MORE FUN IN ARIZONA
After the excitement of the Annual Tucson Rodeo, why not stay longer in Arizona and explore other attractions in the area. If your current view of museums is one of dull, dark buildings full of uninteresting and poorly-displayed items, then a visit to some of the museums in Tucson and Arizona will dispel that myth forever.
For the ex-military and aviation buffs the Pima Air and Space Museum is a must. The world’s largest privately-owned and the third largest aviation museum in the world is housed on 80 acres with over 200 indoor and outdoor aircraft exhibits. The display, mainly of military aircraft illustrates aviation history from post-WW1, WW2, the Korean Conflict and the Cold War years through to Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. It includes rare US and foreign types while its VIP collection has “Air Force One,” the official air transport of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. An added attraction is a tour of the Aircraft Maintenance & Regeneration Centre (AMRC) which is inside the nearby Davis Monthan USAF Base. Here literally 1000’s of civil and military aircraft are stored. Many can be placed back in service or are merely sources of spares. The high temperature and low humidity of Arizona protecting them from corrosion The Airstrip Diner will provide food and drink to sustain you and the family during your visit to this unique site.
The Arizona State Museum is housed on the campus of the Arizona State University and is Arizona’s premier research facility. Established in 1893, it houses the world’s largest collection of southwest Indian pottery in the world. The museum store is the place to obtain that different souvenir of your holiday visit. You can purchase replicas of the items in the museum’s rare collections of Southwest Indian culture, artistry and traditions.
For more than 50 years the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museumhas been dedicated to conservation in the Sonora Desert. It is both a natural history museum and a beautiful botanical garden. All exhibits expertly re-create the natural landscape and environment of the desert. Two miles of paths traverse 21 acres with 300 animal species and 1200 kinds of plants displayed in amazing natural habitats. You will literally come face to face with Mountain Lions, Gila Monsters and many more. The Ironwood Terrace and the Ocotillo Café provide the essential rations during your desert trek and the Mountain House Gift Shop will supply the required souvenirs.
The Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum. Arizonahas a long association with mining and is renowned for its diversity of minerals and copper. The town of Bisbee, once known as “The Queen of the Copper Camps,” is in the Mule Mountains in Southeast Arizona. Although mining here ended in 1970, the legacy has been preserved in an outstanding museum. Once the corporate headquarters of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company, the museum is a tribute to the town and its citizens. After viewing the exhibits you can don a hard hat and yellow slickers and with a miner’s lamp descend 1500 feet for the Queen Mine Tour. You will experience what it was like to work underground in a temperature at a constant 4 degrees C (47 degrees Fahrenheit)
This is just small sample of the huge number of museums covering all aspects of life in Arizona. The diversity is amazing and obviously there are far too many for one article. We hope this has provided the stimulus to visit the region, if only to enjoy the sunshine and blue skies and hopefully change your current views on museums.
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