Arizona Field Trips

Alamo Lake State Park
One of Arizona's best kept secrets. The stark desert beauty is reflected off the water. Cacti dot the mountainous landscape that surround the lake. Nestled in the Bill Williams River Valley away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Alamo Lake State Park offers outdoor fun, premier bass fishing, rest and relaxation. For nature lovers, spring rains bring an abundance of wild flowers and the lake environment attracts a variety of wildlife year round, including bald and golden eagles, waterfowl, foxes, coyotes, mule deer and wild burros. Stargazers are sure to enjoy the unbelievable view of the night sky with the nearest city lights some forty miles away!

Buckskin Mountain State Park
One of the finest views along the Parker strip, an 18-mile stretch between Parker Dam and Headgate Dam. Mountains line the river on both the Arizona and California sides, and the wildlife is as varied as the recreational opportunities along the river. This picturesque park provides scenic respite, mountain hikes, a desert escape and fun-filled water adventure. The nearby River Island Unit, about one mile north, is ideal for tent campers. It offers a ramada with campfire ring, which may be reserved for group use (fee required) except on holiday weekends. A sandy beach, cove, and boat launch area are also located at the River Island Unit. Boating Safety Classes in Parker and Lake Havasu.

Cattail Cove State Park
A broad spectrum of activities for all to enjoy. Whether you're interested in swimming, fishing or just lounging and relaxing, Lake Havasu was formed when the Colorado River was dammed near Parker. The 45-mile long lake creates a haven for all kinds of water sports. Fish for largemouth and striped bass, bluegill and crappie. Boat on the blue waters, sail into quiet coves, or water ski or jet ski out on the open lake. The area surrounding the park is also a rock hound's paradise. Volcanic rock, geodes, jaspers, obsidian, turquoise and agate can be found outside Lake Havasu City.

Lake Havasu State Park
An ideal place to enjoy beautiful beaches, nature trails, boat ramps, and convenient campsites. This spot is truly a watersport haven located near the famous London Bridge of Lake Havasu City.

Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park
Was used by the US Army to store and distribute supplies for all the military posts in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. A six month supply of clothing, food, ammunition, and other goods was kept at the depot at all times. The supplies were brought from California by ocean vessels traveling around the Baja Peninsula to Port Isabel near the mouth of the Colorado River. There, cargos were transferred to river steamers and brought upstream to Yuma. A few structures from the depot's active period are still standing. The commanding officer's quarters were acquired by the U.S. Customs Service. 1908. The Bureau of Reclamation, the Boundary Commission, the Yuma County Water Users Association, and the Assistance League of Yuma have also utilized portions of the old depot during the twentieth century.

San Rafael Ranch Natural Area
The rolling short-grass prairie of the San Rafael Valley is one of the last places left in the West where the eye can roam free across vistas of lush land. Park is currently not open to the public, however, website offers educational information about the goal of land conservation easements that will protect the natural habitat with its rare native plants and animals.

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
The church and the military were the vanguards of Spanish frontier expansion throughout New Spain. The Jesuit, Eusebio Francisco Kino, established missions from 1687 to 1711 to christianize and control Native Americans in the area. He established nearby Tumacacori in 1691, and Tubac, then a small Piman village, became a mission farm and ranch. Spanish Colonists began to settle here during the 1730s, irrigating and farming the lands along the river and raising cattle, sheep and goats on the northern frontier of Spain's New World empire.

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument
Grand Canyon Parashant's natural splendor provides a sense of solitude to those who venture into its isolated domain. Located on the edge of one of the most beautiful places on earth, the Grand Canyon, the Monument's expansive landscape encompasses a chronicle of natural and cultural history.

Old Spanish National Historic Trail
Take a journey across the Southwest on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles for history, culture, and scenic beauty.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive in an extreme place where rain is scarce and temperatures soar.

Arizona Edventures
Arizona is a wonderful state where past and present, nature and technology, newcomers and old-timers alike all meet amid spectacular scenery ranging from beautiful desert landscapes to breathtaking mountain peaks. This diversity makes it possible to experience a wide variety of educational adventures. The field trip opportunities in Arizona are virtually unlimited!

Kitt Peak National Observatory Visitor Center
The world’s largest collection of optical telescopes is located high above the Sonoran Desert under some of the finest night skies in the world. Kitt Peak, on the Tohono O’odham Reservation, is home to twenty-four optical and two radio telescopes representing eight astronomical research institutions.

O.K. CORRAL
Witness the dramatic events that made Tombstone famous: the silver boom, the great fire, the O.K. Corral® gunfight, the assassination of Morgan Earp, and more. Actor Vincent Price narrates this exciting multimedia history of Tombstone from Geronimo's Apaches to modern times.

Grand Canyon Railway
All aboard to Grand Canyon National Park! Book your Grand Canyon Railway vacation online on one of four classes of service on our vintage train from Williams to Grand Canyon National Park. Or, select a hotel package that includes lodging at our own Grand Canyon Railway Hotel and in Grand Canyon National Park at select Grand Canyon hotels. Learn about the new Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, or experience the magic of the Polar Express.

Making TRACKS - Trails in Arizona
Making TRACKS provides downloadable nature guides and species lists for each trail, as well as resources for schools to make their own educational nature trails on school grounds or in nearby communities.

Arizona Edventures
Discover a wide variety of exciting field trip ideas & learning opportunities for students & families!

Arizona Edventures
Discover a wide variety of exciting field trip ideas & learning opportunities for students & families! Arizona is a wonderful state where past and present, nature and technology, newcomers and old-timers alike all meet amid spectacular scenery ranging from beautiful desert landscapes to breathtaking mountain peaks. This diversity makes it possible to experience a wide variety of educational adventures. The field trip opportunities in Arizona are virtually unlimited!

