The learning never stops at Tohono Chul – discover this for yourself in our Classes, Lectures, & Workshops!
We’re all about connecting our members and visitors to the amazing world around us, offering them opportunities to make their own discoveries about the nature, art, and culture of our region. Read on for our latest listings of classes, lectures, and workshops designed to engage and delight!
Cancellation Policy
We reserve the right to cancel or postpone an event due to lack of enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. A full refund will apply. If however, you cancel your registration in a class or lecture retailed at $15 or lower, there is no refund. If you cancel your registration within 2-weeks for a hands-on workshop, there is a full refund if your space can be filled.
March 2024
Mosaic Mondays with David Jarvinen: River Rock
Monday | March 18th | 10am – 2pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
Join mosaic artist David Jarvinen for a unique workshop where you’ll create a mosaic on a river rock! Bring your own river rock, preferably 8-10 inches in a smooth, round-ish shape. David will guide you through the process of using mesh backing and porcelain tiles for the mosaic, demonstrating how to transfer it onto the rock using thinset. After the thinset cures, a grout kit will be provided for the finishing touch. This hands-on experience not only results in a beautiful rock mosaic but also equips you with valuable techniques to apply when creating your own mosaic mural at home. If you encounter difficulty sourcing a suitable rock, let us know 1 week in advance, and we can provide one for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and create in a fun and grounding environment!
$75 for members and $90 for the general public.
Yoga in the Gardens
Tuesday | Performance Garden | 8:30am – 9:30am | March 19th & 26th
$10 members | $10 plus admission for general public (please pay CASH directly to the instructor)
Outdoor yoga with Certified Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist, Mary Carhuff! All are welcome! Open your senses to an understanding of our connection to the earth. All are encouraged to practice at their own pace and modifications will be demonstrated. Please bring your own mat, water and dress in layers. Stroll the grounds or brunch in the Bistro afterwards and take in the beauty of the gardens.
TMA Art Talk – Mesoamerican Art: How Art Shows Links between Olmec, Maya and Aztec Civilizations
Thursday | March 21st | 10am – 11am | Education Center – Classroom 1
The Tucson Museum of Art recently opened a new wing to showcase its premier Latin American Art collection. To learn how to appreciate some of these amazing artistic objects, you might find this talk helpful in your basic understanding of the three largest Mesoamerican civilizations: the Olmec, Maya and Aztec. By understanding keys to the unique art attributed to each civilization, you will be able to identify the origin of pieces you see and understand their significance. Presented by TMA Docent, Kit Kimball.
Free for TMA Members | $5 for Tohono Chul Members | $8 for the general public
Photo credit: Tucson Museum of Art
Desert Gardening with Hank Verbais
Friday | March 22nd | 10am – 12pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
Did you buy too many new plant varieties at our spring plant sale and need help taking care of them? Look no further! Join our former master gardener, Hank Verbais, dive into the art of Sonoran Desert gardening in Tucson. Get first-hand knowledge in gardening in this arid region while exploring topics from understanding our desert’s growing seasons to selecting native plants adapted to endure our climate. This class will provide the foundations to ensuring your garden, and your new additions, not only survives but thrives. This lecture will include a 30 minute Q&A with Hank to answer your gardening questions.
$10 for members | $15 for the general public
Exploring Nature Through Watercolor
Thursdays | Six session class | March 28th & April 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th & May 2nd | 1 – 4 pm | Education Center Classroom 1
Deepen your appreciation for nature by learning to capture it in watercolor! This watercolor workshop is great for beginners to advanced painters and will cover composition, representation of form, color mixing, and painting from photos and nature. Students will explore gesture sketching and nature journaling and will complete several small paintings throughout the four sessions. Taught by Katie Iverson, an artist, photographer, marine biologist, and Tohono Chul Docent, who will have plenty of insights about representing the flora and fauna of our beautiful Sonoran Desert region! Katie will provide supplies for the first class as well as a list of recommended materials for the remaining classes. (Students are welcome to bring any materials they have to the first class, but are discouraged from purchasing new materials until AFTER the first class.) Unlock your creative cortex and join us for some fun this spring!
