Summer is the perfect time to get out of the heat and into one of Tucson's cool, fascinating, family-friendly museums!
Art
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA): 265 S. Church. Open Wednesday-Sunday 12-5 PM. Admission rates HERE.
•Discount Days: FREE the last Sunday of each month. MOCA is a Blue Star Museum.
•Children/Family Programs: MOCA offers a Playtime event once a quarter, an intergenerational, interactive exploration of art. The next Playtime is July 11 at 1 PM. FREE for children under 17, $8 adults.
•Teen Program: Minor Mutiny Thursdays 3:30-5:00. FREE for high school students with valid ID. An unstructured "lounge" program for students to make art, get homework help, and interact with supervising artists/mentors.
Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block: 140 N. Main. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 AM-5 PM. Admission rates found HERE.
•Discount Days: FREE admission the 1st Sunday of the month. Blue Star Museum.
•Children/Family programs: Picture This! Art for Families on the 1st Sunday of every month at 1 PM (FREE). Families explore the musuem gallaries and then create a piece of artwork inspired by the exhibits. Children 6+ and accompanying adults.
•Children/Family programs: Picture This! Art for Families on the 1st Sunday of every month at 1 PM (FREE). Families explore the musuem gallaries and then create a piece of artwork inspired by the exhibits. Children 6+ and accompanying adults.
University of Arizona Museum of Art: 1031 N. Olive. Open Tuesday-Friday, 9 AM-4 PM; Saturday & Sunday, noon-4 PM. Admission rates found HERE.
•Children/Family programs: Art Sprouts ($5 adults, FREE for children). Storytime and art-making for families with childres ages 2-5 years. Typically the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
History
Arizona History Museum: 949 E. 2nd St. Open Daily. Mon & Fri 9:00-6:00; Tues-Thurs 9:00-4:00; Sat & Sun 11:00-4:00. NOTE: The Museum WILL be open on July 3rd, 4th & 5th! Admission rates HERE.
•Discount Days: Monday Family nights: $1 admission from 4-6; Friday cheap date nights: $1 admission from 4-6; Two for one admission the 1st Tuesday of every month. Blue Star Museum.
•Children/Family features: The Museum highlights southern Arizona history from colonial through territorial times and has many hands-on exhibits for children to enjoy.
Arizona State Museum: 1013 E. University Blvd. on the UA Campus. Open Monday-Saturday 10-5. Closed Sundays and state/federal holidays. Admission rates HERE.
•Discount Days: Admission for Children under 17 and UA & Pima CC staff and students is always FREE. The Arizona State Museum is a Blue Star Museum.
•Children/Family programs: Culture Craft Saturdays (10:00-4:30 every Saturday, ages 5+, included with admission) Enjoy a hands-on cultural craft activity in the museum lobby. Activities include basket weaving, mask making, native food sampling and more! The Museum also offers self-guided children's activities for various exhibits. Click HERE to download scavenger hunts, field journals and many other activities to enhance children's museum visit.
Southern AZ Transportation Museum: 414 N. Toole. Open every day except Monday. Hours: Tues-Thurs & Sunday from 11-3, Friday & Saturday from 10-4. FREE.
•Children/Family programs: Locomotive Saturdays (every Saturday, FREE). Explore the interactive museum exhibits and watch modern day trains pass by. Volunteers are on hand to answer questions about steam locomotives and transportation history.
Science and Technology
Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium: 1601 E. University Blvd on the UA Campus. Open daily. Monday-Thursday 9-5; Friday 9 AM-10 PM; Saturday 10 AM-10 PM; Sunday 12-5 PM. Admission rates HERE.
•Children/Family programs: Exhibits at the Science Center bring science to life for children and adults. Planetarium shows cater to all ages, with a traditional Tucson Sky show for all ages, and such shows as "The Magic Tree House Space Mission" (for Kinder-3rd grade) and "Sunstruck" about the wonders of the sun (for 3rd grade and up). Click HERE for a summer planetarium schedule.
Pima Air and Space Museum: 6000 E. Valencia Road. Open 7 days a week, 9 AM-5 PM. Admission prices HERE.
•Children/Family programs: Soarin' Saturdays. Every Saturday at 1:00 PM , Pima Air & Space Museum offers a special program for children. From building model airplanes to LEGO Robotics, there is something for children of every age. Check the Soarin' Saturdays schedule to see what the event is each week and the appropriate age range. (Included with admission fee.)
•Special Summer Event: The last Saturday of June, July and August, the museum stays open until 9 PM for Night Wings, an event filled with fun aviation activities for kids. Crafts, games, science experiments, scavenger hunts and more. Adults $10, Kids 12 and under are FREE.
Specialty Museums
Children's Museum Tucson: 200 S. Sixth Ave. Open 9 AM-5 PM weekdays and 10 AM-5 PM on weekends. Admission rates HERE.
•Discount Days: $2 admission on the 2nd Saturday of each month. $2 admission on Sundays from May 24-September 6.
•Children/Family programs: The whole museum is kid/family friendly! Designed for children 10 and under, including a special space just for children under 4.
•Special Summer Event: S.T.E.A.M. Sundays. Special activities and demonstrations based on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. (Every Sunday in the summer through September 6th. Activities included with $2 admission).
International Wildlife Museum: 4800 W. Gates Pass Road. Open weekdays from 9-5 PM, weekends from 9-6 PM. Admission rates HERE.
•Discount Days: 50% off admission the first Tuesday of every month.
•Children/Family programs: The museum has animal dioramas and hands on exhibits that are engaging to children and adults alike. Periodically the museum hosts a popular Flashlight Night, where families bring flashlights and explore the museum in the dark. The next Flashlight Night is August 22.
•Special Summer Program: Find Mac the Mouse throughout the museum! Pick up a scavenger hunt form from the admission desk. Find all 12 mice and return for a prize! Through August 9.
Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures: 4455 E. Camp Lowell Road. Tuesday-Saturday 9-4; Sundays 12-4. Closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission HERE.
•Discount Days: $3 off adult admission every Thursday. Blue Star Museum.
•Children/Family programs: Tiny Tales for Tots features costumed characters, songs, and stories for preschoolers. Usually held the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 10:30 AM. Kids Create allows school-aged children to create their own miniatures! Held the 2nd Saturday of each month form 1-4 PM. Both programs included with the price of admission.
•Special Summer Program: clubHouse is a summer weekday afternoon (1-4 PM) program where children 5-12 make miniatures, play games, do yoga and more. Tuition is $20 per child. Drop ins welcome, but pre-registration preferred. Click HERE for more information.
*Blue Star Museums offer FREE admission to active duty military and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Click HERE to learn more.
