The University of Arizona

Points of Interest Tours

Several units offer a tour of the facilities where many of UA's achievements happen. Learn about UA's accomplishments in everything from athletics to astronomy to art while you visit these points of interest.

Arizona State Museum Exhibits

The museum offers a tour of its exhibits, storerooms and laboratories for special groups. Please make arrangements two weeks in advance.

Special Considerations:
Minimum donation of $5 per person. Wheelchairs not able to go into archaeology labs and only 15 people at a time.

Contact Info:
Darlene Lizarraga , Marketing Coordinator , Arizona State Museum , 520-626-8381 , dfl@email.arizona.edu

Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

The laboratory provides diagnostic services to veterinarians, livestock producers and owners of pets and exotic animals. Its main goal is to identify disease problems that impact domestic and other animal species in Arizona. Tours of the facility are available upon request.

Special Considerations:
Reservations are required, please call at least 2 weeks in advance.

Contact Info:
Tour Contact , College of Agriculture and Life Sciences , 520-621-2356

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

The arboretum is located at the base of the towering Picketpost Mountain. It brings together plants from the Earth's many and varied deserts and dry lands and displays them alongside unspoiled examples of the native Sonoran Desert vegetation. No matter what the season, you will enjoy a moving and memorable experience of the beauty, majesty, and mystery of arid land plants. An important function in the Arboretum's mission is its committment to education. It is truly a living classroom. New projects are underway for both the arboretum and this website, so visit us often.

Special Considerations:
The Arboretum is located at Highway 60 Milepost #223, about one hour due east of Phoenix on the Superstition Freeway. From Tucson, take highway 79 to Florence Junction, then 12 miles east on Highway 60 brings you right to our front gate.

Contact Info:
Tour Contact , 520-689-2723 , BTAinfo@ag.arizona.edu

Campus Arboretum Tours

The University of Arizona campus has been designated as an arboretum. There are over 6800 trees, some the only ones in Arizona, others over 100 years old. Tours teach about the hundreds of trees on the campus, botanical facts, campus landscape history, and more.

Special Considerations:
Reservations are required. Walking is involved. Early mornings are best, particularly in hot weather. Participants should wear comfortable shoes, dress for the weather, and bring water.

Contact Info:
Elizabeth Davison , Director , Plant Sciences , 520-621-7074 , edavison@ag.arizona.edu

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)

CALS provides several tours of its many facilities, including farms, gardens, laboratories, the herbarium and more.

Contact Info:
Tour Contact , College of Agriculture and Life Sciences , 520-621-2356

Eller College of Management, Undergraduate Programs, McClelland Hall

Topics include the history of the college, what major recruiters go through the college, curriculum within the undergraduate program and available majors, faculty research, student resources and services.

Special Considerations:
Tours offered every Monday and Friday at 12:30 p.m. during Fall and Spring Semesters. Each tour lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Contact Info:
Anne Pagel , Program Coordinator - Eller Undergrad , Eller Undergraduate Programs , 520-621-2505 , pagel@eller.arizona.edu

Environmental Research Lab

The Environmental Research Lab is a teaching and research unit and is an internationally recognized center dedicated to studying ways to better understand and improve how we live in the desert. The tour includes a history of the lab, a review of current projects, and a walking tour through the facilities.

Special Considerations:
Tours are suggested during October through May, however are offered on the first Tuesday of every month starting at 1:30 p.m. Not recommended during the summer months. Located in northern Arizona, west of Interstate 17. 2657 Village Drive, Cottonwood, Arizona.

Contact Info:
David Schafer , 520-626-3322 , dschafer@ag.arizona.edu

KUAT-TV/Radio Tour

Want to see how KUAT puts it all together? Come and take a tour of our station and see where 'Arizona Illustrated' is filmed, the KUAT-FM and KUAZ radio booths and our high definition studio for 'The Desert Speaks.'

Special Considerations:
Reservations are required. Tours can begin anytime between 9 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Maximum group size is 15, but multiple groups can run concurrently.

