Research and Conservation

Since the Desert Museum opened its doors, it has worked to understand, connect people to, and protect the natural systems of the Sonoran Desert Region. The Sonoran Desert has one of the greatest varieties of plants and animals of any desert worldwide. It is the only place in the world where you can find the majestic saguaro cactus! Its varied geography and bi-seasonal rainfall support a surprising variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods as well. For thousands of years, this desert has nurtured human cultures that lived in relative harmony with this landscape.