Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

SONORAN DESERT EDUCATION THROUGH ZOOLOGICAL, BOTANICAL, GEOLOGICAL, AND CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS.

THE ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM IS A WORLD-RENOWNED BIOPARK, COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE COMPONENTS, INCLUDING REGIONAL ZOO, BOTANICAL GARDEN, AQUARIUM, RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, ART INSTITUTE, AND NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM. THE MUSEUM SITS ON 98 ACRES OF LEASED PROPERTY, 21 OF WHICH ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC WITH 2 MILES OF WALKING PATHS WHERE GUESTS VIEW EXHIBITS THAT REALISTICALLY RE-CREATE THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE VIBRANT SONORAN DESERT REGION. VISITORS WILL ENCOUNTER MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED ANIMAL SPECIES, CURATED GARDENS WITH OVER ONE THOUSAND VARIETIES OF PLANTS, AND TWO ART GALLERIES. THE MUSEUM IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC VISITATION EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. SINCE ITS OPENING IN 1952, APPROXIMATELY 23,745,000 PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAVE VISITED THE MUSEUM. OVER 13,000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CURRENTLY HOLD MEMBERSHIPS IN THE MUSEUM. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, ATTENDANCE AT THE MUSEUM WAS 252,785 VISITORS, UP 5% FROM PRIOR YEAR. ATTENDANCE CONTINUES TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. VISITATION, ALTHOUGH HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, IS STILL 38% BELOW PRE-PANDEMIC ATTENDANCE.EXHIBITS AND GARDENS: THE MUSEUM HOSTED 252,785 VISITORS IN FY 2021THE MUSEUM'S LARGEST AND MOST IMPACTFUL PROGRAM IS ITS EXHIBITS AND GARDENS. THE MUSEUM MAINTAINS 21 INTERPRETED ACRES WITH TWO MILES OF WALKING PATHS THROUGH VARIOUS DESERT HABITATS, OVER TWO HUNDRED ANIMAL SPECIES, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PLANT SPECIMENS FROM MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND TAXA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL MINERAL COLLECTIONS AND TWO ART GALLERIES. EXIT SURVEYS REVEAL THE IMPACT OF A DESERT MUSEUM VISIT. VISITORS TELL US THAT THEY LEARN ABOUT NEW SUBJECTS AND ISSUES, THEY FEEL CLOSER TO NATURE AND THEY HAVE A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR THE SONORAN DESERT AFTER THEIR VISIT.

CONSERVATION, EDUCATION AND SCIENCE PROGRAMS:CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE PROGRAMSSINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1952, THE ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM HAS PUT CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND SCIENCE AT THE CORE OF ITS MISSION. FROM HELPING TO ESTABLISH PROTECTED ISLANDS AND COASTAL WETLANDS IN THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA, TO BREEDING AND REINTRODUCTION PROGRAMS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES SUCH AS THE MEXICAN GRAY WOLF, THICK-BILLED PARROT AND NUMEROUS FISH, AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES, TO DOCUMENTING THE BIODIVERSITY THAT HELPED TO ESTABLISH IRONWOOD FOREST NATIONAL MONUMENT, THE MUSEUM'S CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN WIDELY RECOGNIZED FOR MANY DECADES. OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE ARE THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHICH TOUCH NEARLY A HALF MILLION PEOPLE EACH YEAR, INCLUDING VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM GROUNDS AND CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, HELPING TO