Special Events

Transportation and group rates will be announced at a later date.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
For a half-century the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has enchanted millions of visitors with its exhibits of live animals in astonishingly natural settings, while intriguing and instructing them with fascinating educational programs. At the same time, the Museum has gained a worldwide repute in the scientific community as an institution committed to researching and protecting the land, plants, and the animals of the Sonoran Desert region.

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.

In a nutshell
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place! Exhibits re-create the natural landscape of the Sonoran Desert Region so realistically you find yourself eye-to-eye with mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters, and more. Within the Museum grounds, you will see more than 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants. There are almost 2 miles of paths traversing 21 acres of beautiful desert.

We are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and are a member of the American Association of Museums.

Founded in 1952 by William Carr and Arthur Pack, the Desert Museum is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Sonoran Desert. Our current operations and future growth are funded entirely by admissions, memberships, contributions and grants.

Annual membership dues ensure the future of the Desert Museum - our work, our programs, collections and our actual museum site.

• Providing educational programming for our community - for children and adults
• Conserving the Sonoran Desert environment - protecting native plants and animals
• Maintaining and improving the Museum's collections of live plants and animals as well as our other natural history collections
• Supporting ongoing research and advancing scientific understanding of the desert and shaping people's sense of stewardship

Old Tucson Studios
Shows & Set Tours
Whether it is drama, comedy or music you’re hankering for, Old Tucson cast will fill the bill.  Enjoy gunfights and stunt shows based on traditional western themes as well as a can-can musical featuring Miss Kitty and her girls in the saloon. And how could you be in the old west without a visit from a snake oil salesman?

Visit our Old Tucson Story Museum to learn the amazing history of Old Tucson Studios and see original costumes worn by the stars of legendary television series including Little House on the Prairie and Bonanza. Let our set historians help you explore the streets that many of your favorite television and movie stars have traveled in over 70 years of film and television history. You’ll also learn about Old Tucson Studios’ very own “silent” movie star, The Reno locomotive! Proudly stationed at the north end of town, The Reno has more than 100 film and television credits.

Schedule and availability of shows and attractions at Old Tucson Studios is subject to change or cancellation due to filming that may be taking place in the park.

Arizona State Museum
Experience the enduring cultures of Arizona, the American Southwest, and northern Mexico at Arizona State Museum through our dynamic exhibitions, engaging programs, and educational museum store.

Curator-guided Tours
Arizona State Museum offers curator-led, adult group tours during regular business hours, Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. by appointment. Advance notice is necessary. Scheduling is dependent upon availability of curators. Tour Fee: $12.00 per person (includes discounted museum admission). Payment must be made in advance.

We are pleased to offer your group any combination of the following:

• The Pottery Project: This permanent exhibition features the Arnold and Doris Roland Wall of Pots. The wall vividly illustrates more than 150 select specimens from ASM’s premier and nationally recognized collection (at 20,000+ whole vessels, it is the largest collection of its kind in the world!). The vessels trace the development of Southwest pottery traditions from the earliest times to the present. 30+ minutes
• Current Temporary Exhibition(s): A curator-guided tour of the museum’s current temporary exhibition(s). 30 minutes
• Paths of Life: A curator-guided tour of ASM’s award-winning permanent exhibition featuring the 10 native cultures of Arizona and northern Mexico. Topics discussed are exhibit preparation, native participation, and exhibit concepts. 30+ minutes
  More about Paths of Life
• Conservation Laboratory: Meet ASM’s world-renowned conservators and tour their newly constructed, state-of-the-art laboratory. See the preservation work they conduct on ASM’s vast and varied collections. 30 minutes
• Collections Overview: Learn about the museum’s collection philosophy and its practices in care, storage, and use. 30 minutes
• Archaeology Laboratory: Learn about laboratory research procedure—the equally important counterpart to field excavation. You will see computer models and reconstructions and learn how artifacts are catalogued and used as research tools. 30 minutes.
• Library: ASM's library, established in 1957, is a non-circulating research Mecca specializing in the archaeology, ethnology, and material culture of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Nestled in magnificent architectural surroundings, this collection is regarded worldwide as the premier resource for the study of Southwest anthropology. 20 minutes

The UA Mineral Museum
The University of Arizona Mineral Museum is a non-profit organization. The museum occupies the lower level of the Flandrau Science Center, and works closely with their department and staff. Funding is provided in part by The University of Arizona and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society. Additional support comes from the State of Arizona, local mining companies such as Phelps Dodge, students, alumni and mineral enthusiasts.

The University of Arizona was founded in 1885, and a portion of the mineral collection dates back to 1892, when it was the core of the Territorial Museum. The Mineral Museum was officially recognized in 1919.

Since its conception, the museum has accumulated over 19,000 mineral specimens in the main collection and over 7,000 in the micromount collection. The collection currently represents 1,561 different species with over 2,000 minerals presently on display. The mineral museum also displays meteorites from localities around the world. The collection itself is divided into roughly ten major exhibits, including exhibits of the minerals from Guanajuato, Mexico and famous Arizona localities such as Bisbee, Ajo, Morenci, Ray, and Tiger. The museum includes a micromount exhibit that demonstrates the beauty and diversity of crystals too small to be appreciated with the naked eye.
The Mineral Museum first started conducting tours during the 1950’s and continues to do so today. During the university school year (August through May), a guided tour for school groups can be arranged by appointment through the Flandrau: The UA Science Center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit their website.

The UA Science Flandrau
Our History
The Science Center got its start with a 1972 bequest from the estate of Grace H. Flandrau, noted author and frequent winter visitor to Tucson. The University decided to use the generous gift to fund a facility that would increase public understanding and appreciation of science.

Originally known as The Grace H. Flandrau Planetarium, the facility was part of the UA Department of Astronomy. Its location on campus, near the Astronomy Department, Optical Sciences Center, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and historic Steward Observatory, reflects its continuing connections to the research community.

The Planetarium was designed by Tucson architectural firm Blanton and Company and opened its door to the public in 1975.

Our Vision
The University of Arizona Science Center brings together the University and regional communities to inspire the teaching and learning of science and technology, create pathways to lifelong learning, and promote the area’s social, economic and environmental sustainability.
http://www.flandrau.org/

The University of Arizona Museum of Art
Visit UAMA
The University of Arizona Museum of Art is located on the University of Arizona campus, near Park Avenue and Speedway Boulevard.

Convenient visitor parking is available at the UA garage on Park Avenue just north of Speedway Boulevard. Click for museum map.

UAMA Admission:

• Adult admission: $5.00
• Students & Faculty with ID: Free
• Children: Free
• School, College & University Class Tours: Free (tour scheduling)
• Museum Members: Free (membership information)
• American Association of Museums members with current AAM membership card: Free

UAMA is handicapped accessible.

UAMA hours:
Tuesday - Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday - Sunday: Noon to 4 pm
Closed Mondays. Closed University Holidays.

UAMA rental:
The museum facility is available to the University community for special events. Please download our rental policy (Adobe Acrobat file) for information.

UAMA sponsors:
UAMA exhibitions and programs are generously supported by UAMA Partner benefactors, I. Michael and Beth C. Kasser, the Jack and Vivian Hanson Endowment, the UAMA Partners.

Visit The Museum Neighborhood - four great museums in walking distance from each other. The University of Arizona Museum of Art + Center for Creative Photography + Arizona State Museum + Arizona Historical Society.

UAMA: (520) 621-7567
Fax: (520) 621-8770
Mailing address:
The University of Arizona Museum of Art
PO Box 210002
Tucson, AZ 85721-0002