Contact Info:
Tour Contact-KUAT , KUAT-TV/Radio Tour , 520-621-5828

Landscape and Interpretive Trail and Demonstration Gardens

Self-guided trail around the Maricopa County Office demonstrates effective landscape design and maintenance for the low desert. It includes low water use plants, wildflowers, native plants, heritage rose garden, deciduous fruit and much more.

Special Considerations:
Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Contact Info:
Cathy Rymer , 602-470-8086 , crymer@ag.arizona.edu

Maricopa Agricultural Center

Facilitates the production and dissemination of information about arid-region agriculture. Divided into two farms: a research farm and a demonstration farm. The farms serve as a facility to demonstrate the commercial viability and manageability of promising research results and technologies.

Special Considerations:
Must inquire about site visit before visiting. Maricopa Agricultural Center is located at 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road, Maricopa, Arizona.

Contact Info:
Robert Roth , Maricopa Agriculture , 520-621-2331 , bobroth@ag.arizona.edu

McKale Center Tour

The McKale Center tour goes to the underground and ground level floors of McKale Center. We visit Media Relations Office, Medical Facilities, Weight Room, Lute & Bobbi Olson Court, football offices and other departments within McKale.

Special Considerations:
Tour groups divided into 20 persons per group, each with a separate tour guide. Tours offered Mon.-Fri. 8-4:30, based on tour availability and schedules. Can also include additional facilities upon request: Arizona Stadium, Hillenbrand Softball Stadium, Hillenbrand Aquatics Center, LaNelle Robson Tennis Center, Gymcats Training Center and Sancet Field.

Contact Info:
Gillean Hall , Administration and Athletics , 520-621-2331 , ghall@email.arizona.edu

Middle School Campus Tour

The University of Arizona Visitor Center hosts student-led walking tours of main campus for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. These tours expose young students to the UA early and inspire them to think about including college in their future goals. Offered every Friday at 10 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters.

Special Considerations:
Reservations are required and tours are available on a first come, first served basis. Requests can be made online at: http://externalrelations.arizona.edu/community_visitor.cfm

Contact Info:
Middle School Tour Coordinator , UA Visitor Center , 520-621-5130 , FAX: 520-621-4990 , visitor@email.arizona.edu

Pima County Cooperative Extension Office

The Garden Center is part of the Pima County Office and is used weekly for demonstrations. Various areas of the garden include beds illustrating the use of color in home landscaping; herbs; vegetables; a rose garden; and a new area on cacti and succulents.

Special Considerations:
No July, August or December tours. Demonstrations are held weekly on Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. and the public may see the garden from 9-11:30 a.m. on Thursdays.

Contact Info:
Francine Correll , Pima County , 520-626-5161 , FAX: 520-626-5849 , fcorrell@ag.arizona.edu

Scholarship Suite Tour, Arizona Stadium

Get a birds-eye view of Arizona Stadium on a tour of the Scholarship Suites skyboxes.

Special Considerations:
Reservations required. Group tours available.

Contact Info:
Matt Brown , 520-621-6706 , lmbrown@arizona.edu

University of Arizona Herbarium

Located in Herring Hall, the herbarium is a museum for plants. The U of A's herbarium has more than 400,000 collections of pressed plants, seeds, cones, fungi, lichens, and mosses, and it is the largest herbarium in Arizona.

Special Considerations:
Facility is open to public 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F. Tours by appointment.

Contact Info:
Phil Jenkins , Plant Sciences , 520-621-7243 , pjenkins@email.arizona.edu

University of Arizona Museum of Art

The Museum of Art located in the edge of UA campus offers docent-guided tours of UAMA's superb collection from the 15th century Retablo of Ciudad Rodrigo to modern masterpieces by O'Keeffe, Hopper, and Pollock.


Special Considerations:
Reservations are required. Please telephone or email two weeks in advance of tour date.

Contact Info:
Carol Petrozzello , Museum of Art , 520-626-9899 , carolp@email.arizona.edu