Schnepf Farms - Queen Creek
"Educating the public about Arizona Agriculture is our number 1 priority at Schnepf Farms; everything you eat and wear comes from a farm. We are proud to continue the tradition." Mark Schnepf, owner. Seasonal Hours: October through May. Closed the months of January, February, June-September.

Mineral Discovery Center - Sahuarita
Welcome to the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center where you can make your own discoveries about copper and the mining industry. Discover our award-winning exhibit center, video theater, cactus garden, and picnic area. Free Admission! Experience a tour of the ASARCO Mission Mine. Stand at the edge of the open-pit mine.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument - Ajo
In this desert wilderness, you may drive a lonely road, hike a backcountry trail, camp beneath a clear desert sky, marvel at magnificent cactus, or soak in the warmth and beauty of the Southwest. We welcome you into this desert wild. It is yours to discover.

Lost Dutchman State Park - Apache Junction
Named after the fabled lost gold mine, this park is located in the Sonoran Desert at an elevation of 2000 feet. The park offers a variety of hiking trails, nature trails, 70 regular campsites, picnic facilities, and special programs throughout the year.

Superstition Mountain Museum - Apache Junction
Collects, preserves and displays the artifacts, history and folklore of the Superstition Mountains, Apache Junction and the surrounding region.

Dolly Steamboat - Apache Junction

Kartchner Caverns State Park - Benson
Guided cave tours, Discovery Center, interactive displays, theater with video program, gifts shop, restrooms, telephones, food vending machines, lockers, amphitheater

Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory - Bisbee
(SABO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the birds of southeastern Arizona, their habitats and the diversity of species that share those habitats through research, monitoring and public education.

Bisbee Mining & Historical Museums - Bisbee
Once known as "The Queen of the Copper Camps", Bisbee nestles among the Mule Mountains of southeast Arizona, world renowned for its diverse minerals and wealth of copper. Although its mines closed in the 1970s, the town's legacy has been preserved not only in its architecture and mining landscape, but in a museum that has welcomed, educated and entertained hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Buckeye Valley Museum - Buckeye
Prehistory and history of Buckeye Valley. Changing exhibits highlight portions of the museum's collection. Visit the museum and picnic in the surrounding park.

Fort Verde State Historic Park - Camp Verde
The best preserved example of an Indian Wars period fort in Arizona. Spanning from 1865 through 1890 Camp Lincoln, Camp Verde and finally Fort Verde were home to officers, doctors, families, enlisted men, and scouts. Fort Verde was the primary base for General George Crook’s U.S. Army scouts and soldiers. Today visitors can experience three historic house museums, Commanding Officer’s Quarters, Bachelors' Quarters and Doctor’s Quarters on Officer's row, all furnished in the 1880s period. (These buildings are all listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places due to their unique architectural and historic significance.) In the former Administration building there are interpretive exhibits with period artifacts on military life, Indian Scouts and Indian Wars history.

Tuzigoot National Monument - Camp Verde
Crowning a desert hilltop is an ancient pueblo. From a roof top a child scans the desert landscape for the arrival of traders, who are due any day now. What riches will they bring? What stories will they tell? Will all of them return? From the top of the Tuzigoot Pueblo it is easy to imagine such an important moment. Tuzigoot is an ancient village or pueblo built by a culture known as the Sinagua. The pueblo consisted of 110 rooms including second and third story structures. The first buildings were built around A.D. 1000. The Sinagua were agriculturalists with trade connections that spanned hundreds of miles. The people left the area around 1400. The site is currently comprised of 42 acres.

Montezuma Castle National Monument - Camp Verde
Gaze through the windows of the past into one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a 1,000 year-old story of ingenuity and survival in an unforgiving desert landscape. Marveling at this enduring legacy of the Sinagua culture reveals a people surprisingly similar to ourselves.

Casa Grande Valley Historical Society & Museum - Casa Grande
Come spend an hour, or an afternoon at the Historical Museum. Explore the rich heritage of rural Southern Arizona. The museum offers tours, lectures series, workshops and children's programs. Experience the 19th Century mining boom as you tour the exhibit. See the miniature agricultural display. Learn how irrigation turned sandy plains into lush cotton fields. See what Casa Grande looked like in 1879 when the railroad ended here and the city was named Terminus. Discover the people that come alive through our Research Facilities and Photographic Reproductions. Tour the historic Heritage Hall and the Rebecca Dallis School House.

J&R Reptile Wildlife Rescue/Relocation - Cave Creek
Helping Arizona save wildlife with education and relocation. So future generations can enjoy Arizonas beautiful creatures. As we move outward animals move in. All wildlife plays a important role in the eco system. Habitat destruction is the biggest killer of Arizona's wildlife. We can all play a part in co-existing together. Arizona's wildlife was here first, it is their land too.

Huhugam Heritage Center - Chandler
Gila River Indian Community

Mind Over Splatter - Chandler
A paint your own pottery and make your own mosaic masterpiece studio that's cheaper than therapy and way more fun!

Rawhide - Chandler
Explore the wild wild west. An 1880's western town. Rawhide at wild horse pass puts you in the middle of the action with cowboys, gunfights, stagecoach rides, retail shops and western attractions.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument - Chinle
Reflecting one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America, the cultural resources of Canyon de Chelly include distinctive architecture, artifacts, and rock imagery while exhibiting remarkable preservation integrity that provides outstanding opportunities for study and contemplation. Canyon de Chelly also sustains a living community of Navajo people, who are connected to a landscape of great historical and spiritual significance. Canyon de Chelly is unique among National Park service units, as it is comprised entirely of Navajo Tribal Trust Land that remains home to the canyon community. NPS works in partnership with the Navajo Nation to manage park resources and sustain the living Navajo community.

