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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Tim Vimmerstedt, Marketing Director
520-883-3070
tvimmerstedt@desertmuseum.org
Summer Saturday Evening Fun Starts at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
TUCSON, Ariz. (May 28, 2009) -- Beat the heat and enjoy the fun with the start of summer hours and Saturday evening happenings at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Summer Saturday Evenings give visitors a unique chance to tour the Desert Museum at night, a time when many of the animals are at their most active with the onset of the summer heat.
The popular Summer Saturday Evening programs showcase what happens in the desert after dark and how plants and animals adapt. Summer Saturday Evenings begin Saturday, June 6 and continue each through August 29. After 4 p.m. Saturdays, the special discounted admission is just $6 per adult and $2.25 for children between 6 and 12 years of age.
Summer Saturday Evenings' programs will feature:
June 6
Live and "sort of" on the Loose, 6 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Venomous reptile presentation features live rattlesnakes or gila monsters to explore natural history, venoms and envenomations, bite statistics, and zoo keeping practices with venomous reptiles.
Raptor Free Flight, 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Watch, listen and learn how these masters of the desert sky are skilled nighttime aviators
June 13
Make and erupt your own volcano! 6 to 9 p.m., Desert Garden
Volcano/Geology Night, 7 & 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Join Michael Conway, Ph.D., Section Chief of the Geologic Extension Service at the Arizona Geological Survey for a "brief" rundown on the last 15 million years of volcanic activity in Arizona.
June 20
Bug Night, 6 p.m. & 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
"The Bugman" Dr. Carl Olson, University of Arizona Entomologist, offers intimate insights into the lives of Sonoran Desert insects.
SASI - Hands-on activities, 7 to 9 p.m., Desert Garden
The Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute (SASI) will give a close-up view of some beautiful native arthropods and to share fun hands-on activities for kids of all ages.
June 27
Family Astronomy Night, 6 to 9 p.m., Baldwin Education Building and museum grounds
National Optical Astronomy Observatory staff offer interactive astronomy education and crafts
Dark Skies Observing, 6 to 10 p.m., Overlook grounds
Raptor Free Flight exhibition, 8 pm, Warden Oasis Theater
July 4
Live and "sort of" on the Loose, 6 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Raptor Free Flight, 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
July 11
Bat Night, 6 & 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Karen Krebbs explains the vital role bats play in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem
as pollinators, insect population controllers and nighttime flying mammals.
Bat Echolocation, 7 p.m., near Coati Exhibit
Mark Jensen, BCI, will explain and demonstrate bats' remarkable navigation system called echolocation.
July 18
Earth Camp Celebration, 5 to 7 p.m., Baldwin Education Building
7 to 9 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Desert Foods Night, 6 to 9 p.m., Desert Garden
Learn about native plants and sustainable gardening from local community groups
Gardening in the Desert, 8 p.m., Baldwin Education Building
Jesus Garcia shares his lifelong passion of natural history and love of gardening
July 25
Family Astronomy Night, 6 to 9 p.m., Baldwin Education Building
Dark Skies Observing, 8 to 10 p.m., Overlook grounds
Raptor Free Flight, 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
August 1
Live and "sort of" on the Loose, 6 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Raptor Free Flight, 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
August 8
Sustainable Seafood Evening, 6:30 to 9 p.m.,
Warden Oasis Theater & Baldwin Education Building
"Ghost Net" art and poetry exhibit, Baldwin Education Building Lobby
August 15
Stories and legends of the night sky by Native American Storyteller Girard Tsonakwa,
6:30 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Raptor Free Flight, 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
August 22
Family Astronomy Night, 6 to 9 p.m., Baldwin Education Building
Dark Skies Observing, 8 to 10 p.m., Overlook grounds
Raptor Free Flight, 8 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
August 29
Teacher Appreciation Night, 5:30 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
The presentation, sponsored by Tucson Electric Power, features programs offered for the 2009/2010 school year by Desert Museum and Sonoran Desert Waters Institute educators
Skin Cancer Awareness education displays, 5 to 9 p.m., across from Ironwood Gallery
Monsoon Night, 6:30 p.m., Baldwin Education Building
Author Roni Ashford offers a multi-sensory presentation about monsoons for kids and families.
Physics Factory - Lightning/Electricity Demonstration, 7 p.m., Warden Oasis Theater
Dark Skies Observing, 8 to 10 p.m., Overlook grounds
Diners looking for a unique culinary experience will find it at the Museum's flagship restaurant, The Ocotillo Café, which will be open for dinner during Summer Saturday Evenings. This intimate dining room accented with original artwork and views of a private patio garden is the perfect backdrop to a menu that brings the sometimes subtle and sometimes bold flavors of the Sonoran region into the spotlight. Reservations are recommended, 520-883-5705.
Also open for dinner is the Ironwood Terraces Restaurant, the largest dining venue at the Desert Museum. This casual, self-serve grill features several family friendly stations offering grilled items such as chicken breast sandwiches with prickly pear sauce and cheeseburgers with green chiles, a made-to-order sandwich, salad and wrap bar, and hand tossed pizza. Diners can sit inside or out on one of the beautiful covered patios that overlook the natural desert landscape and nighttime vistas.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is one of the nation's leading outdoor living museums, featuring more than 300 species of native wildlife and 1,300 varieties of desert plants. The Museum, located at 2021 N. Kinney Rd., is open every day of the year from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. March through September and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through February. In June, July, and August the Museum is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free for members and children under six. September through May admission is $13 for adults and $4.25 for children age 6 through 12. Daily summer rates in June through August are $9.50 for adults and $2.25 for children age 6 through 12. Call (520) 883-2702 or visit www.desertmuseum.org for more information.
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