FOSTER LOVE, APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR DESERT HOME. SAVING AQUATIC SPECIESSPRINGS, STREAMS AND RIVERS IN THE SONORAN DESERT HAVE ALL BEEN DECLINING IN RECENT YEARS DUE TO A DECADE-LONG DROUGHT, AND DIVERSION OF WATER FOR HUMAN NEEDS. MANY SPECIES THAT LIVE IN OR AROUND THIS WATER ARE THREATENED OR ENDANGERED DUE THE LOSS OF HABITAT. THE MUSEUM WORKS WITH PARTNERS, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES TO HOLD, BREED AND SUPPLEMENT THE POPULATIONS OF THESE SPECIES IN THE WILD. IN 2021, ASDM CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONSERVATION OF: RANID FROGS, MEXICAN GARTER SNAKE, SONOYTA MUD TURTLE, AND SEVERAL REGIONAL NATIVE FISH SPECIES. PROMOTING POLLINATORS BEES ARE AMONG THE MOST ABUNDANT AND DIVERSE ANIMAL GROUPS IN THE SONORAN DESERT. AS PRIMARY POLLINATORS OF MANY DESERT PLANTS, BEES ARE ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF THESE HABITATS. ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING TO DOCUMENT, DESCRIBE AND UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF BEE DIVERSITY IN OUR REGION AND HOW CLIMATE CHANGE AND HABITAT DISTURBANCE MAY ALTER THIS DISTRIBUTION IN THE FUTURE. THE MUSEUM CO-LEADS THE TUCSON BEE COLLABORATIVE (TUCSONBEECOLLABORATIVE.COM) WHICH WORKS WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO STUDY NATIVE BEES AND PROMOTE THEIR CONSERVATION. TO DATE WE HAVE DOCUMENTED 520 SPECIES, AND COLLECTED 2 YEARS OF BI-WEEKLY MONITORING DATA.FOODS FROM THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE ASDM HAS A LONG HISTORY OF TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT THE "SONORAN SUPERMARKET" - THE BOUNTY OF THE DESERT THAT HAS SUSTAINED PEOPLE IN THIS REGION FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. CURRENT PROGRAMS FOCUS ON SAGUARO, PRICKLY PEAR, CHOLLA, MESQUITE AND AGAVE. ASDM IS A MAJOR PARTNER IN TUCSON'S MISSION GARDENS AND AGAVE HERITAGE FESTIVAL. CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING THE ROLE OF DESERT-ADAPTED FOODS IN REGIONAL DIETS AS A PATH TOWARD FOOD SECURITY IN A HOTTER, DRIER CLIMATE.SAVING OUR SAGUAROS TODAY, THE SURVIVAL OF THE SAGUARO, THE ICON OF THE SONORAN DESERT, IS THREATENED BY AN INVASIVE GRASS. THE DESERT MUSEUM COORDINATES THE EFFORTS OF MUNICIPAL, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS, PRIVATE CITIZENS, BUSINESSES, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FIGHT THIS THREAT. THE MUSEUM IS ALSO MONITORING THE IMPACTS OF BUFFELGRASS FIRES ON SAGUAROS, RESEARCHING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS TREATMENT METHODS, LEADING CITIZEN CONSERVATION GROUPS IN BUFFELGRASS PULLS, AND PROVIDING EXTENSIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.EDUCATION PROGRAMSYOUTH AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM: TOTAL AUDIENCE SERVED IN 2021: 24,249YOUTH FIELD TRIPSTEACHERS AND YOUTH GROUP LEADERS CAN STRUCTURE THEIR FIELD TRIPS USING A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FROM THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE. IN ADDITION, SUGGESTED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES TO BE USED PRE AND POST- TRIP CAN BE DOWNLOADED. THESE HELP TO EXTEND AND DEEPEN THE LEARNING FROM A DESERT MUSEUM VISIT, AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. VISITING GROUPS CAN ALSO CHOOSE FROM 2 ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS OFFERED IN MUSEUM CLASSROOMS AND ANIMAL EXHIBITS. NUMBERS SERVED IN 2021: 5828 DESERT ARKTHE DESERT ARK IS THE MUSEUM'S OUTREACH PROGRAM, BRINGING THE RESOURCES OF THE MUSEUM, INCLUDING EXPERT EDUCATORS AND LIVE ANIMALS, TO ALL