- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum logoDate opened September 1, 1952[1] Location Tucson, Arizona Land area 98 acres (40 ha)[1] (21 acres (8.5 ha) accessible to the public)[2] Coordinates 32°14′38″N 111°10′5″W / 32.24389°N 111.16806°WCoordinates: 32°14′38″N 111°10′5″W / 32.24389°N 111.16806°W Number of animals 12,370[3] Number of species Over 300[2] Annual visitors 500,000[2] Memberships AZA,[4] Website www.desertmuseum.org The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a 98-acre (40 ha) museum and zoo founded in 1952 and located in Tucson, Arizona. It contains a museum and two miles (3.2 km) of walking paths on 21 acres (8.5 ha) of this property, and is one of the most visited attractions in Tucson. The facility combines the attractions of a zoo, museum, and botanical garden, with a focus is the plants and animals that live in the Sonoran Desert, and it was a pioneer in the creation of naturalistic enclosures for its animals.
The museum is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and attracts over 500,000 visitors each year.
Contents
History
The ASDM was created by William Carr and Arthur Pack and opened in 1952 as the "Arizona-Sonora Desert Trailside Museum." It was one of the first naturalistic zoos in the United States. The founders originally found a lot of opposition due to the local concept at the time of a zoo as "terrible, little roadside snakefarms."[1]
The site chosen for the facility was 12 miles (19 km) West of Tucson—98 acres (40 ha) of mostly natural desert with some structures originally constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and known as the "Mountain House." The land, then and now, was owned by Pima County and leased to the museum. The first board of trustees was not formed until months after the facility was opened, and one of its first acts was to change the name to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.[1]
A cougar at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. This image shows the natural surroundings created for the animal enclosures.
Programs
The zoo has a Junior Docent program, in which teens 13-18 years old can learn about the plants and animals at the museum. Junior Docent volunteer one day each weekend to present certain Sonoran Desert-related information to museum visitors.[5]
Education
The Center for Sonoran Desert Studies, founded in 2005, conducts the educational and scientific functions of the Museum and is a hub for research, education and conservation of the Sonoran Desert.
Demonstrations
Various regular demonstrations are held throughout the day. Amongst the animal talks and demonstrations is the twice daily Raptor Free Flight, where a wide variety of raptors are flown for the audience to see.[6][7]
The future
In 2004, the museum announced an $18 million capital campaign, of which $12 million had already been raised. This was the largest fund-raising effort undertaken at the time, and will provide money for the museum's endowment, a new education building, jaguar/mountain lion habitat, and an animal retirement facility.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e "A History of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum". desertmuseum.org. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. http://www.desertmuseum.org/about/history.php. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
- ^ a b c "An Introduction to ASDM". desertmuseum.org. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. http://www.desertmuseum.org/about/. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
- ^ "The ASDM Collections". desertmuseum.org. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. http://www.desertmuseum.org/about/collections.html. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
- ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. http://www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list/. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
- ^ "Junior Docent Program". desertmuseum.org. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/jrdocents.php. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
- ^ Arizona Daily Star description of the Desert Museum written by Veronica Cruz
- ^ Sonora Desert Museum Raptor Free Flights
External links
Zoos of Arizona - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
- Cameron Zoo
- Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary
- Keepers of the Wild
- Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park
- Out of Africa Wildlife Park
- Phoenix Zoo
- Reid Park Zoo
- Wildlife World Zoo
Zoos, aquariums, and aviaries Types of zoos Conservation Lists Animals Other topics - Animals in captivity
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- Captive breeding
- Frozen zoo
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- Nocturnal house
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Categories:- Zoos in Arizona
- Sonoran Desert
- Buildings and structures in Tucson, Arizona
- Botanical gardens in Arizona
- Museums established in 1952
- Museums in Tucson, Arizona
- Natural history museums in Arizona
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