$275 members and $340 general public
Photo Credit: Barrio House by Katie Iverson
Building Wildlife Habitat with Coyote and Quail
Tuesday | March 26th | 1:15 pm – 3:30 pm | Children’s Garden
Come on down to the Children’s garden so you and your kids can learn about different native birds, lizards and pollinators of the Sonoran Desert! Unleash your creativity and learn how to create habitat with your family to help these desert critters do their important work. Coyote and Quail from Transforming Terrain will be having a short and interactive lesson on creating habitat, a song about pollinators, and 3 craft stations to build take-home wildlife habitats. This workshop is suitable for all ages and flexible/welcoming for all different learning styles and neurodivergences.
Members Free | Cost of Park Admission for the General Public
RSVP below!
Healing Sound Meditation with TC Chicago
Saturday | March 30th | 9am – 10am | Performance Garden
Come experience the Art of Healing Frequencies in the gardens this winter and spring! Immerse yourself in Soundscapes of Wellbeing led by TC Chicago. The session will begin with a guided meditation encouraging you to ground and begin to explore your inner landscape. Then begins the symphony of sound. The 28-inch gong, quartz Crystal vessels, quartz Crystal harp, waterfall, shamanic drum, and chimes will alter patterns of brain activity bringing you into a higher state of consciousness inviting you slip into deeper states of relaxation. This practice can reduce stress, promote more restful sleep, and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Come surround yourself with nature as you enjoy this multi-sensory experience!
$5 for members and $5 + Park Admission for the general public
Students pay instructor directly via cash or paypal
April 2024
Yoga in the Gardens
Tuesday | Performance Garden | 8:30am – 9:30am | April 2nd & 30th
$10 members | $10 plus admission for general public (please pay CASH directly to the instructor)
Outdoor yoga with Certified Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist, Mary Carhuff! All are welcome! Open your senses to an understanding of our connection to the earth. All are encouraged to practice at their own pace and modifications will be demonstrated. Please bring your own mat, water and dress in layers. Stroll the grounds or brunch in the Bistro afterwards and take in the beauty of the gardens.
“Home is Where the Hole is” with Pinau Merlin
Wednesday| April 3rd | 1pm -2:30 pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
Have you been on a walk outdoors and noticed a hole in the ground and wondered what animal made it or whether it could be a snake hole? Have you been bewildered by the profusion of holes, burrows, divots, depressions and diggings you find? Holes abound in the desert as animals seek refuge from predators and climatic extremes, or hunt for food. Learn how to read holes and burrows to discern who made them and which animals are living in an area. Discover this little investigated phenomenon which presents a fascinating look into the lives of our wildlife neighbors. How can you tell a coyote digging from a badger digging? Why are kit foxes the only canid to live in dens year round? Why does a packrat gather and build that huge mound of debris? Is that really a snake hole?
Join Pinau Merlin, author of The Field Guide to Desert Holes, to share a peek into the secret lives of these subterranean dwellers and discover who’s behind all that digging.
$10 for members and $15 for the general public
Flow! Art and Awareness: Introduction to Acrylics
Monday | April 8th | 8:30 am – 11:30 am | Exhibit House North Patio
Discover the world of acrylic painting with our Introduction to Acrylics workshop with Marlies Wolf. Acrylic paint is very bold and versatile. It can be used opaquely or diluted with water. It dries quickly so you can keep layering, and it combines well with other materials. It’s a great medium on its own as well as in mixed media artworks and collages. During this Workshop you’ll learn nine different acrylic techniques and get an introduction to intuitive painting.
Click here for more information on Flow!’s programs.
$65 for Members and $80 for the General Public
Papier mâché Crafts with Sandy Luna: Otomi Heart
Friday | April 12th and 19th | 10am – 1pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
The forms and shapes embroidered into Otomi textiles have ancient roots, dating back even before the rise of the Aztec Empire. According to many stories, these shapes were preserved in prehistoric cave paintings of the Mexican Plateau, giving artists of each generation a template from which to base their designs. “Originally created in Tenango de Doria, Hidalgo, Mexico, Otomi embroidery is said to be inspired by the natural surroundings of Mexico.” It also bears hallmarks of Spanish and Aztec influences, a reflection of the history of Mexico as a country. Sandy Luna from Luna’s Paper Designs LLC will teach you how to recreate one heart using papier mâché paste and paper clay by modeling the heart and making beautiful flowers and leaves with paper clay. You will be able to choose your Otomi design and paint it with acrylic paints to finish your piece. This is a beginner-level class.
