Experts' Choice Award Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
What the experts agree on
Despite the name, this is a hybrid zoo, botanical garden, and aquarium showcasing Sonoran Desert wildlife—coyotes, mountain lions, hummingbirds, cacti—on sprawling grounds that easily fill half a day.
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"Home to cacti, coyotes and palm-sized hummingbirds, this ode to the Sonoran desert is one... that'll entertain young and old for easily half a day." Full review
i
Wear a hat and walking shoes, and remember that the big cats are most active in the morning.
Travel + Leisure "The property features a zoo, natural history museum, and botanical garden all in one venue." Full review
Afar Magazine "Southern Arizona is one of the world's birdwatching meccas." Full review
Fodor's "The name "museum" is a bit misleading, since this delightful site is actually a zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden featuring the animals, plants and, even fish of the Sonoran Desert." Full review
Where "Botanical garden, zoo and natural-history museum, all set on 21 acres of desert." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"Founded in 1952, Sonora Desert open-air museum is stunning." Full review
i
Don't miss the Hummingbird Aviary.
U.S. News & World Report1.0
"The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's 98 acres host 230 animal species – including prairie dogs, coyotes and a mountain lion – and 1,200 local plant species...visitors get acquainted with desert life. " Full review
i
In fact, 85 percent of what you'll experience is outdoors (so dress accordingly).
Frommer's "Don't be fooled by the name. This is a zoo, and it's one of the best in the country." Full review
New York Times "The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — part botanical garden, part gallery space, part aquarium — is also a zoo with naturalistic habitats where you can spot wildlife from pathways that often..."
Condé Nast Traveler "The next day I visited the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's botanical gardens with research specialist Jesús García, who is tping Indigenous and Mexican techniques to face climate change...."