Hohokam Pima National Monument - Coolidge
Hohokam Pima National Monument was authorized by Congress on October 21, 1972, to protect an ancient Hohokam village known today as "Snaketown." Excavations in the 1930's and again in the 1960's revealed the site was inhabited from about 300 BC to around 1200 AD and may have had up to 2,000 inhabitants. Following the last excavations, the site was completely recovered with earth, leaving nothing visible above ground.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument preserves an ancient Hohokam farming community and "Great House." Created as the nation’s first archeological reserve in 1892, the site was declared a National Monument in 1918 “in order that better provision may be made for the protection, preservation and care of the ruins and the ancient buildings and other objects of prehistoric interest thereon.”

Dead Horse Ranch - Cottonwood
Situated amidst an abundance of life along the Verde River. A six-mile reach of the river is known as the Verde River Greenway. Its unique ecosystem, the Cottonwood / Willow riparian gallery forest, is one of less than 20 such riparian zones in the world. Life along the river changes with the seasons, giving visitors a glimpse of the numerous species of raptors, neotropical migrants, resident songbirds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

A Museum of Native American Archaeology, Art, History, and Culture - Dragoon
The Amerind Foundation is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) anthropological and archaeological museum and research center dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Native American cultures and their histories. Located in spectacular Texas Canyon in the Little Dragoon Mountains of southeastern Arizona, the Amerind houses one of the finest private collections of Native American art and artifacts in the country.

Riordan Mansion State Historic Park - Flagstaff
Built in 1904 for two Riordan families, the Mansion is an impressive reminder of gracious living in a small, territorial logging town. The historic building is an Arizona treasure - a remarkable example of Arts and Crafts style architecture featuring a rustic exterior of log-slab siding, volcanic stone arches, and hand-split wooden shingles.

Wupatki National Monument - Flagstaff
Less than 800 years ago, Wupatki Pueblo was the largest pueblo around. It flourished for a time as a meeting place of different cultures. Yet this was one of the warmest and driest places on the Colorado Plateau, offering little obvious food, water, or comfort. How and why did people live here? The builders of Wupatki and nearby pueblos have moved on, but their legacy remains.

Walnut Canyon National Monument - Flagstaff
Walk in the footsteps of people who lived at Walnut Canyon more than 700 years ago. Peer into their homes, cliff dwellings built deep within canyon walls. The presence of water in a dry land made the canyon rare and valuable to its early human inhabitants. It remains valuable today as habitat for plants and animals. See for yourself on trails along the canyon rim and into the depths.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument - Flagstaff
Sunset Crater Volcano was born in a series of eruptions sometime between 1040 and 1100. Powerful explosions profoundly affected the lives of local people and forever changed the landscape and ecology of the area. Lava flows and cinders still look as fresh and rugged as the day they formed. But among dramatic geologic features, you'll find trees, wildflowers, and signs of wildlife – life returns.

Lowell Observatory - Flagstaff
Located just one mile west of historic downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, Lowell's scenic Mars Hill campus is the site of our 6500-square foot Steele Visitor Center. We offer daytime guided tours at 15 minutes past the hour from 9:15 AM through 4:15 PM, and tours, exhibits and telescope viewing in the evenings. Experience outstanding views of the heavens and wide-screen, cinematic multimedia shows. Come to Lowell and discover your Universe!

The Arboretum at Flagstaff - Flagstaff
Visit The Arboretum at Flagstaff's collection of over 2,500 species of high country wildflowers.

Meteor Crater - Flagstaff

Museum of Northern Arizona - Flagstaff,
Land and Peoples of the Colorado Plateau

Hopi Cultural Center - Flagstaff, Winslow, and Holbrook
Hopiland offers an opportunity to explore the colorful rock formations of mesas and buttes. The mesa, home of the Hopi villagers, were a means of protection from the marauding Navajo and Apache. Ruins of past villages are on several of the mesas and from the pictographs on Awatovi the famous Nampeyo pottery designs were developed. These ruins are currently off­limits due to illegal Pot Hunters. Other noted villages are Walpi, with its scenic high rise dwellings and beautiful sunset backgrounds, and Old Oraibi.

Arizona Historical Society - Flagstaff, Yuma, Tempe and Tucson,
The Arizona Historical Society has the world's largest collection of Arizona history artifacts, documents, and photographs. Feel free to ask us about research, educational programs, and tours.

McFarland State Historic Park - Florence
The history of the park's building provides visitors with a look into the past. The building represents a transition between Sonoran and Anglo-American architecture with its wood-shingled pitched roof surmounting traditional adobe brick walls. Like most buildings in Territorial Arizona, the original 1878 structure was constructed by hand using native materials. Soil from the area was used to make adobe bricks which were laid on a trench foundation filled with river rocks. All lumber for the floors and roof was hauled by wagon from northern Arizona.

Fort Huachuca Historical Museum - Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca Historical Museum endeavors to bring to the military community and general public a heightened awareness of, and an increased appreciation for, the colorful history of the Southwest and, especially, the prominent part played by the U.S. Army.

Pipe Spring National Monument - Fredonia
merican Indians, Mormon pioneers, plants, animals, and others have depended on the life-giving water found at Pipe Spring. Learn about pioneer and Kaibab Paiute life: -at the Visitor Center and Museum -on guided tours of an historic fort -during living history demonstrations -on self-guided tours of the grounds (historic buildings, farm animals, an orchard, garden, and ½ mile trail).

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site - Ganado
Feel the old wooden floor give slightly beneath your footsteps and hear it squeak as you enter the oldest continuously operating trading post on the Navajo Nation. Let your eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the "bullpen" and you might catch the trader negotiating a deal with a Native American artist. Hubbell Trading Post offers you a chance to become a part of history.

The Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory - Gilbert
The Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory (GRCO) is located at the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, Arizona, east of the Southeast Regional Library (southeast corner of Greenfield and Guadalupe Roads). The observatory is open every Friday and Saturday evening at nightfall. The GRCO is owned by the Town of Gilbert and operated by the Riparian Institute.

