Attractions
Much like nearby big brother Phoenix, Tucson is primarily
celebrated as a gateway to the glories of the desert, but there are
worthwhile sightseeing attractions within the city as well.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Sabino Canyon, the Mission San
Xavier del Bac, the Tucson Mountain Park, Madera Canyon and the
incredible caves in the Colossal Cave Mountain Park and Kartchner
Caverns State Park are very close by, providing spectacular scenery
for hikers and spelunkers. The iconic cowboy town of Tombstone is
also nearby, attracting travellers keen to experience the rough
charm of the Wild West.
Within the city of Tucson, popular stops on the tourist trail
include the Tucson Botanical Gardens, the Tucson Rodeo Parade
Museum (between January and March), and a number of interesting art
museums and galleries, like the University of Arizona Art Museum
and the Degrazia Gallery in the Sun.
If you intend to see and do a lot in Tucson it is worth
purchasing a Tucson Attractions Passport, a pocket travel guide
which offers discounts and coupons for many of the best attractions
in the region. The passport costs about $20 and can be bought
online or at the Tucson Visitor Center.
University of Arizona Art Museum
As part of the Edward J. Gallagher Memorial Collection, the
University of Arizona Art Museum, situated on campus, is home to an
impressive permanent collection including works by Jackson Pollock,
Franz Kline and Mark Rothko. The museum houses the C. Leonard
Pfeiffer Collection of...
see full detailsTucson Rodeo Parade Museum
At the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum, pioneer artefacts and a
re-created Western Main Street represent what Tucson looked like,
and what it had to offer in the way of businesses and services,
back in the old days of the Wild West. The museum...
see full detailsThe Mission San Xavier del Bac
This historic Spanish mission in the Tohono O'odham Nation
Reservation is located 10 miles (16km) south of the city (a
20-minute drive) and was founded by Father Kino in the 1660s. The
present church, a remarkable building, dates back to the 18th
century and...
see full detailsDeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is an iconic Tucson landmark
located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Established by
the famous artist, Ettore DeGrazia, the property is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and features a museum of
DeGrazia's...
see full detailsTrail Dust Town
Trail Dust Town is built on the site of a 1950s Western movie
set and is home to a vintage 1920s
Fiesta del Presidio
carousel and a museum dedicated to Western cavalry and dragoon
military units. Designed as a replica of a 19th-century...
see full detailsTucson Botanical Gardens
The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a major attraction, and not just
for the rich collection of cacti and desert wildflowers. An
educational walk highlights the history of the native Tohono
O'odham Indians and the work local scientists have done to preserve
native seeds. Be...
see full detailsPhilabaum Glass
Tom Philabaum is well known as one of America's foremost glass
artists, with exhibits throughout the Western world. His gallery
showcases and justifies this reputation with examples of his own
work, also exhibiting over 100 other nationally and internationally
celebrated glass artists. Aside from...
see full detailsValley of the Moon
The Valley of the Moon was designed to stimulate the imagination
of children and to awaken creativity and spirituality in all
visitors. Delve into a fantasy land in the desert, with historic
Western sites in a magical setting, created by George Phar Legler
in...
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