Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Catch Mineral Madness Jan 16 & 17 and get a head start on your gem & mineral shopping! Featuring shopping at the Mineral Marketplace, kid's activities and the Desert Museum's extensive regional mineral collection.

The vultures have landed! The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's new Vulture Culture exhibit opens next weekend! Join the celebration with temporary tattoos and face-painting for the kids and cake for everyone (while supplies last). Two turkey vultures and a black vulture committee* are the residents of one of the most innovative and creative exhibits ever developed by the Museum. It's a must-see!!! (*a group of vultures is called a committee, venue or volt)

The ultimate reference for the Sonoran Desert, the second edition of the classic, A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, is now available. This comprehensive book focuses on the Sonoran Desert's biodiversity, geology, weather, plants, and animals. New chapters include Sky Islands, Sea of Cortez, desert pollinators, and conservation issues. Available online from the ASDM Press and at the Desert Museum's gift shops next week.

The Celebration of Basketry and Native Foods Festival and Symposium offers an insider's look into the rich heritage and promising future of the native peoples of the Sonoran Desert. Partnering with Tohono O'odham Community Action (TOCA), the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum presents an immersive experience in the time-honored techniques of basket-weaving, cooking, language, arts and performance.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is supporting the American Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, by breeding the Museum's resident male ocelot to a female partner brought in specifically to facilitate the breeding. The Desert Museum and guests are getting ready to count down the days as kitten(s) would be born between Nov. 4 - Dec. 26, 2015.

Coming soon—Raptor Free Flight! Feel the brush of feathers as native birds of prey fly directly over your head! This popular presentation is a great photo opportunity! Catch them soaring over the beautiful Sonoran Desert and perched next to you in the observation area. Starts Saturday, Oct. 17th; two presentations daily 10am & 2pm.Free with museum admission.

Entrants must have taken their photo at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum with the past year. The three categories were: Advanced for cameras with interchangeable lenses; Basic for cameras, basic point-and-shoot and super zoom; and Instagram photos. In addition to first and second place in these categories, a Best of Show was selected.

Get unusual plants and expert advice at desert museum's annual plant sale. Shop hundreds of extraordinary desert plants adapted to this area including cacti, succulents, vines, plants for pots, and those that support the journey of the Monarch butterfly. Botanical experts are on hand to answer desert gardening questions. Members: Sept. 26; General Public - Sept. 27; 6:30am—1pm both days

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's Cool Summer Nights event series culminates in a bilingual celebration of the Spanish heritage of the Sonoran Desert, "Fiesta de Fin de Verano" (End of Summer Party) features music by four popular Spanish performers, live animal presentations, educational activities. All activities are presented in both English and Spanish. Regular admission rates; members free..

TripAdvisor marked the fifth year of the Certificate of Excellence by creating the Hall of Fame to honor businesses that have received the Certificate of Excellence consecutively for five years. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is in the first group of inductees.