Gilbert Historical Museum - Gilbert
The Gilbert Historical Society was organized in early 1960 with the goal of "Preserving the Past for the Future." Collections of pictures, documents and artifacts relating to the history of the community were preserved with the hope that a history of the area would be written and a historical center would be developed. In 1977, the old elementary school at Gilbert and Elliot Roads was abandoned for classroom use. This seemed to be the ideal location for the Museum.

The Bead Museum - Glendale
The Bead Museum fosters the appreciation and understanding of the global historical, cultural and artistic significance of beads and related artifacts.

Grand Canyon National Park - Grand Canyon
A powerful and inspiring landscape, the Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size. Unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms decorate a canyon that is 277 river miles (446km) long, up to 18 miles (29km) wide, and a mile (1.6km) deep.

Titan Missile Museum - Green Valley

Butterfly Lodge Museum - Greer
Butterfly Lodge was built in Greer in 1914. The cabin's name ("Apuni Oyis" in Blackfoot) was inspired by the countless butterflies in the nearby meadows. It was the mountain residence and hunting lodge of James Willard Schultz (1859 - 1947) and his son, Hart Merriam Schultz, known as Lone Wolf (1882-1970). The lodge housed two colorful careers: the father's fashioned in words, the son's through painted images and sculptures of the West. They were two free spirits who found inspiration in this little cabin in the high mountains of Greer.

Coronado National Memorial - Hereford
It was a journey of exploration, filled with wonder and cruelty. Inspired by rumors of vast quantities of gold, 339 soldiers and over 1100 Indian allies embarked on an epic journey through arid deserts and rugged mountains. They brought rich traditions and new technology into the southwest, irrevocably changing the lives of the native peoples and continuing to influence the area today.

Jerome State Historic Park - Jerome
The "Billion Dollar" Copper Camp

Jerome Historical Society - Jerome
Jerome Arizona's history is full of stories. These stories tell how the “Wickedest Town in The West” got its name and how men who sought their fortunes in this billion dollar mining camp lived, played and fought.

Mohave Museum of History and Arts - Kingman
The Mohave Museum of History and Arts is dedicated to the purposes of preserving the heritage of Northwestern Arizona and of presenting that history to the public.

Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium - Litchfield Park
Arizona's Only Major Public Aquarium Now Open at Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium

Superstition Farm - - Mesa
Come to Superstition Farm to see where the milk on your morning cereal originates…. before it ends up in the grocery cooler! Experience the process of how natural feeds and surplus bakery, pastas, grains and cotton turn into nature’s most perfect food. Put on your work boots (or closed toed shoes) and join us for a tour of our family farm. Hands on fun!

Mesa Arts Center - Mesa

Arizona Museum of Natural History - Mesa
Your place for dinosaurs that roar and much more. The valley’s only natural history museum has the best dinosaurs in town, a history courtyard where visitors pan for gold, a native peoples’ gallery includes a replica village and pottery. Where else can you enjoy a cool indoor waterfall? Three changing exhibition galleries offer a variety of interesting subjects.

Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum - Miami
The Museum houses an interesting array of artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia depicting the economic and social life of the Globe-Miami-San Carlos region's early years.

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail - Nogales
"Everyone mount up!" This became a familiar call from Spanish Captain Juan Bautista de Anza. In 1776, as Americans fought for their independence in the East, Anza led almost 300 people over 1200 miles to settle Alta California. It was the first overland route established to connect New Spain with San Francisco. Walk in their footsteps from Nogales, Arizona to San Francisco, California.

Oracle State ParkCenter for Environmental Education - Oracle
The purpose of the park is to act as a wildlife refuge and environmental learning center. Educational programs are being developed to focus on basic ecologic principles, and to enhance public awareness of the importance of safeguarding natural resources.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - Page
Encompassing over 1.2 million acres, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history.

John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum - Page
Within the museum, you can see sketches, photos and other memorabilia of Powell's epic Colorado River voyages in 1869 and 1871, along with a unique collection of Native American and pioneer artifacts. Exterior view of Powell Museum Other exhibits focus on the geology of the canyons cut by the Colorado and the history and development of Page. Films on Lake Powell, dam construction and other subjects are shown free upon request.

Sonoita Creek State Natural Area - Patagonia
Sonoita Creek State Natural Area's mission is to preserve this fragile riparian area and its surrounding environment. The “Healthy Water” education program at Sonoita Creek State Natural Area is a field trip environmental education program designed for 3rd - 6th grades. Students test water to determine water quality, look at aquatic insects under microscopes and learn about the importance of protecting water dependent habitats in Arizona. Call the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area Visitor Center for more information. Registration must take place at least six weeks prior to your visit. (520) 287-2791

Patagonia Lake State Park - Patagonia
Popular for a variety of recreational activities, including water skiing, fishing, camping, picnicking, and hiking. Created by the damming of Sonoita Creek, the lake is habitat for bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish, and is stocked with rainbow trout during the winter.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park - Payson
Believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world, Tonto Natural Bridge has been in the making for thousands of years.

Petrified Forest National Park - Petrified Forest
With one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, multi-hued badlands of the Painted Desert, historic structures, archeological sites, and displays of 225 million year old fossils, this is a surprising land of scenic wonders and fascinating science.

Desert Botanical Garden - Phoenix
The Desert Botanical Garden’s educational programming for children, adults and educators promote greater enjoyment, understanding and stewardship of the Sonoran Desert.

Arizona Science Center - Phoenix
Arizona Science Center provides exploration, education and entertainment for all ages. The Center contains four levels of exciting hands-on exhibits, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a five-story high IMAX® theater.

