This week is National Volunteer Appreciation Week and we couldn’t be more appreciative of our 600 active volunteers here at the Desert Museum! On average, our volunteers donate over 130,000 hours of their time (which is equivalent to 63 full time employees) a year! We have 39 volunteers who have been with the Museum 15…

Happy Earth Day! We thought it would be fun to dive deep into the history of this wonderful day as we commemorate its 50th Anniversary! Read on about Interpretive Programs Coordinator Phil Brown’s first hand experience during the beginnings of what we now celebrate as Earth Day. Today is Earth Day; in fact, it is the 50th Anniversary of…

With COVID-19 causing nonprofits across the nation to struggle, most are trying to adapt to these difficult times. The world as we knew it has changed, including the viability of local nonprofit organizations. Due to ongoing global uncertainty, no one knows when organizations will be allowed to reopen, or what the future looks like even…

Many of you may remember the fire on Sentinel Peak in 2017 during the 4th of July fireworks. That year the slope was dry from the late monsoon season and embers from fireworks sparked a fire on the southern slope of the hill. Tucson Fire put the fire out, but not before about 5 acres…

When asked to describe a desert, people usually respond with: dry, hot, null of life. Far from the truth, the Sonoran Desert is actually one of the most diverse desert ecosystems in the world and that is largely due to our weather. Many newcomers are surprised to learn that the Sonoran Desert does not have…

Yes, a butterfly is an arthropod and makes for a cute Halloween costume but let’s dive a little deeper into the often overlooked and misunderstood critters found in this phylum and discover why you should dress up as an amazing arthropod this spooky season! Arthropods are the most diverse group of creatures on the planet,…

Editors Note: We have reworded the paragraph regarding where to harvest prickly pear fruit here in Tucson. We would like to apologize for not including the very relevant fact that harvesting prickly pear fruit has been a traditional practice for generations for Native Americans. We are thankful for the continued education and shared knowledge from…

Photo: Miguel Vigil I see nothing but darkness. It is stiff, poking and jabbing me at all sides. From above, cold liquid begins to seep in and surround me. The cool is refreshing, invigorating even, yet the way it wraps around me brings forth a small knot of anxiety. The liquid continues to flow, with…

“Thank you, Next” to single-use plastics. It’s 2019 and we are here for the reusable products only revolution! Earth Day has come and gone (even though truthfully, every day is Earth Day) but did you know that we are in the middle of Plastic Free July? The Desert Museum is partaking in the 31-day Plastic-Free…