About the Museum
What is the Arizona Museum of Natural History?
The
Arizona Museum of Natural History is the premier natural history museum in
Arizona. It is dedicated to inspire wonder, respect and understanding for the
natural and cultural history of the Southwest.
What are the hours and admission?
Closed Mondays and holidays
Regular Hours:
Tues - Fri: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sat: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sun: 1 - 5 p.m. |
Admission Prices:
$10 - Adults
$6 - Children 3-12
$9 - Seniors 65+
$8 - Students 13+ with ID
Free - Children ages 2 & younger
Group Admission |
What will I experience at the Natural History Museum?
Explore Arizona and the Southwest from the creation of the earth 4.5 billion
years ago to the present. See the origins of life on earth, meteorites and
minerals. In
Dinosaur Hall, discover some of the biggest dinosaurs that ever lived, and
on
Dinosaur Mountain see how some appeared and sounded in a natural context. In
a Walk through Time, explore ancient Arizona’s Paleozoic Seas, Triassic
Petrified Forest, monsters of the Cretaceous Seas, and the first animals to fly.
In the
Southwest Gallery, you will see Paleoindian big game hunters and gatherers,
the first inhabitants of North America, and the Desert Cultures that developed
later. Visit a Hohokam village, with pithouses and above-ground structures,
outfitted with real artifacts as they might have been from about A.D. 600-1450.
See the magnificent
Ancient Cultures of Mexico.
Have
Fun with History, and explore the Spanish Southwest, Territorial Arizona,
and Arizona’s historic 5 Cs in the History Courtyard. Discover many of the
movies that have been filmed in Arizona, and be in a western movie yourself!
What’s Cool at AzMNH?
The museum is a place for family
fun. Where else can you see a flash flood cascading down a three-story mountain
inside a museum? See Tom the soft-shelled turtle and a live Gila monster.
Experience a real territorial jail, pan for gold in the History Courtyard, and
wend your way through the Lost Dutchman’s Mine. Check out the new special
exhibitions and experience hands-on adventure for all ages in the
Exploration Station. Bring a friend or family member of any age to the
museum: there is always something new to discover at the Arizona Museum of
Natural History.
Can I visit with my School or my Group?
Of course! Kids
by the thousands come with their schools to the Arizona Museum of Natural
History to learn about the natural and cultural history of the Southwest.
Visitors of any age can come in a group and receive special rates. Click on
Groups to book a field trip or arrange a visit for
10 or more persons and Educator
Resources educational materials.
Does the museum conduct active field research?
The
Arizona Museum of Natural History is renowned for its field research programs
and provides the public with opportunities to work on archaeological and
paleontological digs. Come join us on one of our exciting scientific expeditions
and contribute to these fascinating fields of science.
The Southwest Archaeology
Team (SWAT), sponsored by Curator of Anthropology Dr. Jerry Howard, conducts
archaeological research and undertakes historic preservation initiatives such as
at the Sirrine House. In addition to excavations such as at Riverview, Park of the
Canals, Pew Site and Rowley Site, AzMNH cares for and has plans to develop Mesa
Grande, an ancient Hohokam temple mound site in Mesa, as a cultural park open to
the public.
Dr. Robert McCord, Curator of Natural History, assisted by the
Southwest Paleontology Society
(SPS), conducts paleontological research throughout Arizona. Research
expeditions have explored the Cretaceous in southeastern Arizona and Sonora, and
Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits in the Phoenix area and eastern portions of
the state. These expeditions have yielded theropod and sauropod dinosaurs,
ceratopsians, hadrosaurs and many other kinds of Mesozoic animals, and
glyptotheres, rhyncotheres, camels, horses, mammoth, turtles and other members
of the later Cenozoic faunas.
What are the collections and where does the museum get them?
The museum holds substantial
collections in natural history, anthropology, history and art. The museum
obtains most of its paleontological and archaeological collections from the
museum’s field research programs. AzMNH receives many collections items from
generous donors.
How can I support the Arizona Museum of Natural History?
- Participate as a
volunteer. There are many volunteer opportunities to work in almost all
areas of the museum.
- Become a
member. Visit the museum year around anytime it is open. Receive museum
publications, invitations, store discounts and other benefits. Give a
membership to a friend.
- Make a donation to the museum through the
AzMNH
Foundation. Your financial support assists our educational programs,
exhibitions, research and collections care.
- Shop in the
museum
store. The museum store carries great gifts for the entire family. You
do not pay sales tax, and store proceeds go to benefit museum programs.
Some facts about the Arizona Museum of Natural History
- Owned and operated by the City of Mesa
- Founded 1977
- Over 1 million visitors since 2000
- 60,000 objects of natural history, anthropology, history & art
- 10,000 historic photographs
- Cares for Sirrine House, 1896 home of Joel Sirrine on Center Street
- Preserves and interprets Mesa Grande, one of the last surviving Hohokam
platform mounds in Arizona Mesa Grande and Sirrine House listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
- Thousands of students from hundreds of schools throughout Arizona visit
the museum each year
- Core of the museum is a 1937 WPA era building that originally housed
Mesa City Hall, municipal courts, city library, police and fire departments
- Expansions in 1983, 1987 and 2000 bring the museum to 80,000 square feet
- Research Facility at northwest corner of Macdonald and Pepper added in
1995