Appreciating Wildlife at the Sonora Desert Museum

In the modern world, it is rare to find a place filled with natural beauty and wildlife, and that is exactly what the Sonora Desert Museum has to offer. It is a place that pays tribute to nature, and if you are a nature-lover or are just dying to get back to basics, this museum should be on your list of tourist attractions to visit. Kids will also have a lot of fun learning about different animals at the museum, as it is world-renowned for its 21 acres of natural desert with wild plants and species.

The Sonora Desert Museum is located 2.5 miles into North Kinney Road. To get to North Kinney Road from the I-10, the easiest way is to exit at Speedway Blvd. Exit and continue west until you reach North Kinney Road. You can also reach the museum if you are traveling from I-19 by taking the Ajo Way west exit, which will take you directly to Kinney Road, around 7.5 miles away from the museum.

There are lots of things to do and to see at the Sonora Desert Museum. First things first, however, don’t forget to watch the live animal presentation entitled “Live and On The Loose.” The quarter-hour program is featured daily at the Warden Oasis Theater at around noontime. It is a show featuring museum personnel and, of course, live animals. Don’t worry, you won’t be harmed. In fact, you’ll have lots of fun. Aside from the presentation, the top activity that the museum offers is nature-walking. With 21 acres of natural desert, the museum will require you to be on your feet a lot. That’s why they also provide wheelchairs and strollers if you find them necessary. The wheelchairs and strollers are allowed in all the exhibits in the museum. If you think you’ll be needing one, though, get it as early as you can because they are provided on a first come first served basis. You can also look around at the other attractions there such as the Cactus Gardens, Desert Loop Trail, Desert Garden, Cat Canyon, and a Walk-in Aviary.

Sonora Desert Museum also offers guided tours with an experienced animal keeper, who can provide you with knowledge about the different animals that you will see as you go along. The “Walk with a Keeper” tour takes you around ½ mile of the compound and lasts about half an hour. You will not only learn about animals through this tour, you can also get up close to rare animals such as otters and bighorns. Take note, however, that this tour is available on Thursdays only. If interested, go as early as possible because reservations are not allowed, and tickets are on a first come first served basis. Ticket selling ends at 10:15 AM and the tour starts at 10:30 AM.

To enjoy Sonora Desert Museum to its fullest, take note of the following details:

Opening hours: Museum is open daily from 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM from March-September, and 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM from October-February. Open on holidays.

Phone numbers: (520) 883-2702

Entrance fees: June-August: adults $9, kids 6-12 $2; September-May: adults $12, kids 6-12 $4; Children under 5 are free. Walk with a Keeper tour: $25.

Reservations: Entrance reservations are not necessary. Tour tickets cannot be reserved. School trips or college group tours in should be scheduled online at the Sonora Desert Museum website or at (520) 883-3080.