Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — Attraction in Tucson

We visited the last week of December which just happened to be the perfect weather for visiting, it wasn't very cold, and it wasn't hot either! We had a fantastic time while we were here, almost everything was out & could be seen. Granted a few of the animals were just sleeping while bathing in the sun, but that is what animals do. Animals are just that, animals and the animals they have here aren't trained so it is a toss of a coin whether they will be out to see or not, it happens so I was very happy we got to see pretty much all of them. I could have stayed inside of the bird aviaries all day if my husband and kids weren't with. We didn't do the rays as it was an additional cost and we had done a similar thing the day before.

I loved all of the different gardens as well, a lot of the cactus had flowers and all kinds of birds, and small critters were out enjoying the weather as well. I caught some great shots for my nature photography page that I am looking forward to sharing. I also thought it was neat they have an art gallery to visit, they had some beautiful pieces that would be nice to own. If you are looking for a slightly cleaner and less trafficked bathroom, there was no one inside of the art gallery when we were in there which meant the bathrooms were also empty.

The minerals cave was also pretty neat, the kids really liked that they had a "real life" cave experience where you could squeeze through to the other side. Being able to do a walk/mini hike while exploring the grounds and looking at animals was a lot of fun. If I lived closer I would visit here more often! The reptile house was nice, there was a lot to see and the Aquarium was pretty cool as well. Get there early if you want a parking spot closer to the entrance! The parking lot fills up fast, then you'll have to park further back and take a mini hike just to get to the entrance. We got there right as they were opening and there was already quite a bit of traffic. When everyone went to see the birds of prey show we used it as a chance to check out the reptile house since there were only a few people in it & when we went to the aquarium, we had the whole thing to ourselves aside from one staff member fixing/cleaning something on a tank.

It was a blast to visit and I can't...

I can't believe the experience i had at this place. Straight racist people here. A place filled with white people discriminating carmel color skinned people. Withholding items that belonged to the kid that I signed up for AND paid for. Even when I explained, they still refused to hand me the items. I wasn't stealing or doing anything wrong. Thay was supposed to be a "free gift" thay was supposed to come with the new membership. Even when i was frustrated, NOT ONE PERSON TRIED TO UNDERSTAND or help resolve the situation. I felt like i was being attacked by 5 white people all around me. And the crazy thing is, i went to pick up a gift that belonged to my child. I did not go there to have 5 people stand around like i was a crazy person, make me feel on the defensive side. The last time i felt that way was in High School. CRAZY. SMH DISGUSTING AND HUMILIATING experience!!! The amount of STRESS and ANXIETY those people made me go through on a consistent basis just to receive the gift the membership came with is ABSOLUTELY UNEXCEPTABLE!!! Tucson is CRAZY with the racist and judgmentals of each demographic groups. If you are of color, or at least LOOK like a different race besides the typical white and wealthy people, then you will have issues here with the staff. I am STILL in absolute SHOCK. Absolutely NO APPOLOGY and no consideration for the kids involved. I paid for a kid membership so that the child can be involved in programs their age and be out, learning and growing. This place is a red flag for money money money instead of truly desiring kids to be out and learning and doing whatever they can to help find a resolution instead of a dead end. 🙄 Maybe i was spoiled in the big city that i came from that has all varieties of race. I continue to have high expectations here in Tucson, but experiences like this remind me the reality of it. I will NEVER support this place with admission fees or anymore memberships. The only time we would go is during the culture passes. This place is beautiful but unfortunately run by racist white people who categorize you and discriminate you in a demographic group. Shame on the staff there. 👎

BE AWARE OF THIS PLACE IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE CATEGORY OF WHITE...

I visited the Desert Museum on March 25, 2025, as one of five first-grade teachers from Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) accompanying our students on a rare field trip. We arrived from 9:00 a.m. to noon with five classes of first graders, five teachers, and several parent volunteers, traveling by two school buses.

The museum required us to pay in advance and charged us per student. We paid ahead of time for more students than actually attended, but when we arrived, we were told that fewer adult tickets would be given because of the lower student turnout. Despite the fact that we had already paid—and that teachers were there working—we were told we’d have to pay again if we wanted to enter. Our volunteers, who gave their time to help supervise, were treated the same.

I think that having a policy that teachers are volunteers is a bad policy.

I had to have an uncomfortable confrontation with the ticket office just to advocate for my place in the group. Eventually, someone in our group was able to get me a ticket, and I was able to enter the museum—but not before dealing with a very unpleasant and frustrating situation.

To make matters worse, we were there for just three hours—9 to noon—but still paid full price. Ultimately, we were not treated kindly. Given how rare field trips are for students, I expected more empathy and professionalism from a place that claims to support education. I won’t be recommending or returning after this experience.

The museum made lots of money that day from staff and adults buying food, petting the sting rays and memorabilia. A little kindness would...