Frequently Asked Questions
about Arizona State Museum’s Expansion to Rio Nuevo
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Where will the museum be?
What else will be there and what is the projected acreage?
When does it open?
Will it be accessible to people in wheelchairs?
Will it cost to get in?
What will my entry fee be used for?
Don’t we support you with our tax dollars?
Will you have free days?
Will you be closing the buildings on campus?
What different programs will be offered at the different locations?
Can I park there?
Can I find it easily?
Can I bring the arrowhead I found to be identified?
Will you have exhibits on how people used to live in Tucson at different times in the past?
Will there be things to interest kids in different age groups?
Can I rent space for my group’s gathering/function at the new downtown facility?
How can I get involved?
How can I help the museum in its planning for the new facility?
Why do you need to raise money if the city is paying for the building?
How will my family benefit?
Will my out-of-town guests be interested?
Will I be able to buy unique-to-Tucson gifts there?
Will there be a place to get something to eat?
Where will the museum be?
Arizona State Museum’s (ASM) expanded facility, shared with the Arizona Science Center (125,000 sq. ft. total), will be located on the west side of Interstate 10 just off of Congress.
What else will be there and what is the projected acreage?
The entire "cultural campus" will be approximately 30 acres. The ASM/ University of Arizona (UA) Science Center facility will take approximately 5 acres, while the Arizona History Museum and the Children’s Museum will take up another 5-6. A reconstruction of the 18th-century Spanish mission, San Agustín, and its associated gardens is expected to take a total of 9 acres. "S-cuk Son
"—an area offering interpretion of the archaeology found at the site will have 4 acres. Other important features include a 3-acre festival ground and a 2-acre plaza. See the UA Facilities Design & Construction website
for more information on the building project for our shared facility.
When does it open?
The target date is Fall 2011.
Will it be accessible to people in wheelchairs?
Yes.
Will it cost to get in?
Yes. There will be an entry fee. While the fee structure has not yet been established, it will certainly be consistent with the surrounding attractions and will reflect the quality of experience offered. Our current entry fee at our UA campus facility is $3 per person suggested donation.
What will my entry fee be used for?
As with any non-profit institution that has an admission fee, the majority of the proceeds will support basic operations—utilities, building maintenance, security, exhibition development and upkeep, and program development.
Don’t we support you with our tax dollars?
While we are a state institution, state tax dollars do not cover all our costs. In fact, state funds cover only about 43% of our annual operating costs. 96% of that 43% annual allotment is committed to staff salaries. The remaining 4% of that 43% covers general overhead such as maintenance, office supplies, and communications. That leaves virtually no state funds for research, collections care, programs, exhibitions, or public education of any kind. For these critical activities we must rely on grants, private support, and now at Rio Nuevo, proceeds from admission fees.
Will you have free days?
Yes. We are planning to offer occasional free admission to the exhibition galleries. Native Goods, the museum store, a destination unto itself, will always be accessible at no charge.
Will you be closing the buildings on campus?
No. Arizona State Museum is currently housed in two historic buildings on the University of Arizona campus, just inside the Main Gate at Park Avenue and University Boulevard. ASM has been on the University of Arizona campus since its very inception in 1893. In fact, ASM is one of the UA’s oldest research units. We are proud of our strong association with the University of Arizona and will continue to be headquartered on that campus.
What different programs will be offered at the different locations?
At the Rio Nuevo site we plan to host programs geared toward our general audiences: exhibitions, festivals, art fairs, family and school programs, and an expanded museum store.
At the UA site we will continue to house and care for our collections, conduct research, perform our teaching duties, and host exhibitions and programs geared mainly for our university and research-oriented audiences. A smaller store will cater to those audiences as well. Our renowned research library will also remain at the UA site.
Can I park there?
Yes. Plans currently place ASM next to an underground parking facility. This parking facility will have natural light and landscaped walkways.
Can I find it easily?
Absolutely. If you are visiting by car, you will find our parking facility south of Congress Street, just west of Interstate 10. If you are visiting us on foot from one of the other nearby attractions, you will enjoy many well-signed and shaded pathways. Or you can ride the trolley—its route will take you anywhere from the University of Arizona through downtown to Rio Nuevo and back.
Can I bring the arrowhead I found to be identified?
We have a very active artifact identification service conducted by our curators and archaeologists. Since these researchers will continue to maintain offices at the UA, that service will continue to be administered (by appointment) there and not at the Rio Nuevo facility.
Will you have exhibits on how people used to live in Tucson at different times in the past?
Yes. Plans include exhibitions about the ancient peoples of the Tucson Basin, as well as about Tucson’s Spanish colonial, Mexican, and Chinese populations, to name but a few.
Will there be things to interest kids in different age groups?
Yes. In addition to hands-on and interactive features included in every exhibition, ASM will continue to host a full calendar of free family programs and school programs designed to engage children of all ages, abilities, and interest levels.
Can I rent space for my group’s gathering/function at the new downtown facility?
Yes. Just as you can at our UA facility, you will certainly be able to have a reception or a meeting at the Rio Nuevo facility.
How can I get involved?
ASM has a very active volunteer program that matches appropriate skills with a number of opportunities in every department of the museum: research assistance, collections care, public programs, the museum store, website development, and fund raising, to name a few.
How can I help the museum in its planning for the new facility?
Fundraising is the most immediate order of business. We must raise several million dollars to ensure a smooth transition to our expanded facility. We will be asking members of the community, particularly our members, for input on several matters related to our expansion. If you are not already, become a member so that you can be kept apprised of the latest. You can also send comments at any time from this website.
Why do you need to raise money if the city is paying for the building?
The city’s $30 million commitment is for bricks and mortar and the most basic of initial necessities. In order to open our doors with engaging exhibitions and educational programs for the community we will need to raise several million dollars in private support.
How will my family benefit?
As a museum devoted to the study of Arizona’s ancient peoples and their descendants, we believe we have a strong role to play in engaging Tucson’s residents in conversations about our environment and the issues we have faced (prehistorically and historically) and continue to face as a multi-cultural, desert, borderland community. We will to bring our research, exhibitions, programs and collections together with the community's interests to give historical context and an anthropological perspective.
Will my out-of-town guests be interested?
We will be among the “must see” attractions for Tucson residents and their out-of-town visitors. They will get to see some of Arizona’s real treasures and learn about the prehistoric and historic past of this community as well as the region.
Will I be able to buy unique-to-Tucson gifts there?
From regional Native foods to authentic Native arts, and everything in between, the nationally recognized store at Arizona State Museum will offer items for every budget. Some of the best names and quality in Indian arts will be found in textiles, pottery, carvings and jewelry. Affordable books and educational materials about American Indian and Latino cultures will be available. Tucson’s and the region’s cultural history will be well represented for visitors to learn about, with many mementos to take home and share.
Will there be a place to get something to eat?
There will be a café in the building, as well as snack carts. Visitors will also find restaurants in the surrounding area. The City of Tucson is working to develop active retail areas immediately north of the cultural campus.
Photos by Jannelle Weakly.
