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These 13 Tucson-area museums have free admission today
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These 13 Tucson-area museums have free admission today

  • Gerald M. Gay
  • Sep 21, 2019
  • Sep 21, 2019 Updated Sep 27, 2019

On Saturday, September 21, museums across the country will offer free admission as part of Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day initiative, including at least 13 museums in Southern Arizona. 

One ticket, available to download through the Smithsonian magazine website, will give you and a guest access to any one of the following locations: 

 

Arizona History Museum — 949 E. Second St.

Arizona History Museum — 949 E. Second St.

See Wyatt Earp's pistol, Spanish artifacts and a wide range of other Arizona relics at this museum, located within walking distance of the University of Arizona campus. 

Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Arizona State Museum — 1013 E. University Blvd

Arizona State Museum
Arizona State Museum

The Arizona State Museum was established in 1893 and is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest, according to its website. 

It's known for its massive collection of Southwest Indian pottery and American Indian basketry.

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 

DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun — 6300 N. Swan Road

DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun — 6300 N. Swan Road
Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

This museum was designed and built by famed Tucson artist Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia and pays homage to the popular local figure with both permanent and rotating exhibits. 

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Fort Lowell Museum — 2900 N. Craycroft Road

Fort Lowell Museum — 2900 N. Craycroft Road
Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

Get to know Fort Lowell, an important outpost for the Tucson area during the Apache Wars of the late 1800s. 

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fort Lowell Museum is free daily.

Museum of Contemporary Art — 265 S. Church Ave.

Museum of Contemporary Art - 265 S. Church Ave.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star

MOCA holds the distinction of being Tucson's only museum dedicated entirely to contemporary art. 

Hours: Noon-5 p.m. 

Tohono Chul — 7366 N. Paseo del Norte

Another garden option, Tohono Chul is a jewel on Tucson's northwest side, with 49 acres of land celebrating the desert that surrounds us. The park will keep you busy with nature trails, demonstration gardens and exhibits. 

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Tucson Botanical Gardens — 2150 N. Alvernon Way

Tucson Botanical Gardens — 2150 N. Alvernon Way
Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

To sum it up, the Tucson Botanical Gardens “connects people with plants and nature through art, science, history and culture,” its website says.

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Tucson Desert Art Museum — 7000 E. Tanque Verde Road

Tucson Desert Art Museum — 7000 E. Tanque Verde Road
Courtesy Google Maps

Travel to Tucson's east side to see the Desert Art Museum's treasure trove of Navajo and Hopi textiles, Western art and historic artifacts. 

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

University of Arizona Museum of Art — 1031 N. Olive Road

University of Arizona Museum of Art — 1031 N. Olive Road

"Skin of Earth" was among the works by El Anatsui El Anatsui shown at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. 

Courtesy University of Arizona Museum of Art

Located on the University of Arizona campus, the UA Museum of Art hosts a collection of permanent works (think Georgia O’Keeffe), as well as rotating exhibits. 

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Amerind Museum — 2100 N Amerind Road, Dragoon

Amerind Museum — 2100 N Amerind Road, Dragoon
A.E. Araiza/ Arizona Daily Star

The Amerind Museum is one of Southern Arizona's hidden gems, located in Dragoon, Arizona, amid the towering rocks of Texas Canyon, about 60 miles west of Tucson. 

Established in 1937, the museum is packed with Western art and Indian artifacts. 

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum — 5 Copper Queen Plaza, Bisbee

Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum — 5 Copper Queen Plaza, Bisbee
Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

The Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum takes you back to the rough-and-tumble early days of the town, nestled in the heart of the Mule Mountains.  

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park — 1 Burruel St., Tubac

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park — 1 Burruel St., Tubac
Chris Coduto / for the Arizona Daily Star

Located 44 miles south of Tucson, off of Interstate 19, Tubac Presidio State Park and Museum takes a look at life in the Southwest with exhibits showcasing everything from Arizona's first printing press to an ambulance from the 1850s. 

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Tubac Center of the Arts — 9 Plaza Road, Tubac

Tubac Center of the Arts — 9 Plaza Road, Tubac
Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star

After visiting Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, head down the road to the Tubac Center of the Arts for art exhibits, workshops and lectures.

Hours: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tubac Center of the Arts is free every day.

GeraldGay

Gerald M. Gay

Reporter

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