Tucson and the outlying Southern Arizona area have plenty of museums to keep you cool on a hot afternoon. We have written reviews, stories and events on several of them below. Many are of interest to kids. You may access these features from the Table of Contents below or scroll down to browse the excerpts.
See our article on History Museums here.
We have several videos on the most prominent of these museums. Use the Arrows in the slideshow to scroll through these videos.
Scroll down to peruse our posts on the museums. There are several pages, just click on the page number at the bottom or an excerpt to view more information on the museum of interest.
A Visit To The Cochise Hotel, Cochise AZ
It was a Sunday in mid-September when Ms. Karen and I left our home in the Tucson Mountains to travel to the Cochise Hotel to visit with the proprietor, Phil Gessert. We arrived at noon and Phil was sitting on the front porch waiting for us. The Cochise Hotel is the oldest hotel in Arizona and, I must say, it looks the part. It sits across the tracks from the active railroad midway between Benson … Continue reading
A Visit To The Pimeria Alta Museum
On a hot day in July 2023, Ms. Karen wanted to go to Nogales to visit the Pimeria Alta Historical Museum. She had seen an advertisement for a new Old Postcard Exhibit. It sounded interesting so we used it as an excuse to go. This museum is about Northern Sonora, Mexico, and Southern Arizona, the land that Father Kino called “Land of the Upper Pima”. Thus Pimeria Alta. The Pimeria Alta Museum is a small … Continue reading
African American Museum of Southern Arizona
I had contacted Beverly Elliott, Director of the new African American Museum of Southern Arizona about arranging a visit and a tour in early March 2023. She easily agreed to a date and time. I then wrote her that I had casually mentioned our tour to friends, who said “Hey, that sound really interesting. Can we go too?” So the six of us left home on a Monday morning to head for the Student Union … Continue reading
AHS Tucson Downtown History Museum
The Arizona Historical Society’s Tucson History Museum is about life in early Tucson. This is a small but very worthwhile museum if you want to understand the history and cultural heritage of Tucson.
Continue readingAmerind Foundation & Museum
The Amerind Museum is an internationally acclaimed Museum and research facility located between Benson and Willcox. The museum boasts an impressive collection of Native American artifacts as well as paintings by western artists. Nestled in Texas Canyon, the old Spanish Revival Museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of Indian artifacts. Founded by archaeologist William Shirley Fulton in 1937, the Amerind was named such in a concatenation of the words, American and … Continue reading
Apache May: An Indian Girl On The Slaughter Ranch
“Texas” John Slaughter was the sheriff who cleaned up Cochise County after the Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday left Arizona. He was as tough as they come and, among the outlaw class, earned the moniker “that wicked little gringo”. As despised and feared as he was by the outlaws, he was highly respected and much appreciated by the law-abiding ranchers, merchants, and miners. In 1896, ten years after Geronimo’s final surrender, some disgruntled Apaches left … Continue reading
Arizona State Museum
The Arizona State Museum celebrates the cultures of the Southwest. Native American blankets, baskets, and pottery. One of the finest collections of gems and minerals anywhere. While located just inside the University of Arizona campus just inside Main Gate, it is not part of the University but a State Museum. Visit the website at: Arizona State Museum Website 1013 E. University Blvd. To learn about more worthwhile museums in Tucson, whether art, history, science, or … Continue reading
Art Museums in Tucson and Southern Arizona
Art Museums Here is our list of Art Museums found around Tucson and Southern Arizona. The art on display in these museums are not for sale. The museums exist on donations, memberships and fees for admission. We will be publishing a list of some of the more prevalent Art Galleries, as well as galleries and exhibits in Parks and Gardens later in the month. Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block Today the Tucson Museum … Continue reading
Atanacia Santa Cruz Hughes: A Video
Ms. Karen and I were at the Tucson Presidio Museum in early March 2022 on a Saturday to witness Living History Days that included a presentation by Atanacia Santa Cruz Hughes, the wife of Sam Hughes (1850 to 1934). The Presidio presents Living HIstory Days once a month October – April. This Saturday you can see Living History Days. This month the presidio will present “The People Who Made Tucson” with a focus and presentations … Continue reading
Autumn Fest 2014 To Celebrate Apache Culture
AMERIND AUTUMN FEST 2014 CELEBRATES APACHE CULTURE The Amerind Museum is one of Southern Arizona Guide’s favorite attractions. It is located in beautiful Texas Canyon and will hold its Annual Autumn Fest October 18, 2014. The day-long event will celebrate the culture of the Apache Native people with food, family games, artists, singing and dancing. One noted performance is the internationally renowned “Yellow Bird Dancers” of the Arikara, Hidatsa and Apache tribes. They will perform … Continue reading