This is a two-day class, and all supplies are provided. You can bring snacks and drinks.
$75 for members and $90 for the general public.
Downtown for Dummies with Ken Scoville
Monday | April 15th | 10am – 11am | Education Center – Classroom 1
Are you one of those who hardly ever travels south of River Road? You don’t know what you’re missing! Downtown is the place to be for history, architecture, museums, restaurants and a true pedestrian experience. Local historian and preservationist Ken Scoville shows how to navigate downtown, pinpoint the top attractions and strategies for making jury duty or paying our property taxes painless. Discover the geography that explains the historical development of the Old Pueblo from ancient times to military outpost to Territorial town and the historic zones that remain today to explore. The physical features, major events and cyclical changes that have led to the current downtown renaissance are discussed. Ken will deal with the basics like finding parking, City Hall, shopping and restaurants, all to make you a pro the next time you have out-of-town visitors and want to show off all the best places downtown!
$10 for members and $15 for the general public.
TMA Art Talk – Hohokam Art
Thursday | April 18th | 10am – 11am | Education Center – Classroom 1
The Hohokam are known for two things — their farming skills and their skills with arts and crafts. This talk explores their beautiful artwork in pottery, jewelry, stoneware, and shell artwork. Presented by TMA Docent, Mary Jo McMullen.
Free for TMA Members | $5 for Tohono Chul Members | $8 for the general public
Photo: HoHoKam Soltice by Manuel Fontes
Foodways with Linda Wyner: Agave
Saturday | April 20th | 10am – 11am
It’s not just for tequila and sweeteners! Agave was cultivated throughout the Americas and locally by O’odham ancestors the Hohokam (Huhugam). Tonight’s foodways lecture from writer, food anthropologist and cooking instructor Linda Wyner will take a look at the history and modern uses of the agave plant.
Flow! Art and Awareness: Intuitive Acrylics
Monday | April 22nd | 8:30am – 11:30am | Exhibit House North Patio
Join Flow! for an engaging and creative art class where you’ll learn to create art through the power of your intuition. Marlies Wolf’s Intuitive Acrylics Workshop is designed to help you tap into your inner creativity and explore the beauty of colors and emotions that come from your subconscious mind. During this class, you’ll experiment with basic techniques and let go of your inhibitions to create a unique 8×10 acrylic painting. Let the colors guide you.
Click here for more information on Flow!’s programs.
$65 for Members and $80 for the General Public
A “Novel” Project in Silver Clay with Lyle Rayfield
Saturday | April 27th | 9am – 12pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
This mini book may not land you on the best seller’s list, but your friends will be clamoring at your door for their own personalized copy. Award-winning metal clay artist, Lyle Rayfield, guides participants through the process of creating and texturizing miniature book covers using silver metal clay, embellishing them with tiny clay elements inspired by the plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert, and filling them with colorful pages or personalized notes or pictures. When complete, you will want to proudly wear your story for all to see.
Microscopic particles of pure silver are combined with an organic binder to produce the clay-like substance known as silver metal clay. When fired at high temperatures, the binder burns off and the metal particles fuse into a solid piece of silver. No experience is necessary and all skill levels are welcome. Demonstrations and instruction will cover how to properly roll, texture, shape, refine, fire, and finish metal clay creations. You will also learn how a simple butane torch can fire your pieces, so that you can continue to create beautiful jewelry at home without kin, All materials are supplied; magnifying lenses (if needed) and an apron are optional.
$120 members and $145 general public
Desert Impressions with Lyle Rayfield
Saturday | April 27th| 1:30pm – 4:30pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
If you love the Sonoran Desert, you’ll love capturing its beauty in silver metal clay using organic materials found in and around the Tucson area such as prickly pear and cholla skeletons and mesquite beans. Choose from an assortment of desert materials and create a pair of earrings, pendant, or charm. Lyle Rayfield will teach you to use a 2-part mix to capture the impression of your selected sample and recreate its shape in silver clay. You will also learn how a simple butane torch can fire your pieces, so that you can continue to use organic materials to make interesting jewelry at home without a kiln.