Pueblo Grande Museum - Phoenix
An archaeological site museum and repository. We collect, preserve, research, interpret, and exhibit cultural materials from the site of Pueblo Grande and the Greater Southwest. The Museum, part of the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department since 1929, is dedicated to enhancing the knowledge of prehistory, history, and ethnology of inhabitants of the Southwest, and promoting a greater understanding of the diversity of cultures past and present, for our guests and the citizens of Phoenix

Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum - Phoenix
The Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum commemorates the mining industry that helped build Arizona. Arizona is the Nation's number one mining state with the largest value of non-fuel mineral production in the country.

Children's Museum of Phoenix - Phoenix
Acting on the principle that learning is a joy, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s mission is to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them. With hands-on, interactive exhibits designed for children ages birth to 10, the Museum will focus on learning through play, with emphasis on early childhood education and school-readiness.

Deer Valley Rock Art Center - Phoenix
The mission of the Deer Valley Rock Art Center is to preserve and to provide public access to the Hedgpeth Hills petroglyph site, to interpret the cultural expressions found here, and to be a center for rock art studies

Hall of Flame Fire Museum - Phoenix
The Hall of Flame Fire Museum and the National Firefighting Hall of Heroes, located in Phoenix, Arizona, has almost an acre of fire history exhibits, with over 90 fully restored pieces of fire apparatus on display, dating from 1725 to 1969. Most of the exhibits are American, but we also have pieces from England, France, Austria, Germany, and Japan. The Hall of Flame sponsors the National Firefighting Hall of Heroes, which honors firefighters who have died in the line of duty or who have been decorated for heroism.

Pioneer Living History Village - Phoenix
See the Opera House where Lilly Langtry sang; look through a rifle port in the actual cabin that survived Arizona's bloodiest range war; laugh your way through a "melodrama"; or browse through an 1890's dress shop and much more! All of this, plus a blacksmith shop, sheriff's office and jail, complete ranch complex, and costumed interpreters including cowboys, lawmen, and lovely Victorian ladies - await you at Pioneer Living History Village, Arizona's most authentic Old West town.
Virtual field trip online

Phoenix Zoo - Phoenix
Explore… * Animals From the Zoo * Behavioral Enrichment * The Zoo's Conservation Efforts * Our Animal Sanctuary * The History of the Zoo * Educators’ Webpage

History Of The Phoenix Police Museum - Phoenix

Shemer Art Center and Museum - Phoenix
A historical site operated since 1984 by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department. It is a family-oriented art education center and museum, offering artists and community members a unique and inviting atmosphere to enjoy and learn about the visual arts.

Rosson House Museum - Phoenix
A beautifully restored 1895 historic home open for public tours in downtown Phoenix,

Telephone Pioneer Museum - Phoenix
Interactive displays trace the history of telecommunications in Arizona from the 1870s to the present day. Features changing exhibits including photographs, hand tools, switchboards, coin phones, directory, telegraph, teletype, and bell system memorabilia.

Stuffington Bear Factory! - Phoenix
We are one of the last remaining working stuffed animal factories left in the U.S. We have been making stuffed friends since 1959.

St. Mary's Basilica of Phoenix - Phoenix
Founded in 1881, St. Mary's is the oldest Catholic church in Phoenix and contains Arizona's largest collection of historic stained glass windows. Tours are available on each Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. and by appointment.

Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park - Phoenix
What are the oldest structures in the Valley of the Sun? They are the remains of the Hohokam culture and some of them are the centerpieces of Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park. They include a partially excavated Platform Mound and a ballcourt along the Ruin Trail. Now, thanks to the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary visitors can also tour the newly constructed replicas of Hohokam houses. The replicas have been built based on archaeological data since no complete remains have been found.

Phoenix Art Museum - Phoenix
Our groundbreaking exhibitions, here only for a limited time, will fascinate, entertain, and educate. From the four corners of the world, from ancient to modern, from masters to rising stars, see what we have on display now.

Arizona Military Museum - Phoenix

Wells Fargo History Museum, Phoenix - Phoenix
Embodies the classic western. From 1858 on, the stagecoaches of the Butterfield line went through wild days Tombstone, while providing extensive railroad service to the mines.

Heard Museum - Phoenix, Scotsdale, Surprise
The mission of the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art is to educate the public about the heritage and living cultures and arts of Native peoples, with an emphasis on the peoples of the Southwest.

Picacho Peak State Park - Picacho
Home to the most significant Civil War battle in Arizona and Used as a landmark by early explorers, Picacho Peak is the perfect place to enjoy viewing exciting mock battles that took place in Arizona and New Mexico during the Civil War. Every March, "The Civil War in the Southwest" comes alive again as over two hundred re-enactors converge on Picacho Peak on foot and horseback. Due to construction of a new Visitor Center, Picacho Peak State Park will be closed to all public entry starting July 1, 2008. The park is scheduled to re-open in October 2008.

Phippen Museum - Prescott
Art (Cowboy Capital) of the American West

Smoki Museum of American Indian Art & Culture - Prescott
The mission of the Smoki Museum of American Indian Art & Culture is to instill an understanding and respect for the indigenous cultures of the Southwest.

Sharlot Hall Museum - Prescott
Sharlot Hall Museum’s newest exhibit examines the history of water management in Arizona, and bring to life the story of this critical and ever-changing natural resource.

Tonto National Monument - Roosevelt
Situated within rugged terrain in the northeastern part of the Sonoran Desert, these well-preserved cliff dwellings were occupied during the 13th, 14th, and early 15th centuries.

Roper Lake State Park - Safford
A great place to spend a few days or just a few hours. Desert vegetation, a peaceful lake and a view of Mount Graham, picnic ramadas, an Indian Village and a playground all for families to enjoy!

Mount Graham International Observatory - Safford
an astrophysical research site...

Mineral Discovery Center - Sahuarita
Welcome to the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center where you can make your own discoveries about copper and the mining industry.

