Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson

As you can see by the map above, this museum has a lot of acreage outside.

One of our new favorite museums to visit is the Desert Museum in Tucson. This is a really unique place that is part museum, zoo, aquarium, aviary, and botanical garden. I have never seen any place like it. You walk through desert trails that are surrounded by desert plant life and cacti of all kinds. There are museum workers that have exhibits set up for a look at the wildlife up close and personal. They also have a birds of prey show that goes on right in the middle of the outdoor space. The birds and owls fly right over your head, and some come a little too close to your head, lol.

The animals of the museum are in building exhibits and natural outdoor exhibits. They also have the coolest humming bird exhibit. You can walk in the exhibit and the humming birds are everywhere flying all around you. They were so much fun to watch and you could hear their wings, which sounded like a propeller when they flew by our ears.

They have coyotes, javelinas, mountain lions, bobcats, bears, mountain sheep, and so many more animals both inside and outside. They have reptiles and birds from the desert region and also an aquarium that displays local fish. They have a cave you can walk through and a section on the minerals that are found in the desert region.

This mountain lion likes to stay by the window and look at all the people.

A javelina is a peccary, not a pig and they roam wild all around Tucson. They run in herds and can be dangerous. They have been know to attack humans to protect their territory. They are most active at night.

This Museum has a great restaurant and cafeteria. The one thing we have found with our visits to the museums, gardens, and parks in Tucson, is that they have exceptional food at their restaurants. The Desert museum is no exception. We had a great lunch and went right back to the exhibits. When your visit is done they also have a really nice gift shop.

If you get to see nothing else but this beautiful view, the trip was worth it.

If you ever find yourself in Tucson, make sure that you make plans to visit the  Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. You will be so glad you did.