Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum history

Although an admission charge was instituted in 1953, the museum is still supported only by admission fees, memberships, and donations, and receives no direct support from public taxes.

Carr resigned in the fall of 1954 after an illustrious career.

His program, begun in 1955, dubbed “The Desert Ark” by Joseph Wood Krutch, touched tens of thousands of people.

The docent program, which has grown to become one of the hallmarks of the Museum and is recognized by our industry colleagues as one of the finest docent corps in existence today, began in the fall of 1972.

For its successful work on hummingbird propagation, the Museum received an AZA “Significant Achievement Award” in 1998.

In addition, the ever-popular Ancient Arizona exhibit opened in 2000, and gives children the opportunity to dig for life-like fossils.

In 2001, the Desert Museum launched the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Art Institute (School of Natural History Art), which fosters conservation through the arts.

2004 was selected as the year to announce an $18 million capital campaign to the public.

In 2007 our newest exhibit “Life on the Rocks” was opened as well as two critically needed buildings, the Baldwin Education Building and a 300-seat indoor facility, the Warden Oasis Theater.

In 2008 the Museum collaborated with Forever Young Treehouses of Burlington, Vermont and constructed the first fully accessible treehouse/discovery nature center in Arizona.

In 2010, Robert Edison announced his plans to transition into retirement.