Southwest Wildlife - Scottsdale
Southwest Wildlife Rehabilitation and Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization that specializes in rescuing and rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife native to the southwest, educating today's youth on the importance of native wildlife and the environment, and encouraging educational career opportunities in environmental science. Virtual Tour and Kid's pages - Coming Soon!
Virtual field trip online

Taliesin West - Scottsdale
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation was established in 1940 as the repository of the life work of Frank Lloyd Wright. The Foundation maintains its international headquarters at Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is committed to advancing the ideas and principles of organic architecture, organic education, and conservation of the natural environment. The Foundation also seeks to preserve and enhance the lifetime contributions and ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright, and make available to the public opportunities to study and experience organic architecture.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Scottsdale
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place

Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum - Scottsdale
Exhibit of Jewish life cycle and holiday archival material and artifacts as well as a composite Tunisian Synagogue.

Scottsdale Historical Museum - Scottsdale
History of the Old Red Brick Schoolhouse

Scottsdale Arts - Scottsdale
Scottsdale center for the performing arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts, and Scottsdale public Arts.

Heard Museum North - Scottsdale
The mission of the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art is to educate the public about the heritage and living cultures and arts of Native peoples, with an emphasis on the peoples of the Southwest.

Fleischer Museum - Scottsdale
Approximately one-third of the collection is on view in the museum at any one time. Included in the collection of American Impressionism, California School and Russian and Soviet Impressionism are varied genres that include landscapes, architectural and figurative subjects, as well as still lifes. Currently, the collection includes around four-hundred paintings.

Slide Rock State Park - Sedona
Slide Rock State Park, originally the Pendley Homestead, is a 43-acre historical apple farm located in Oak Creek Canyon. As one of the few homesteads left intact in the canyon today, Slide Rock State Park is a fine example of early agricultural development in Central Arizona.

Red Rock State Park - Sedona
The park's 286 acres were originally part of the Smoke Trail Ranch, owned by Jack and Helen Frye. Arizona's famous Oak Creek meanders through this scenic park, creating a diverse riparian habitat abounding with plants and wildlife. This riparian habitat, the land-based ecosystem closely associated with Oak Creek, provides the setting and the opportunity for Red Rock State Park to offer a center for environmental education.

Sedona Heritage Museum - Sedona
Our Museum is focused on the lifestyles and works of the people who pioneered this community, from 1876 to the present. The Sedona Historical Society's mission is to research, preserve and teach the history of the greater Sedona area.

Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area - Show Low
A state of the art recreation area, located in the Apache - Sitgreaves National Forest.

Casa Malpais Archaeological Park - Springerville
Situated on terraces of a fallen basalt cliff along the upper Little Colorado River, the site dates from late Pueblo III to early Pueblo IV (AD 1250-1325) times. Casa Malpais appears to incorporate features of both early and late Mogollon Culture settlement patterns. Site is accessible only via guided tours, which start at the Visitor's Center in Springerville.

Lyman Lake State Park - St. Johns
Created as an irrigation reservoir by damming the Little Colorado River, this 1,200-acre park encompasses the shoreline of a 1,500-acre reservoir at an elevation of 6,000 feet. Because of its size, Lyman Lake is one of the few bodies of water in northeastern Arizona with no size restrictions on boats.

Apache County Historical Society Museum - St. Johns
First came the dinosaurs to the banks of the Little Colorado River, and then the Indians. In (1540) Coronado crossed the river near St. Johns and later descendants of the Conquistadors settled here. Pioneer families arrived from the East in the 1880's.

Shamrock Farms Tour - Stanfield
Our farm tour is now closed for the summer. Roxie and the rest of the herd look forward to seeing you this fall when we re-open on October 7, 2008. Teachers may still make reservations for 2008-2009. Reservations will be taken in the order they are received. Look for confirmations in early September with a special promotion for October field trips.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park - Superior
The place to discover the intricate beauty and many faces of Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden. Featured are plants from the world's deserts, towering trees, captivating cacti, sheer mountain cliffs, a streamside forest, panoramic vistas, many natural habitats with varied wildlife, a desert lake, a hidden canyon, specialty gardens and more.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Superior
"The Mission of Boyce Thompson Arboretum is to instill in people an appreciation of plants through the fostering of educational, recreational, research, and conservation opportunities associated with arid-land plants."

West Valley Art Museum - Surprise
West Valley Art Museum Permanent Collections contains over 4000 items from more than 75 countries. Our permanent collections holds over 1000 pieces of Ethnic Dress and textiles. Currently, West Valley Art Museum has the largest collection of ethnic dress in the southwest. Due to the already strong representation, a special emphasis is given to Asia, Africa and Latin American cultures.

ASU Art Museum - Tempe
Education programs at the ASU Art Museum are as varied and intellectually stimulating as the people who visit the museum. A myriad of educational activities engage audiences of all ages with captivating and provocative exhibitions and programs.

Petersen House Museum - Tempe

Tempe Historical Museum - Tempe

R. S. Dietz Museum of Geology - Tempe

Discovery Park Campus - Thatcher
The EAC Discovery Park Campus hosts K-12 school students from local communities and surrounding areas. These science field trips give these children opportunities to learn and enjoy hands-on activities about astronomy and ecology. These activities are available at no cost to schools wishing to bring students to enjoy these wonderful educational experiences.

Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park - Tombstone
A historical museum that features exhibits and thousands of artifacts which tell of Tombstone's colorful past.

Boothill Graveyard - Tombstone
Many tourists visit the Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone Arizona on a daily basis. Many tourists stop by the counter and ask the sales clerk in the gift shop questions like… which part of the cemetery are the Earps buried in? Where is Ike Clanton and Johnny Ringo buried? The answer they hear from the clerk amazes them most of the time. None of the Earps are buried in Tombstone, neither is Ike Clanton or even John Ringo.