Microscopic particles of pure silver are combined with an organic binder to produce the clay-like substance known as silver metal clay. When fired at high temperatures, the binder burns off and the metal particles fuse into a solid piece of silver. No experience is necessary, and all skill levels are welcome. Demonstrations and instruction will cover how to properly roll, texture, shape, refine, fire, and finish metal clay creations. All materials are supplied; magnifying lenses (if needed) and an apron are optional.
$125 for members and $155 general public
Tucson and Las Vegas: A Tale of Two Cities
Monday | April 29th | 10am – 11am | Education Center Classroom 1
The Old Pueblo and Sin City have many interesting similarities in their history but obviously became distinctly different cities in the 20th century. Tucson and Las Vegas were on early maps because of available surface water and the surrounding oases that made them ideal stopping places for weary explorers and travelers: prehistoric and native peoples, Mormon settlers, a developing railroad town, and the promotion of a mild winter climate and tourism in the 20th century. The history of Las Vegas is explored in detail from the arrival of the railroad, to land auctions and Hoover Dam, to the Mob, and “Sin City.” Probably no city in the United States has reinvented itself as has Las Vegas. Local historian Ken Scoville takes a look at what these two towns have in common and what sets them apart; what turned the lights on and made Las Vegas the “City of the Night” while Tucson remained the “Old Pueblo,” with 360 days of sunshine a year.
$10 members and $15 general public
May 2024
Secrets of the Spotted Cats: Jaguars and Ocelots in the Southwest
Thursday | May 2nd | 1 pm -2:30 pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
Deep in the shadows of the night, “el Tigre”, the jaguar, slips silently through the rugged terrain. They are almost never seen, but both jaguars and ocelots are captured on remote cameras that document their presence. Their mystery, beauty and power evoke a sense of awe in us, even if we only see them in a photograph. Although we readily recognize their images, these charismatic cats are so secretive and elusive that we know very little about their lifestyles and habits. What are they doing out there in the wild? How (and what) do they hunt? Where do they sleep? What sounds do they make? Are there still any spotted cats in Arizona? (Yes!!)
Join Pinau Merlin, previously the Outreach Coordinator for the USFWS/University of Arizona Jaguar Project, for an exciting look into the natural history, ecology and conservation issues of jaguars and ocelots in Arizona and Sonora.
$10 for members and $15 for the general public
Crepe Paper Crafts with Sandy Luna: Clair de Lune Peony
Friday | May 3rd | 10am – 1pm | Education Center – Classroom 1
The Claire de Lune Peony is sweet but outrageous, with an abundance of bright orange anthers on top of a single white bloom. Sandy Luna from Luna’s Paper Designs LLC will teach you how to assemble one flower with pre-cut crepe paper and leaves. You will learn how to shape all the petals and leaves as well as color the petals, stems, and leaves with pastel to give the flower a realistic touch.
This is a one-day class, and all supplies are provided. You can bring snacks and drinks.
$65 for members and $80 for the general public.
What did we do before AC came to the Old Pueblo?
Monday | May 20th | 10am – 11am | Education Center – Classroom 1
If you ever had your air conditioning break down in the summer, it is likely you thought, “How did people live here before at least evaporative cooling?” The pioneers had to develop the same strategies as all the other desert dwellers: endure, evade, and escape. A summer routine developed around staying inside during the heat of the day, cool water from your olla, and sleeping outside. There was a grudging acceptance that when May came up on the calendar, one needed to decide whether to stay or leave the Old Pueblo for the summer. Escape after the arrival of the railroad in 1880 was more a question of the necessary funds. Travel before the railroad was especially difficult given the physical hardship of the crossing and the ever-present possibility of an Apache ambush. Thanks to George Hand’s Saloon Diary, there is a first-hand (pun intended) account of the distinct way of life in the summer including his first encounter with ice cream in 1870s Tucson. Everyone had to come together to get through the summer while having some fun along the way.
$10 members and $15 general public
Foodways with Linda Wyner: Cacao
Tuesday | May 21st | 10am – 11am | Education Center – Classroom 1
This month’s foodways series takes a deep dive into the world of cacao… chocolate! Indigenous to the Americas, cacao is enjoyed throughout the world and yet is threatened by climate change and geopolitical forces. Writer, lecturer and cooking instructor Linda Wyner will fill the hour with a wide-ranging discussion of this magnificent fruit.
$10 for members and $15 for the general public.