The UA’s main campus covers 380 acres in central Tucson. It is a hub of community activity – concerts, plays, lectures, museums, poetry readings, athletic events and more.
Campus Tours
ambassador tours for future students and parents
Take a campus tour led by an Arizona Ambassador, a current student who enjoys sharing the UA experience with visitors. Learn some UA history and soak in student life during this 90 minute tour.
public tours
During the fall and spring semesters, a variety of free, guided tours are available to the public through the UA Visitor Center. Reservations are recommended.
k-8 school tours
These walking tours offer elementary and middle school students a glimpse into University life, describe the diversity of programs we offer, and inspire them to think about their higher education goals.
Things To Do
Arizona State Museum
Experience the enduring cultures of Arizona, the American Southwest, and northern Mexico through dynamic exhibits, engaging programs, and an educational museum store. Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the region (est. 1893), and home to the world’s largest collections of Southwest American Indian pottery and basketry. Open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm. Closed Sundays and federal and state holidays. Admission: Adults $5.
Biosphere 2
Just north of Tucson on Oracle Road/Highway 77, explore a “world under glass.” Biosphere 2 contains a living rainforest, ocean and four other biomes in a 3.14-acre laboratory. Tours take you inside this engineering marvel, one of Time Life Books' 50 must-see “Wonders of the World.” Open daily, 9am-4pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Admission: Adults $20; Seniors, AAA, Military $18; Children $13; UA students and employees $10.
Campus Arboretum
The UA campus is the oldest continually maintained green space in Arizona. This unique collection of trees, shrubs and plants offers specimens from arid and semi-arid climates around the world. More than 50 campus trees are the only existing samples of their kind in Arizona and several are unique in the Southwest.
Center for Creative Photography
Experience this one-of-a-kind archive, museum and research center dedicated to photography as an art form and cultural record. The Center’s changing exhibits include key collections of Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Garry Winogrand, Harry Callahan and other great 20th-century photographers. Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, Saturday - Sunday, 1-4pm.
Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium
Open your mind at Southern Arizona’s only planetarium, with fun and educational programs for everyone. Hands-on exhibits and sky shows highlight the wonders of science, and music laser shows immerse audiences in light and sound. Tour the heavens via the observatory’s 16-inch telescope (no reservations needed). Open seven days a week - see website or call for hours, exhibits and admission information.
Gallagher Theater
A campus movie theater equipped with Dolby Digital Sound, 340 seats, and a 26 X 11 ft. screen. Assisted-hearing devices are available.
Jim Click Hall of Champions
Live the heritage and rich traditions of Arizona Athletics. Rotating exhibits feature historic moments in UA sports history and the legendary Wildcat student-athletes and coaches who have contributed to Arizona’s tradition of excellence. Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Saturday, 12-5pm. Closed Sundays and holidays. Hours vary on game days. Admission is free.
University Libraries, Special Collections
Explore a treasure trove of historical Southwestern documents and photos, plus unique, unusual books, letters, photographs and manuscripts you can’t see anywhere else. Changing exhibits present a variety of topics from indigenous languages to video gaming. Open weekdays; hours vary.
University of Arizona Museum of Art
The University of Arizona Museum of Art houses wide-ranging collections of over 5,000 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, with an emphasis on European and American fine art from the Renaissance to the present. Open Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday, 12-4pm. Closed Mondays and University holidays. Admission: $5 for adults. Free for museum members, children, students with ID and UA faculty and staff.
UA BookStores
It’s so much more than just textbooks! Explore the UA bookstore, your source for everything from best-sellers to officially licensed UA insignia products to unique gifts and books from across the Southwest. Join us for book signings, story time for kids and special events; see website for latest listings. Open Monday-Friday, 7:30am-6pm, and Saturday-Sunday, 10am - 4pm.
UA Master Calendar
What's happening at the UA? You can find complete listings of all public events -- performances, lectures, community happenings, athletics competitions, activities and more -- on the UA Master Calendar.
UA Mineral Museum
This exquisite collection of minerals, gemstones and meteorites presents specimens from around the world, emphasizing the minerals of Arizona and Mexico. View 27,000 minerals up close and listen to oral histories in the Miners’ Story Project. Located in the Flandrau Science Center. Open Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm. Field trips times available Tuesday-Friday, 9am-1pm, by reservation only.
UA Performing Arts
The College of Fine Arts – including the Schools of Art, Dance, Music, Theatre Arts, and Media Arts – is one of Tucson’s premier presenters of exceptional entertainment. The college stages theatre, dance and music performances throughout the year, along with art exhibitions, film screenings and more.
UApresents
The UA's professional performing arts presenter brings the world's finest music, dance and popular events to Southern Arizona each year. Most performances are held in the historic Centennial Hall on the UA campus.
UA Visitor Guide
This guide, published in print and online twice a year, includes campus maps, things to do and schedules for UA academic, cultural and athletic events.
Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter
Explore the night skies with access to superb telescopes and UA scientists in hands-on astronomy programs on Mt. Lemmon – a scenic hour-long drive from the desert floor of Tucson to a lush forest at an elevation of 9,000 feet.
Steward Observatory Mirror Lab
UA scientists and engineers are producing the world’s largest telescope mirrors, which are changing the way we explore the universe. Visitors can take a behind the scenes tour of the cutting-edge technology and revolutionary processes involved in making the next generation of premier giant telescope mirrors. Tours available Monday-Friday, advance reservations required.
The Museum of Optics
The College of Optical Sciences offers access to its collection of antique and historic telescopes, microscopes, lenses and cameras. These specimens represent work by the world's most respected instrument-makers from the 18th century to the present.
UA Visitor Center
Launch your discovery of the University of Arizona. Nestled between campus and the historic West University neighborhood, the Visitor Center will help make your UA visit memorable and inspiring. Come by for weekly guided walking tours, public Internet access and plenty of parking. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
University of Arizona Poetry Center
Discover Arizona’s first literary arts center and internationally renowned library collection of more than 70,000 poetry-related items. Located in the landmark Helen S. Schaefer Building, the Poetry Center presents exhibitions, readings, lectures, classes, discussion groups and children’s activities all year long.
Dining and Lodging
Places to Stay Near Campus
A list of hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and other lodging within one mile of the main UA campus.
Tucson Dining
Explore Tucson restaurants by location or type of cuisine.
Tucson Lodging
See a comprehensive list of hotels, resorts, spas, guest ranches & bed-and-breakfasts in the Tucson Area
Where To Eat on campus
The Student Union provides over 35 different eateries, conveniently situated throughout the campus.