Bird Cage Theater - Tombstone
In the 1880s it was not only a theater, but also served as a saloon, gambling hall and brothel. It was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - even on holidays. The New York Times called it, "the wildest, roughest, wickedest honky tonk between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast." That statement was well deserved, since the Bird Cage was the scene for twenty-six deaths during its eight years of business. Today the floor of the Bird Cage has been converted into a museum.

Good Enough Mine Tour - Tombstone
The Good Enough is a man-made cave. Passages twist and turn, sometimes enlarging into big rooms with soaring ceilings, with the empty spaces where the veins and bodied of silver ore were dug or blasted out by the miners. The mine goes a thousand feet out this way, hundreds of feet down that way. Shafts disappear into the abyss just off of the tour route.

Navajo National Monument - Tonalea
Navajo National Monument preserves three intact cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan people. A visitor center, museum, three short self-guided trails, two small campgrounds, and a picnic area provide service to travelers that make the trek to this remote hamlet.

Catalina State Park - Tucson
This scenic desert park offers camping, hiking, picnicking, bicycling, horseback riding, plant and wildlife viewing, and an archaeological site, all just a few minutes from Tucson. Bring along your curiosity and your sense of adventure as you take in the beautiful mountain backdrop, desert wildflowers, cacti and wildlife that call this area home.

Saguaro National Park - Tucson
Enormous cacti, silhouetted by the setting sun, for most of us the Giant Saguaro is the universal symbol of the American West. And yet, these majestic plants are only found in a small portion of the United States. Saguaro National Park protects some of the most impressive forests of these sub-tropical giants, on the edge of the modern City of Tucson.

Pima Air & Space Museum - Tucson
One of the largest air and space museums in the world, and the largest non-government funded aviation museum. You'll see more than 275 aircraft and spacecraft including many of the most historically significant and technically advanced craft ever produced, both from the United States and throughout the world.

Buckelew Farm - Tucson
Pumpkin Festival and Corn Maze - October

Tucson Audubon Society - Tucson
Tucson Audubon sponsors environmental education programs for all ages that promote understanding of environmental concepts, appreciation of the natural world, and commitment to sustainable resource use. We foster grassroots efforts to improve the environmental quality of our neighborhoods and communities through education, advocacy, and activism.

Pima Air & Space Museum - Tucson
Pima Air & Space Museum, where history takes flight, is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, and the largest non-government funded aviation museum. You'll see more than 275 aircraft and spacecraft including many of the most historically significant and technically advanced craft ever produced, both from the United States and throughout the world.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Tucson
Explore the different sections of this site to experience the area's history, meet some of our abundant wildlife, learn about our educational resources and facilities and check out the FAQs section to answer some of the most commonly asked questions. If you're feeling a little batty, take a look at our Bats and More Bats page.
Virtual field trip online

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Tucson
A world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place!

Arizona State Museum - Tucson
ASM is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest, established in 1893. An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution it is the state’s official archaeological repository and the largest non-federal archaeological repository in the country.

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center - Tucson
Research, education, history, excavation, preservation and protection, presentations, day trips, travel tours

International Wildlife Museum - Tucson
Dioramas depicting wild animals in their natural settings, videos, interactive computers, and hands-on exhibits promote wildlife appreciation and conservation. Your visit is an excellent opportunity to see animals up close and gain a better understanding of their adaptive characteristics, habitats and conservation issues.

Old Pueblo Trolley - Tucson
An Operating Transit Museum

The Center for Creative Photography - Tucson
The Center for Creative Photography is an archive and research center located on the University of Arizona campus. We retain the archives of Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Garry Winogrand, Harry Callahan, and other great 20th century photographers—over fifty archives in all.

University of Arizona Mineral Museum - Tucson
The Museum is dedicated to providing public education and the preservation of minerals and meteorites while also serving the research needs of professionals, students and collectors. The collection is world-wide in scope, but with specific emphasis on minerals from Arizona and Mexico.

Tucson Museum of Art - Tucson
Features original and traveling exhibitions focusing on Art of the Americas, Art of the American West, and Modern and Contemporary Art as well as tours, education programs, Art School, and Museum Shop to delight and educate visitors.

Tohono Chul Park - Tucson
Listed as one of the Ten Great Botanical Gardens in the world.

The Castañeda Museum - Tucson
For over 55 years, Ms. Morales has been creating dolls representing the Tarascan/Purépecha people of Michoacán engaged in their daily activities. Her dolls have been exhibited internationally as well as throughout Mexico.
Virtual field trip online

Tohono Chul Park - Tucson
Listed Tohono Chul Park as one of the Ten Great Botanical Gardens in the world.
Virtual field trip online

La Pilita - Tucson
This traditional adobe building is located in the heart of Tucson-Barrio Viejo. Walk a few steps south of the mammoth Tucson Community Center and you will enter the historic Barrio Viejo. La Pilita shares the south wall of El Tiradito Shrine-a National Historic site. The museum is a living repository of photos and oral histories of Barrio Viejo and El Hoyo. Come to La Pilita and you will stand on the ground that was the entrance Tucson’s upscale parks of the late 1800s - Carrillo Gardens and Elysian Grove. With a vivid imagination you can hear the waters of El Ojito Spring that cooled the thirst of ancient Hohokam people, explorers, Spanish soldiers and Apaches before it disappeared below the ground in the early 1900s.

Kitt Peak National Observatory - Tucson
Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), supports the most diverse collection of astronomical observatories on Earth for nighttime optical and infrared astronomy and daytime study of the Sun. Sharing the mountaintop site with the National Solar Observatory, KPNO, founded in 1958, operates three major nighttime telescopes and hosts the facilities of consortia which operate 19 optical telescopes and two radio telescopes. (See the Tenant Observatories list.) Kitt Peak is located 56 miles southwest of Tucson, AZ, in the Schuk Toak District on the Tohono O'odham Nation and has a Visitor Center open daily to the public.

Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans - Tucson
Integrating Science and Community for the Conservation of the Northern Gulf of California and Sonoran Desert

Eco Camps - Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans - Tucson
CEDO offers unique opportunities to explore the sea and desert. Join us for a hike in North America’s largest sand sea, a paddle through the channels of Estero Morúa, or an exploration of the diverse underwater world of tidepools. Listed below are the numerous eco-adventures we offer, plus a description of our annual Wet-Feet Ocean Camp that we hold during the summer for children.

University of Arizona Museum of Art - Tucson
Visit The Museum Neighborhood - four great museums in walking distance from each other. The University of Arizona Museum of Art + Center for Creative Photography + Arizona State Museum + Arizona Historical Society.

Tucson Children's Museum - Tucson
You have embarked on an adventure learning experience at Southern Arizona’s only children’s museum. A visit to TCM will find you enjoying the numerous interactive exhibits, the daily hands-on activities and the monthly special events.

Flandrau: The University of Arizona Science Center - Tucson
Test-drive our hands-on exhibits in the Design Garage

The Miners’ Story Project - Tucson
The Miners’ Story Project will preserve and share stories about life in mines and mining communities in the Southwest US.

Flandreau Observatory - Tucson
You can take your own tour of the heavens with the Observatory’s 16-inch telescope (no reservations are needed or can be taken), available for free viewing Wednesday through Saturday after sunset, all year long (the only such telescope open on a regular basis, free to the public, in the state of Arizona). Flandrau’s Cassegrain reflector is the same optical design as professional telescopes on Arizona mountaintops. An expert astronomer or telescope operator is available (weather permitting) to point you toward the sky’s best sky show this month and visitors can request different objects to view.

Flandreau Planetarium - Tucson
Whether you’re looking to learn, laugh or be amazed, the Planetarium has something in the stars for all ages.

390th Memorial Museum - Tucson
Our mission is to preserve the proud heritage of the original cadre, the ground support personnel, the aircrews, the staff, and the commanders of the 390th Bombardment Group (Heavy).

Tucson Botanical Gardens - Tucson

Southern Arizona Transportation Museum - Tucson
The Southern Arizona Transportation Museum exists to interpret the history of transportation in Southern Arizona with a focus on the Tucson Historic Depot and Steam Locomotive #1673. Dedicated to education, research and preservation.

Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute - Tucson
Here you can learn more about the fascinating arthropods and the resources SASI has to help you in your quest.

Reid Park Zoo - Tucson

Tumacácori National Historical Park - Tumacácori
Tumacácori NHP protects three Spanish colonial mission ruins in southern Arizona: Tumacácori, Guevavi, and Calabazas. The adobe structures are on three sites, with a visitor center at Tumacácori. These missions are among more than twenty established in the Pimería Alta by Father Kino and other Jesuits, and later expanded upon by Franciscan missionaries.

Tucson Rodeo Parade - Committee and Museum - Tuscon
This colorful, exciting Parade is presented each year and keeps the spirit of the first Parade back in 1925. Now known to be the largest Non-Motorized Parade in the country, It still achieves its success through the community's participation and the dedicated work of its members and the many volunteers.

Desert Caballeros Western Museum - Wickenburg
Arizona’s Most Western Museum

Fort Bowie National Historic Site - Willcox
ort Bowie commemorates the bitter conflict between Chiricahua Apaches and the U.S. military - a lasting monument to the bravery and endurance of U.S. soldiers in paving the way for settlement and the taming of the western frontier. It provides insight into a "clash of cultures," a young nation in pursuit of "manifest destiny," and the hunter/gatherer society fighting to preserve its existence.

Chiricahua National Monument - Willcox
A “Wonderland of Rocks” is waiting for you to explore at Chiricahua National Monument. This forest of rock spires was eroded from layers of ash deposited by the Turkey Creek Volcano eruption 27 million years ago. The 8 mile paved scenic drive and 18 miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985 acre site. Visit the Faraway Ranch Historic District to discover more about the people who have called this area home: Chiricahua Apaches, Buffalo Soldiers, Erickson and Stafford families.

Apple Annie's Orchard - Willcox
School field trips and group tours: Apple Field Trips and Pumpkin & Corn Maze Field Trips.

Homolovi Ruins State Park - Winslow
Serves as a center of research for the late migration period of the Hopi from the 1200's to the late 1300's. While archaeologists study the sites and confer with the Hopi to unravel the history of Homolovi, Arizona State Parks provides the opportunity for visitors to visit the sites and use park facilities including a visitor center and museum, various trails and a campground. Several covered picnic tables are located throughout the park. Pullouts provide the opportunity to observe wildlife in this park of over 4,000 acres at an elevation of 4,900 feet.

Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park - yuma
On July 1, 1876, the first seven inmates entered the Territorial Prison at Yuma, and were locked into the new cells they had built themselves. Schooling was available for convicts, and many learned to read and write in prison. The prison housed one of the first "public" libraries in the territory, and the fee charged to visitors for a tour of the institution was used to purchase books. The Yuma Union High School occupied the buildings from 1910 to 1914.

Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area - Yuma
Located in the southwestern corner of Arizona, Yuma served as a vital crossing of the Lower Colorado River in the 19th Century and an innovator of water management and desert agriculture in the 20th Century. The Heritage Area’s mission is to conserve and enhance the Colorado River, the historic downtown, but most importantly, its sense of place in a rapidly changing community.

The Peanut Patch - Yuma
The Peanut Patch gives free tours of their facilities every Tuesday and Friday at 10 am, in the months of January, February, March and November. They are open Monday - Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, October 1 - April 30th.