Grateful to Yelp for inviting us Yelpers to come for the Momentos series at TMA, a celebration of…read moreArizona's Biennial Artists. What a stunning collection of local artists and their art. In addition to the beautiful artwork we could peruse, there was snacks and mangonadas, a DJ, and drinks. One of the museum staff also walked us through an activity to discuss and share our reactions to the art. I loved that she made it feel approachable, even for folks like me who are not art experts. My husband is a big art lover and ended up buying a membership before we left. Can't wait to come back to explore the rest of the collection! Highly recommend stopping by for the Momentos series this summer.

The building is absolutely beautiful. Go to see what is on offer. The collections are not my…read morefavorite, but of course everyone's tastes differ. There are absolute gems in terms of the ancient pottery collection, the Peruvian exhibit, and the Puerto Rican artist featured on the first floor. However, I found a lot of the contemporary art... so-so. It's just not compelling enough to fill the space. I was excited for the special AZ exhibit, but only about half of what was shown was interesting. I'll definitely go back. Exhibits rotate and collectiona expand. I look forward to returning.

Parking was $2 an hour across the avenue at a lot…read more The staff were friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed the art exhibits and especially the set ups for creating one's own art. Small but impressive and doable in a couple of hours or less.

We had seen a documentary a year or so ago about an art theft of a de Kooning painting from this…read moremuseum ("The Thief Collector"). It was interesting so we thought that since we'd be in Tucson anyway, we'd stop by and check out the museum and the semi-recently restored artwork (the thieves died of old age and it was recovered via their estate sale, basically). The museum is located in the middle of the University of Arizona campus. There may be street parking even closer, but we parked in a multi-story public parking deck about 3 blocks away. The deck is behind a 7-11 on the corner. Fees for parking were quite reasonable (we paid less than $3 for almost an hour). Entry to the museum is free. The lady at the reception desk gave us an overview gave directions to the de Kooning when we asked (I'm guessing they get that question a lot). They weren't defensive about it. :) There were 4 main areas / displays when we visited: - the main modern galleries - the main early / medieval galleries (which were being renovated) - an exhibit of local high school art competition winners - a special exhibit of sort of grotesque charcoal nudes of late-middle aged artists We got to see the de Kooning, which is what we came for (though none of us are fans of his art, per se). It was the only work protected with a plexiglass housing (so if you come for theft, steal something else this time...). My favorite here was actually a work by Georgia O'Keefe. There was also a Calder mobile and some works by a Spanish modern artist that my daughter recognized from a class. I'm not a huge fan of medieval art, so it wasn't a huge blow to discover this area was closed. We browsed the high school stuff. Some of it was interesting. We hit the final area before leaving. They even cautioned you about 'representation of the human body', or some such, when you check in. Rather than be snarky, I'll just state that this really wasn't something I was interested in, and leave it at that. Given that this is a university-based art museum, and not some major city's premier art venue, I thought it was decent. I was glad we stopped by.

I love MOCA! I've been twice now and both exhibits have been so cool. Thought provoking, well…read morecurated & innovative. Definitely a must see if someone is visiting town. I went into 'Dazzled' today not having any idea what it was about and learned so much interesting stuff! (Like about the giant abstractly painted warships and how armies used ad-executives for master deception)- last time I was there that side room had some insanely provocative shrine-type setup, so cool. They have a super cute little shop at the entrance. It's only $5 to get in if you're not a member (and there are free days) and SO worth it. I like that the installations are multi-sensory experiences which speakers and/or headphones, etc. They were handing out free KXCI radio-station branded headphones today because they're a sponsor of the Dazzled exhibit, but I think they could've put more thought into this. I'm all for free swag and I see the link to the OMD music but they should give people a code to scan on their phones so they can use the headphones for an audio tour of the exhibit or something. Or an app linked to each aspect of the exhibit if you didn't want to put the other headphones on. Even a link to OMD Spotify playlist would be fun. ALSO the headphones should be decorated with unique Dazzle inspired design

The Museum of Contemporary Art is making the most of its relatively small footprint, with distinct…read moreexhibitions such as "The Relevance of Your Data" and the Plein Air collection. The modern garage-style area at the entry is a versatile space for the Free Third Thursdays events, with indoor/outdoor flow allowing for music, food-truck access, and patio seating. A unique asset for Tucson's downtown art scene!

