Tucson Attractions

This mission station in the southwest of Tuscon was established by Spanish Jesuits in 1770. The mission buildings, in particular the richly furnished church, are fine examples of the Baroque architecture of the colonial period.
Also known as "White Dove of the Desert", it is still used by the Tohono O'odham Indians as a spiritual center. The museum contains artifacts and features a 20 minute video highlighting the history of the Mission.

'A' Mountain is a small peak west of downtown Tucson, named for the letter that gets painted on it every year by college freshmen. The tradition dates back to October 23, 1915 (prior to that the hill was known as Sentinel Peak) when the local university football team was celebrating a victory over Cal State Pomona.

The Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tucson, near the University of Arizona, documents the history of the area from prehistoric times to the 20th C. The Tucson Main Museum features an underground copper mine, ranch and town life of the 1870s, Victorian period rooms, the archaeology displays of Tucson, an original stagecoach, and a 1923 Studebaker.

The Main Museum of the Arizona Historical Society Museum also houses an extensive library and archives, and artifact collections.

The Bank One Building in downtown Tucson was the city's first skyscraper completed in 1929. Inside are giant murals depicting the area from prehistoric to Old West times.

The Charles O. Brown house in downtown Tucson is a Mexican territorial-style building blended with Victorian ornamentation.

The Congress Hotel was built in 1919 and partially destroyed in a 1934 fire that also led to the arrest of John Dillinger and his gang. The 40 guest rooms feature vintage radios and antique iron beds.

The Cushing Street Restaurant in Tucson is named for military hero Howard Cushing. The building is comprised of the Joseph Ferrin home and a 19th-C country store with the main rooms dating back to the 1860s.

The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base east of Tucson has the largest outdoor aircraft storage facility in the country. Approximately 6,500 personnel are stationed at the base, which is open for public tours.

El Fronterizo, on South Stone Avenue in Tucson, was the printing office of a Spanish-language newspaper founded by Carlos Y Velasco in 1878.

El Tiradito is on Main, south of Cushing Street, in Tucson. According to legend, it is the burial site of a young herder killed in a lovers' triangle. A bronze plaque indicates that the monument is dedicated to a sinner!

The Fort Lowell Museum in Tucson is housed in the fort that was abandoned in 1891 following the surrender of Geronimo and the end of the Indian wars. Exhibits include a reconstruction of the old officers' quarters and details of life for the military on the Arizona frontier.

The buildings are Mexican Sonoran style with thick adobe walls, pine logs, and hard packed dirt roofs.

The Garcés Footbridge in downtown Tucson is a memorial to Francisco Garcés, an explorer and Franciscan pastor. It runs over Congress Street between Church and Granada Avenues. Nearby is a 14-foot bronze statue of Pancho Villa by Mexican sculptor Julian Martinez.

The Garden of Gethsemane in Tucson is the work of artist Felix Lucero, who was wounded in WWI and vowed that if he recovered, he would create religious sculptures. In the garden can be seen his images of Christ at the Last Supper, on the Cross and with the Holy Family. Across Congress Street is Tucson's largest tree.

The Garden of Gethsemane has been a Tucson landmark since 1945 and is maintained by the Knights of Columbus.

Gene C Reid Park is a 131 acre park that includes lakes, gardens, and numerous outdoor recreation activities. The Colorado Rockies hold spring training at Hi Corbett Field. It is also home to the Reid Park Zoo.

The International Wildlife Museum in Tucson has exhibits and dioramas of nearly 400 species, featuring mammals and birds from all over the world. Portions of the collection are more than 100 years old.

Kino Sports Complex hosts spring training for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox. Since its opening in 1998, this complex has been the venue for concerts, festivals, and various community events. The Tucson Electric Park has seating for 11,500 that includes lawn seating.

La Placita Village is a colorful collection of adobe, brick, and wood frame buildings located in downtown Tucson. The Village has shops, the Tucson Visitors Center and a courtyard used to show films outdoors.

The Postal History Foundation is dedicated to postal history through displays of stamps, postmarks and books. There is special emphasis on the collection of Civil War literature and memorabilia.

A turn of the century post office located at the Postal History Foundation highlights the postal service on the frontier.

The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson is home to more than 300 exotic animals from around the world, including flamingos, hippos, polar bears and tigers.

Samaniego House is a townhouse typical of the 1880s in Tucson. It was the residence of civic and political leader Mariano G. Samaniego. The home features 3-foot adobe walls and saguaro rib ceilings.

At 151 South Granada Avenue, in the Community Center complex, is Frémont House, an attractive adobe building of about 1870 which is now a museum run by the Arizona Historical Society.
The home was owned and occupied by the Leopoldo Carrillo family. It was rented by the fifth Territorial Governor Fremont and his daughter in 1881.

The St Augustine Cathedral in Tucson was designed in Mexican Baroque architectural style. Built in 1896, the cast stone facade completed in 1928 is similar to the Cathedral of Queretaro in Mexico.

The facade and towers are all that remain after the cathedral was rebuilt in the late 1960s.

The Temple of Music and Art in Tucson dates from 1927, in the Southwestern style, and is home to the Arizona Theatre Company. The theatre company is the professional resident theatre of Arizona and has been performing since 1983.

The spacious Alice Holsclaw Theatre with its 623 seats is a marvelous place to see either Shakespeare or concerts. The Cabaret Theatre is a smaller, more intimate setting. The Temple of Music and Art Gallery hosts several different shows throughout the year.

Tohono Chul Park on the northwest side of Tucson is a reverse oasis, a piece of the desert inside the city. Nature, arts and culture are all brought together for a chance to explore the flora and fauna as well as learn about the cultural traditions of the area. The park promotes the conservation of arid regions.

The Tucson Botanical Gardens includes wildflowers, vegetables, a tropical greenhouse, and presentations of herbs, cacti and succulents.

The Tucson Children's Museum is housed in a 1901 building designed by architect Henry Trost. This was originally the location of a national library program financed by Andrew Carnegie. The hands-on, interactive exhibits include life-size dinosaurs, an ocean discovery center, science exploration, art studio and wall of wonders.

The Tucson Convention Center features a 9,000 seat arena, exhibit hall, grand ballroom, galleria, meeting rooms, concert hall, little theater, gardens and pavilions.

The Tucson Greyhound Park provides family entertainment including greyhound and chihuahua racing.

The Tucson Police Department displays antique police equipment and memorabilia from the capture of John Dillinger.