PARTS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA, FROM SCHOOLS TO SENIOR CENTERS, AND FROM AJO TO SAFFORD. THE MUSEUM OFFERS 13 DIFFERENT DESERT ARK PROGRAMS, IN ADDITION TO CUSTOM PROGRAMS AVAILABLE BY REQUEST. NUMBERS SERVED IN 2021: 0.SUMMER CAMPS HANDS-ON, MINDS-ON DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPS FOR CHILDREN IN GRADES 1-9. DESERT MUSEUM CAMPERS OBSERVE LIVE ANIMALS, CONDUCT SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS, CREATE COOL CRAFTS, SKETCH IN DESERT JOURNALS, HARVEST AND PREPARE DESERT FOODS, CAMP IN THE DESERT AND EXPLORE BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE DESERT MUSEUM. 2020 CAMPS WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY. NUMBER SERVED IN 2021: 130JUNIOR DOCENT PROGRAMTHE DESERT MUSEUM JUNIOR DOCENT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR TUCSON AREA BOYS AND GIRLS AGES 13 TO 18. JUNIOR DOCENTS RECEIVE TRAINING ON THE PLANTS, ANIMALS AND GEOLOGY OF THE SONORAN DESERT REGION AND HOW TO INTERPRET (TEACH) IT TO OTHERS. DESERT MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP, SPECIAL PRIVILEGES AND RECOGNITION, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUT WITH MUSEUM EVENTS ARE JUST SOME OF THE BENEFITS JUNIOR DOCENTS RECEIVE IN ADDITION TO BEING PART OF A WORLD-FAMOUS MUSEUM! DURING THEIR TWO-YEAR TERM AS A JUNIOR DOCENT, TEENS TYPICALLY DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE, PUBLIC SPEAKING ABILITY AND A GREAT DEPTH OF NATURAL HISTORY KNOWLEDGE. NUMBER SERVED IN 2021: 36COATI KIDS CLUBTHIS MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM FOR KIDS OFFERS FREE ADMISSION ALL YEAR LONG, 8 SPECIAL EVENTS FOR CLUB MEMBERS, A STAINLESS STEEL REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE, AND A GUIDE BOOK FOR FAMILIES ON HOW TO EXPLORE THE DESERT. TWO EVENTS WERE HELD IN PERSON AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, BUT MANY OF 2021'S EVENTS HAD TO GO VIRTUAL WITH THE ONSET OF COVID-19. THUS, OUR PARTICIPANT NUMBERS WERE LOWER THAN IN NORMAL YEARS. THE NUMBERS SERVED IN 2021 WERE: 41 CLUB MEMBERS REPRESENTING 36 FAMILIES. CLUB EVENTS INCLUDED 41 PARTICIPANTS FOR NUMBER SERVED IN 2021: 41. VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS AND FAMILIESTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FORCED A SWITCH TO VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING IN MARCH. THE MUSEUM OFFERED A WIDE VARIETY OF LIFE SCIENCE PROGRAMMING, THROUGH LIVE-ANIMAL DEMONSTRATIONS, ARTS AND SCIENCE ACTIVITIES AND STORY AND MOVEMENT-BASED CLASSES. TOTAL SERVED IN 2021: 17,652PUBLIC CLASSES, TRIPS AND TOURS FOR ADULTS AND FAMILIESTHESE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO CREATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR SONORAN DESERT AND TECHNIQUES AND TIPS FOR DESERT LIVING. CLASSES AND TRIPS ARE OFFERED ON TOPICS SUCH AS NATURAL HISTORY, GARDENING, WATER HARVESTING, COOKING WITH NATIVE FOODS. PROGRAMS IN 2021 WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON. NUMBERS SERVED IN 2021: 562DOCENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: DOCENTS CONTRIBUTED 30,920 HOURS TO THE MUSEUM IN 2021DOCENTS INTERPRET THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SONORAN DESERT REGION TO MUSEUM VISITORS AND TO GROUPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IN DOING SO, THEY HELP THE MUSEUM FULFILL ITS CONSERVATION EDUCATION MISSION. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 165 DOCENTS VOLUNTEERING ONE DAY PER WEEK (OR MORE). SUCH INTERPRETATION CONSISTS OF CONDUCTING TOURS FOR GENERAL VISITORS AND DEMONSTRATING LIVE ANIMALS AND EDUCATIONAL KITS.

