Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Shows Southwestern Wildlife, Plants & Geology

There are a lot of good reasons for Arizona visitors to head south for a quick trip to Tucson. It has some great outdoor activities, and some of the better museums in the state. It's a great draw for out-of-state visitors - and for Phoenix residents looking for alternatives to our local attractions.

One of the most underrated and overlooked of the museums is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson). It's about 20 minutes west of Tucson, so it's a bit out of the way. But it's worth the extra drive since it's three stops in one: zoo, botanical garden and natural history museum.

The animals really take top billing. The enclosures sprawl across the majority of the site. They're also featured in a busy schedule of live appearances. Mountain lions, beavers, javelina and various birds are some of the more popular exhibits - along with some great exhibits with venomous snakes.

The animal highlight during my November 2009 visit was the Raptor Free Flight (daily at 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Oct. 24 - April 10). Museum docents who specialize in working with raptors took a pair of ravens, a great horned owl and a falcon into the open air for demonstrations of their flying ability. It's a great opportunity for photography, so be sure to bring a good telephoto lens. The docents share some great knowledge and clearly understand the raptors very well.

Since the museum is set in the high desert at nearly 2,500 feet above sea level, it's a perfect place to check out the state's fauna. This can seem a bit mundane to longtime Arizona residents, but out-of-state visitors will get good views of just about every plant that grows in the state. There's a wealth of saguaros, palo verde trees, agave and other plants on display. You'll also find information about the plants and some of their many uses.

The geology information is also pretty fascinating. You'll find out the geological processes that formed that area that's now home to the museum. But the real high point is seeing the different gem and mineral specimens from around the state. Many of the samples were pulled from mines throughout Arizona. Again, you'll find some great photography opportunities here - but be sure to have a lens that's effective in low light. A small tripod may also help: Most of the minerals are displayed in a dim area with some backlighting. And using a flash will just bounce harsh light off the display cases.

Before you arrive, you'll have to navigate a fairly twisty, two-lane road through a mountain pass. Visitors from flatter parts of the country may get a bit nervous - just take your time and be careful. Plan to spend about three hours to get a good look at everything at the museum. Tickets cost up to $13 for adults in the high season (September to May).

http://www.desertmuseum.org/