. The more we study and understand these interactions, the better we can design and manage our homes, neighborhoods, and infrastructure in ways that promote coexistence with wildlife.

👉 Sidenote: Notice that the rattlesnake never rattled its tail, and neither species was trying to bite the other. This suggests that they are used to being around each other and do not view each other as a threat.

Special thanks to Kim Sawatzki for capturing and allowing us to share this video!

Which desert dweller are you? 🌙 Many of our Sonoran Desert inhabitants are nocturnal (active at night) or crepuscular (t...
06/16/2026

Which desert dweller are you? 🌙

Many of our Sonoran Desert inhabitants are nocturnal (active at night) or crepuscular (thrive during twilight), which means Cool Summer Nights is the perfect chance to see these types of animals in action!

Join us this Saturday, June 20 for our Desert Dwellers themed evening to witness our resident creatures of the night in their element.🌵

👉 Feeling Inspired by these cute creatures? Learn more about them by purchasing a copy of The Sonoran Desert Explorer in our gift shop, which is open till 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays throughout the summer.

06/16/2026

Want to brush up on your knowledge of the Sonoran Desert?

Explore these four fascinating books, available in our Mountain House Gift Shop! Each offers a unique perspective on the plants, animals, history, and landscapes that make this remarkable desert our home. 🌵

🛍️ Reminder: All purchases in our gift shops are sales-tax free!

06/13/2026

Happy Caturday!🐯

Our mountain lion cubs are getting acclimated to their exhibit, which includes finding the coziest nooks for a snooze in the shade. 💤

Gif by Webmaster Liz Kemp.

Spotted: two of Tucson’s most iconic stars at the Desert Museum! Local celebrities Wilbur and Wilma are set to make a co...
06/12/2026

Spotted: two of Tucson’s most iconic stars at the Desert Museum! Local celebrities Wilbur and Wilma are set to make a cosmic appearance at Astronomy Night (Cool Summer Nights) tomorrow!

We're celebrating the stars, from the ones overhead to the ones wearing Wildcats jerseys. Experience a night that's truly out of this world—live music, fascinating astronomy talks, telescope viewing, and a special meet-and-greet all in one stellar event. Consider your Saturday night plans made.

Don't miss your chance to meet the stars, Wilbur and Wilma Wildcat, tomorrow night from 6:30–8:00 p.m. Stop by for photos, high-fives, and astronomical vibes!

Introducing Mesquite, Manzanita, Acacia, Juniper, and Ash!🌳 We would like to thank everyone once again for participating...
06/12/2026

Introducing Mesquite, Manzanita, Acacia, Juniper, and Ash!🌳

We would like to thank everyone once again for participating in our Javelina Naming Contest. With a special thanks to Nikolai Ryan, who submitted the winning names!

After receiving more than 500 name submissions and over 1,000 votes, we are excited to announce the winning names, which were inspired by some of the Sonoran Desert’s most iconic tree species.

Thank you to everyone who submitted creative ideas and took part in the voting process. We appreciate your enthusiasm and participation, and we hope you'll stay tuned for our next public naming contest.

Congrats, Nikolai! We'll see you and four of your besties at our Taste the Desert Cool Summer Nights event next month!

Photo by Mammalogy Keeper Taylor Sparks.

Swipe through to discover some of our favorite Sonoran Desert dwellers reimagined through folk art! 🎨 Created by Navajo ...
06/11/2026

Swipe through to discover some of our favorite Sonoran Desert dwellers reimagined through folk art! 🎨

Created by Navajo artist Leland Holiday, each piece is carved into a wooden board then painted over with acrylics, offering a colorful representation of common wildlife found in the Southwest.

No two pieces are exactly alike, and each one is available for purchase in our Mountain House Gift Shop—sales tax-free!

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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