This is my favorite place to go! I Love this museum and all…read morethe little details. It feels magical in here! I've been several times and each time I discover something different!

I came for the first time today with my granddaughter, what a fun experience! There was room after…read moreroom of minis and dollhouses. We got a scavenger hunt to find 5 fairies, and we found them all! She got a little prize for finding them all! It took about an hour to go through, and it was fun and special for our little outing, and the staff was very friendly!

What a transformation! It had been years since my prior visit, and the investment made and…read moreresulting upgrades are phenomenal! The planetarium theater itself is stunning and the amazing seats are so comfy. But note that the attraction has been renamed "Science Center and Planetarium" because there's also the Wild World of Bugs, Undersea Discovery, a fascinating shark exhibit and an asteroid cave! Various spaces are also available for rental for private events, too, including BIRTHDAY PARTIES! Pro tip: there is limited FREE STREET PARKING on the south curb of Hawthorne St, immediately behind the Center. Let staff know you're parked there to get a dashboard display ticket!

This was a fun place to go if you have a couple of hours. This is more geared towards families with…read morekids, however I was solo and had a great time. I loved going to the show in the planetarium. It was about an hour long with a short show and then a presentation of what the current Tucson skies look like. There are two stories to explore with a small gift shop. There are interactive displats throughout. Glad I got to experience the Flandrau and then had a walk along the mall of the UofA.

Every couple of years when I'm down in Tucson, I love coming back to the Pima Air & Space Museum…read more This place is massive, and there is a ton to check out. My watch tracked about three miles of walking today just wandering around looking at everything. They have everything from the world's smallest airplane to a replica Wright Brothers airplane, an SR-71 Blackbird, and an F-14 Tomcat. There are so many different planes, jets, and helicopters that you can easily spend several hours here. Seeing some of these things up close really gives you an appreciation for how big they actually are. They also have a pretty good-sized space exhibit with information about the Mercury and Apollo programs and space shuttle stuff. At the $22 I paid for admission, I think it's a pretty reasonable price for how much there is to see. The one thing I wish they had more of is opportunities to look inside the planes and cockpits. It would be awesome to see inside something like the Super Guppy or some of the big bombers. Even walking through one of the 747s would be really cool, especially for people who have never flown on a plane that size. You can appreciate them from the outside, but I'd love to see what all that space looks like inside. Still, this is absolutely a five-star stop for me. If you like aircraft, space, or just checking out some really cool machines, give yourself plenty of time and wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of ground to cover!

Amazing experience to see all the aircraft up close and personal. I love all history behind all…read moreaircraft. We came during a heatwave so the tours in the open tram was HOT and uncomfortable. I definitely want to come back when the weather is cooler. Luckily there were buildings with large fans and AC so you can cool down. Highly recommend this place!

What a fantastic hidden gem in Tucson, Arizona! It was so interesting to tour the DeGrazia Gallery,…read morelearning about the artist, and enjoying his art. The landscaping and his Cactus Courtyard with infused art elements was just gorgeous. There is a small chapel to tour as well as his home. Amazing to see the tiny little kitchen that they worked with back in those days This museum is definitely worth the reasonable entrance fee. Parking is plentiful. Accessibility is possible. In my group we had someone who had a mobility scooter. There are special ways to travel through the area where the mobility scooter can get through. Just ask for assistance.

Wow, this is a beautiful gallery with such rich and wonderful Tucson cultural landmark that should…read morebe on anyone's list who fancies a bit of southwestern art and history. I visited the gallery on a recent trip and was surprised to find it located just a mile from where I was staying. The $10 admission fee is absolutely worth it to explore the gallery, the mission and DeFrazia's home. The gift shop is splendid and I purchased a beautiful print to take home. If you are in Tucson, do not miss this place!

