Plan Your Visit
Tohono Chul is a vibrant 49-acre public garden and nature preserve located in Northwest Tucson, Arizona, celebrating the natural beauty, art, and culture of the Sonoran Desert and its neighboring regions. The garden features lush landscapes, scenic walking paths, native flora, and desert wildlife. In addition, visitors can enjoy art galleries, local shopping, an array of year-round cultural programs, children’s activities, sales and special events, classes/workshops, daily tours, and more!
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ADMISSIONS
- Member: Free
- General Admission: $20
- Youth (4-17): $10
- Children (under 4): Free
- Senior (62+): $15
- Active Military: $15
- Museums for All: $3 (Learn more)
- Groups (10 or more): 10% discount
ADMISSION-FREE OFFERINGS
Access to the Garden Bistro, La Fuente Museum Shop, La Entrada Garden Shop, and the Desert Corner Nursery are not subject to admission charges. General admission rates and guest passes do not apply to ticketed special events.
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS
- AAM or APGA Members | Free Admission
- AAA Members | 10% discount
- Museums for All | Admission of $3 per person for up to 4 people is available for families with SNAP or WIC cards and valid IDs through the Museums for All program.
- Culture Pass | Act One’s Culture Pass program offers free passes to museums, gardens, and more through libraries statewide—visit your local library to check one out today! Learn more.
- Blue Star Museums | Every Year, Tohono Chul offers free admission for active duty military and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Learn more.
HOURS
Tohono Chul grounds:
8 am – 5 pm | Daily
Exhibit House Galleries, Museum Shops and Desert Corner Nursery:
9 am – 5 pm | Daily
Children’s Museum Oro Valley at Tohono Chul:
9 am – 1 pm | Tuesday – Sunday
Administrative Offices:
9 am – 5 pm | Monday – Friday
Garden Bistro:
8 am – 4 pm | Daily
SPECIAL EVENTS
Tohono Chul offers a diverse array of special events, concerts, classes and workshops, daily tours and eco-stations, children’s events, and Ed-Ventures year-round.
ACCESSIBILITY
Grounds, buildings, and most trails are handicapped accessible. Handicapped parking is available in both public parking lots. Wheelchairs are available at Admissions on a first-come basis. For more information, please call our admissions office at (520) 742-6455 x 240.
SERVICE ANIMAL POLICY
Pets are not allowed on the grounds and should not be left in your car. However, as provided for by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Arizona State Law, service animals and service animals in training are welcome. We ask that you and your service animal check in with Admissions when you arrive. While a license or documentation is not required, we are allowed to ask whether the animal is needed because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform for you.
Please note that most of our grounds are natural Sonoran Desert that may be unsuitable for some animals. Temperatures can rise above 100° with correspondingly high surface temperatures that can be harmful to a dog’s feet. Spiny cactus and other plants, as well as potentially dangerous (coyotes and javelina) or venomous (rattlesnakes and scorpions) animals, may also be encountered along the trails.
Tohono Chul does not allow therapy or emotional support animals, not defined as service animals under the ADA.
PARKING
On-site parking is available just inside the entrance at Paseo del Norte. Parking for motor homes and buses is available along the exit drive. If attending an event at the Education Center, parking is open in the adjacent lot off Northern Avenue (off of Ina Road).
DISCOUNTED ADMISSION PRESENTED BY:
About the Gardens
Scattered across Tohono Chul’s 49 acres are several unique botanical gardens with varying themes.
- Ethnobotanical Garden
- Hummingbird Garden
- Penstemon Garden
- Desert Palm Oasis
- Performance Garden
- Children’s Garden
- Streamside Garden
- Sin Agua Garden
- Sonoran Seasons Garden
- Succulent Garden
Awards & Acknowledgements
2024 COPPER CACTUS AWARDS
WINNER | Copper Cactus Awards, Tucson Electric Power Social Impact Award ($2,000,000+ revenue)
BEST OF THE NORTHWEST
2024 WINNER | Voted Best Plant Nursery/Garden Center for the Desert Corner Nursery and Best Event/Festival for Holiday Nights by Tucson Local Media’s Explorer Newspaper.
2023 WINNER | Voted Best Place to Take Visitors by Tucson Local Media’s Explorer Newspaper.
Reciprocal Admissions Program
Your Passport to Public Gardens Across North America!
A current membership card from the American Horticultural Society or a garden participating in the AHS Reciprocal Garden Network entitles you to special admission privileges and discounts at 360+ gardens throughout North America, including Desert Botanical Garden (DBG) in Phoenix, AZ!
Show your membership card at the admissions window for access to the gardens!
Important Safety Guidelines
Please review these safety tips to ensure a great experience for you and other visitors!
- Please be gentle with our animal residents: do not yell, tap on their exhibits, or throw objects at any wildlife. Remember to admire wildlife from a safe distance—do not approach or attempt to touch them.
- Help us keep our gardens beautiful by refraining from picking flowers or plants. If you love a specific plant, visit the Desert Corner Nursery to see if it’s in stock!
- For everyone’s safety, stay on designated paths and do not enter staff-only or restricted areas.
- Bring a water bottle and wear closed-toed shoes, a hat, and sunscreen to stay comfortable while exploring. Stay hydrated—refill stations are available throughout the garden!
- For the health and enjoyment of all visitors, smoking is not permitted.
- Tohono Chul is home to various native wildlife, including rattlesnakes, scorpions, lizards, birds, and spiders. If you see a rattlesnake or any other wild animal that may pose a risk, please let a staff member know.
- While we love that you enjoy the food at Tohono Chul, please refrain from sharing it with our animal friends, including free-roaming birds, reptiles, and squirrels.
- Dispose of trash in designated receptacles and recycle whenever possible.
- Feel free to take photos, but please avoid using flash or large equipment that could harm plants or wildlife, and remember to respect the privacy of other visitors.
- For the safety and privacy of all guests and wildlife, please do not use drones or other flying devices in the garden.
- Help us maintain a peaceful atmosphere by keeping noise levels down, allowing everyone to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.
- For safety, children must be supervised at all times and should be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Please do not leave children unattended during family events or at Children’s Museum Oro Valley.
- Outside food and drinks are allowed at Tohono Chul, with picnic tables available throughout the grounds. However, outside food and drinks are not permitted during special events or in the Bistro. Please clean up after yourself and do not feed wildlife.
- For the safety and comfort of all visitors, firearms and other weapons are not permitted on Tohono Chul grounds. Thank you for helping us maintain a peaceful environment.
- Check the weather before your visit and be prepared for changing conditions. Seek shade or shelter if necessary.
- During special events or programs, please adhere to any additional guidelines provided by staff to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Diversity & Land Acknowledgement
As an organization, Tohono Chul strives to uphold the values of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
Our 49-acre grounds sustain thousands of native and desert-adapted plants and are home to a wide range of Sonoran Desert animals whose lives are inextricably linked to that flora. Complementing this natural diversity, our staff and volunteers are people whose differing races, ethnicities, gender identities, ages, religious beliefs, physical abilities, and world views contribute to a shared vision to preserve this “desert corner”. Tohono Chul also respectfully acknowledges that it is on the traditional lands of the Indigenous peoples of greater Tucson, the Tohono O’odham, and Yoeme.
Everyone is welcome at Tohono Chul and we are committed to every aspect of a positive guest experience. We will continue to model our values through exceptional programming that promotes the nature, arts, and culture of our region.