Mark your calendars now for these fun events! And as always, we'll send you an invitation before each one.
Dinosaurs, volcanoes, ancient seas, and more. The story of our prehistoric past lies right outside our doors. Steve Russell of Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation will share the clues to our past and lead us on a hike up Arrastra Wash in Tucson Mountain Park to show them to us first hand. Total hike time 1 hour, distance 1.5 miles. Afterwards, visit our grounds for the Mineral Madness sale and Geology Rocks! family fun fair (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.).
On this Valentine's Day, what better way to show your love for the Sonoran Desert than by helping to protect it? We'll learn about a major threat to our desert ecosystem, the invasive species called buffelgrass, how to identify it, and how to fight it. Then we'll put our new knowledge to work and clear buffelgrass from a piece of the desert near the Museum.
Our new clubhouse is full of surprises, including beautiful animal scultpures by Mark Rossi, a local sculptor who specializes in lifelike, life-sized Sonoran Desert animals. It may surprise you that these three dimensional bronzes often start out as drawings on paper. Mark Rossi joins us for an art workshop to share his drawing techniques for bringing scultpure to life. We'll see his works around grounds, meet and draw live animals, and more!
Before hardware and clothing stores came to the Sonoran Desert, where would you have gone to get rope or cloth? You'd make them from plant and animal fibers. From agave to yucca and cotton to wool, the Sonoran Desert region has many natural fibers. Help celebrate this International Year of Natural Fibers by pounding, plaiting, and weaving fibers from close to home.
In the summer, many of Tucson's buildings and bridges become temporary lodging for colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats. Join the Desert Museum's very own bat biologist Karen Krebbs at a mid-town location to observe them. We'll explore the amazing world of bats and just what they're up to out in the night, then watch thousands of bats emerge as they start the night shift.
How do animals "talk" to each other? Join us for a summer evening and discover the many voices, postures, and more that Sonoran Desert animals use to communicate.
Here in the desert, we're keenly aware that sunlight is a powerful force. U of A optical scientists will help us explore the components of light, how plants and animals deal with the sun's intensity, and sun safety. They'll also teach us how to make our own kaleidoscope to take home.
Help us celebrate the Coati Kids Club's 15th birthday with a sleepover at the Desert Museum. We'll meet nocturnal animals, take a night hike, and breakfast with the beasts the next morning.
Plus, Coati Kids get discounts to our Summer Museum Explorers kid's camps. This year's camps will be from June 1 - 4, June 22 - 25, and July 27- 30. Check the summer camp page for more information.