ART INSTITUTETHE MISSION OF THE ASDM ART INSTITUTE IS "CONSERVATION THROUGH ART EDUCATION." WE ENDEAVOR TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN NATURE-FOCUSED ART CLASSES WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING CONSERVATION ADVOCATES. TO THIS END, WE OFFER ART CLASSES, ART EXHIBITS AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE MUSEUM'S ART COLLECTION. ART CLASSES: TOTAL AUDIENCE SERVED IN 2021: 2,093ART PROFESSIONALS TEACH ALL OF OUR CLASSES AND THE CONTENT CONNECTS TO OUR LIVING COLLECTIONS AND THE REGION. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE ART INSTITUTE SERVED 983 STUDENTS ON SITE, OFFERED 249 DIFFERENT ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES, TAUGHT BY 21 INSTRUCTORS. THREE STUDENTS GRADUATED FROM THE NATURE ART CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AND 68 BRAND NEW STUDENTS ENTERED THE PROGRAM. WE OFFER 10 FREE VIDEOS ON OUR WEB SITE; WE REACHED AROUND 1008 PEOPLE WITH THOSE. WE HAVE ADDED A VIDEO CLASS SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 102 SUBSCRIBERS AND 150 VIDEOS.PERMANENT COLLECTION: 428 PIECESVANISHING CIRCLES IS A PERMANENT COLLECTION OF 92 ORIGINAL PAINTINGS DEPICTING DISAPPEARING WILDLIFE, PLANTS AND HABITATS OF THE SONORAN DESERT. IN ADDITION, THE MUSEUM HAS A SMALL PERMANENT COLLECTION OF 47 ART PIECES THAT COMPRISE THE SONORAN COLLECTION. WE ALSO HAVE A COLLECTION OF 73 WORKS BY SHERIDAN OMAN, 108 BY MANABU SAITO, AND 68 BY RHONDA SPENCER. IN 2020, WE ACQUIRED THE COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL SCRATCHBOARD PIECES BY PRISCILLA BALDWIN, 23 PIECES IN TOTAL, DEPICTING ANIMALS FROM THE MUSEUM. IT IS ON PERMANENT DISPLAY IN THE BALDWIN BUILDING. IN 2021 WE ACQUIRED 17 NEW WORKS BY PHOTOGRAPHER CARLOS NAVARRO. HIS PIECES WERE ON EXHIBIT IN THE BALDWIN GALLERY. WHEN THE SHOW CLOSED, HE DONATED HIS WORK TO THE ART INSTITUTE.GALLERY EXHIBITS: 10 EXHIBITS, 45,000 VISITORSWE HOST 8 TO 12 UNIQUE ART EXHIBITS ANNUALLY IN THE IRONWOOD GALLERY AND BALDWIN EDUCATION GALLERY. THESE ART EXHIBITS SERVE THE MISSION OF THE DESERT MUSEUM BY EXTENDING THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE, INTERPRETING BOTH HABITAT AND WILDLIFE TO OUR VISITORS THROUGH THE VISUAL ARTS. IN 2021 WE HAD OVER 35,000 VISITORS IN OUR IRONWOOD GALLERIES AND 10,000 IN OUR BALDWIN GALLERIES. TEN ART EXHIBITS WERE PRODUCED AND SIX ART OPENINGS TOOK PLACE. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PRESSED US TO OFFER OUR GALLERY SHOWS VIRTUALLY; THEY ARE ON OUR WEBSITE AND ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.APPROXIMATELY 30 VOLUNTEERS STAFF OUR GALLERIES. THEIR JOB IS TO FACILITATE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN GUESTS AND THE EXHIBITS. THIS APPROACH HELPS DEEPEN THE UNDERSTANDING OF ART AND NATURE AS IT RELATES TO ART AND CONSERVATION.