Written by Kyle
We spotted signs for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on our way through the Saguaro National Park outside of Tucson, Arizona, and decided to stop in and check it out. We had no idea what to expect, but it ended up being a wonderful surprise! It is a huge museum, with approximately 85% of it outdoors (wear good shoes and bring water!), and several indoor exhibits as well.
The museum has outdoor animal displays with mountain lions, bighorn sheep, and more – all native to the desert. In addition there is an aviary, multiple outdoor botanical gardens, an art gallery, natural history exhibits, a reptile exhibit, and an aquarium to explore.
Many of the exhibits are interactive, and they also offer tours and live animal demonstrations, as well as hands-on animal exhibits such as the stingray touch. Unfortunately, we just missed that before I closed for the day, I can honestly say I’ve never touched a stingray in the middle of the desert!
We arrived a couple hours before close and were able to make it through the majority of the park although you could easily spend an entire day here, especially if you are visiting early in the morning or in a cooler time of the year and want to hike the Surrounding Desert Loop Trail surrounding the museum. As an adult this museum is excellent, but it would shine even more for children!
Ramble Around 