BioBlitz: City Nature Challenge

April 26th – April 29th
8 AM – 5 PM

Come to Tohono Chul anytime during the City Nature Challenge and make observations on the iNaturalist app in the designated BioBlitz Zones!

Pima County Master Naturalists is hosting the 2024 City Nature Challenge in Pima County, AZ. Be a part of this community science project by participating in this worldwide effort to document the amazing biodiversity of our region!

April 26th – April 29th: Search for WILD plants, animals, and other creatures to see how many species you can find and show the world how diverse our region is. Add your observations to the iNaturalist app and they’ll automatically be included in the project. Step it up a notch by joining our project “Tohono Chul City Nature Challenge 2024” for a chance to win prizes!

Download the iNaturalist app today and start observing!

Curiosity Talks | Caretakers of the Land – A Story of Farming & Community in San Xavier

Thursday, May 2
5:30 – 7:30 PM
FREE and open to the public

Embark on an intellectual journey with a social twist at Tohono Chul’s latest event series, Curiosity Talks. In partnership with Arizona Humanities, this free lecture series invites you to explore a rich tapestry of topics such as sustainability, indigenous cultures, LGBTQ history in Arizona, and more. Each lecture is designed to spark your curiosity and deepen your understanding of the human experience. The first installment is with Dr. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan, a doctoral candidate in American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona, for a program about land, water, and community in San Xavier.

After the lecture, mingle with fellow attendees for drinks and lively conversation. Share insights, exchange ideas, and harness your understanding of the fascinating subjects explored during the presentation!

This free program is made possible by Arizona Humanities.

Jazz Under the Stars

Fridays & Saturdays
5 – 8 PM at the Garden Bistro
Through May 11

FOOD. DRINKS. JAZZ.

Join us at the Bistro from 5 to 8 pm for craft cocktails, local brews, and a rotating menu of tasty bites while you soak up the smooth sounds of local jazz musicians. Oh, and did we mention? No cover charge!

Flamenco in the Garden

Sunday, May 5
6:30 – 8:30 PM
Performance Garden
Tickets $40

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and dance at Flamenco in the Garden, a lively concert event set amidst the enchanting ambiance of Tohono Chul’s lush Performance Garden. Blending tradition with modern flair, this special Flamenco performance will transport you to the streets of Spain with its stunning costumes, expressive movements, energetic footwork, captivating guitar rhythms, and moving vocals.

Get your tickets today at the link below and prepare to be swept away by the passion and energy of Flamenco in the Garden at Tohono Chul!

This concert is brought to you in part by our friends at the Tucson Guitar Society.

Art Talk with William Lesch | A Continuous Trail

Through May 6, 2024
Exhibit House Main Gallery

For the past 45 years Tucson and William Lesch have grown together. It can be argued that there is no one around Tucson that knows, understands, and appreciates Tucson’s beauty better than Lesch. Calling Tucson home since the mid-seventies, the place has been a major factor in the development of Lesch’s distinctive aesthetic and skill set. An encyclopedic knowledge of photography – its history, science, techniques, and processes – pushes him through every trailblazing twist in turn he creates – on purpose or by accident.

Lesch is never idle, he is always moving, shifting gears, exploring new materials, ideas, techniques, equipment, technology, and subjects. Lesch is never simply ‘taking’ a picture – he is ‘MAKING’ an image, creating something that has an otherness to it in terms of concept and intent and an objectness to it in terms of its presence and physicality. A Continuous Trail explores Lesch’s career – where he’s been, where he is now, and where he’s going.

Image (cropped): William Lesch

Gerry Quotskuyva

Open through May 6, 2024
Exhibit House Welcome Gallery

Gerry Quotskuyva is a member of the Bear Strap Clan from the Second Mesa Village of Shungopavi. His Hopi name, Lomahongva, means “reed standing tall and healthy”. Gerry started carving ice for banquet centerpieces when he worked as a chef before he tried his hand at Katsina carving. By his mid-30s, he began pursuing art as a profession and found that a passion had been awakened inside him. Initially working as a carver, he began painting 18 months later. Today he also creates works in bronze. Gerry’s attention to detail and unique interpretation of traditional Hopi symbolism reflects his rich and expressive heritage.

10 x 10 | A Fundraiser

Open through May 26, 2024
Exhibit House Entry Gallery

10 x 10 is an invitational exhibition with the many artists who make Tohono Chul’s galleries such a unique experience. 10 x 10 features a wide range of sculpture and paintings, prints, photographs, and mixed media works no larger than 10 inches in any dimension. Each artwork is priced at $100 and can be taken home immediately upon purchase. Artwork on display will change periodically over the course of the exhibition, with new works constantly being revealed. 50% of all sales from 10 x 10 | A Fundraiser fund programs at Tohono Chul. (Image: clockwise from left (details): Amber Vanhatala Stene, Heather Bentz, and C.J. Shane)

Daily Tours

Available year-round

Butterflies and Their Flowers, Reptile Rample, and Birds of Prey are just some of the seasonal daily tours you can attend to learn more about the nature and wildlife of the Sonoran Desert! Visit our daily tours page for more information.