This place is small but really cool. The Tucson Military Vehicle Museum has a great collection of…read moretanks, armored vehicles, military trucks, and other equipment ranging from World War II up to much more modern vehicles. Seeing these things up close is pretty impressive. Some of them are absolutely massive. It's a fairly quick museum to check out. I'd say about an hour or a little more if you take your time and read all the information about the vehicles. The signs have a good amount of history and details, so it's worth slowing down instead of just walking through and looking at everything. They also offer a discounted combo ticket with the Pima Air & Space Museum, which is a nice option if you want to check out both while you're in the area. The one thing I wish they offered was a chance to look inside or get into one or two of the vehicles. It would be really cool to climb into the back of something like a Bradley and get a feel for how cramped it would be with people and equipment packed in there. Looking at the outside definitely makes you curious about the inside. Overall, this is a really cool stop if you like military history or just want to see some impressive vehicles up close. I'm glad I checked it out!

What a great collection of historic and modern military vehicles! This is an important part of our…read morehistory and now you can see what our armed forces used. This is a great opportunity to get close to amazing vehicles from different countries. The building is packed with so many things, I think they should have built a bigger building!

great place to visit there's just so much to see i've gotten a membership for the past five years…read moreand visit on the regular basis while I'm in Tucson. All the staff that I encountered were courteous, knowledgeable and as helpful as they could be. They're just so many photographic opportunities and so many things to study and learn. I think it is a great place for adults families and children and people of a certain age. Every year they've been expanding exhibits to appeal to families.And i'm sure the next year we'll have even more. Every year I tried to see every single exhibit and study all of them in detail why I'm in town and take full advantage of the educational opportunities at the museum to learn about the Sonoran desert and the desert in general. I know it sounds weird, but I think the desert is a lot like the ocean. There's always something new to see indifferent, even in the areas that you've seen before. It's a great place to see birds too. The whole place is clean and well laid out It's not really a museum in the classical sense it's a combination of many things all that have an educational emphasis. A nature park. A botanical center, a cactus arboretum, It's a perfect opportunity to visit a zoo which is not really a zoo it's more of an educational opportunity and to see some animals up close and personal and museum as well as displays of art and a walk in the desert. There have been over 250 species of animals that have been noted both inside the enclosures and outside in the desert walk area The walk in the desert is probably one of the safest ones you can do if you're by yourself Some of the displays of the animals are above ground and some of them offer you an opportunity to see them below ground. There is an aquarium type exhibit that emphasizes what water does in the desert. Lots of things to see and do. Each area has a different type of emphasis, I would be remiss if I didn't mention a good coffee shop that carries Caribou coffee and pastries and a nice small grill type restaurant. My impression is that as an organization and institution they've been trying to protect the Sonoran desert area around Tucson and just deserts in general for over 75 years. I'll renew my membership when I get back. It's worth it.

Spent the day exploring the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and came away impressed by just how alive…read morethe desert really is. We spotted gray wolves prowling their habitat, mountain bighorn sheep showing off their cliff-climbing skills, a bobcat perfecting the art of looking unimpressed, busy beavers ( not so busy but napping), playful river otters, and hummingbirds zipping around like tiny feathered helicopters. The desert definitely turned the thermostat up to "extra crispy," but with plenty of water, shade breaks, and determination, we made it work. A great reminder that the Sonoran Desert is far more than cactus and rocks. It's an entire world hiding in plain sight.

Beautiful, smaller scale botanical garden with spirited animal and Frida Kahlo exhibits. I just…read moreattended a wedding here and it was a beautiful, charming venue. Gave the event a magical touch

I love this little hidden treasure in the middle of town. Although it's on the smaller scale…read more(compared to larger city botanical gardens) it is always a fun place to visit. The cacti & curated gardens are beautiful, they currently have the Frida Kahlo exhibit with brightly colored displays it matched perfectly with the Sonoran desert landscape. I especially enjoy the butterfly enclosure, the Barrio Gardin surrounded by adobe walls and reclaimed objects as planters and the birds that call this place home. You can grab lunch or a snack and sit under the big shade tree on the patio. They host events, check their website or become a member to receive updates.