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Previous December 15, 2021 Next SNAP 2! Snapshots of History through Vintage Advertising December 15, 2021 June 25, 2022 SNAP! Snapshots of History through Vintage Advertising, opens May 1 and continues through November 30, 2019. SNAP! is back on view! The Museum’s extensive collection of vintage ads from the great southwest and its surrounding areas encourages guests to walk down memory lane by viewing vintage advertisements as a historical mirror of the burgeoning American consumer class, circa 1900-1960. The Museum warns that some of these ads may be offensive by current standards, as old stereotypes of race and gender abound in this exhibit. Come see the “Hidden Persuaders,” advertisements that both informed and mirrored the American experience. From colas to corsets, from cars to cigars, from Rosie the Riveter to Andy Warhol, explore memorable snapshots of twentieth century Americana.

About Us Welcome to the Tucson Desert Art Museum, a nonprofit institution dedicated to showcasing the art and artifacts of the Desert Southwest. Our Mission Since opening our doors on November 1, 2013, our mission has been to educate our guests about the rich history, diverse cultures, and vibrant art of the region. At the heart of our collection lies one of the Southwest’s premier collections of Navajo and Hopi pre-1940s textiles, showcasing chiefs' blankets, Navajo saddle blankets, optical art textiles, and Yei weavings. We also house a diverse range of historical artifacts, and classic as well as contemporary Southwestern paintings, including works by renowned artists such as Maynard Dixon, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, Gerald Cassidy, Ed Mell, Ray Roberts, Peter Nisbet, and Howard Post. Our museum features rotating special exhibitions that change annually, ensuring that each visit offers a new and engaging experience. From exhibits on Navajo Sand Painting to early armaments of the Southwest and artifacts from the Mesoamerican period, our collection offers a unique and eclectic array of Southwestern art and artifacts. Conveniently located on Tucson's Eastside, our museum offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in history through our beautiful art while enjoying the magnificent panoramic views of the Catalina and Rincon mountains. Our building spans 25,000 square feet. James E. Conley Jr. About the Founder (1943-2020) James E. Conley Jr., along with the Museum’s first executive director, Rhonda R. Smith, founded the Tucson Desert Art Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2013. The Museum showcases Jim’s premier collection of Southwestern art, artifacts and textiles. Jim always encouraged the Tucson Desert Art Museum to actively pursue special exhibitions that address or expose bias in our history, so that we may learn from these difficult periods and never repeat them. His order to, “never whitewash history” but to tell the truth about our past will continue to be part of the Museum’s mission. His extensive art and artifacts (collected over the course of his entire lifetime) will continue to be an important source of public and scholarly learning for centuries to come. Subscribe to Our Newsletter Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

Jewelry Price $138 $1,890 Sort by Quick View Jack Tom Sterling Silver Ring Turquoise Necklace Price $1,475.00 Quick View Lawerence Archuleta Turquoise Heart Necklace Out of stock Quick View Blue Lapis Inlay Cuff Price $1,062.00 Quick View Green Bear Fetish Price $481.00 Quick View Green Turquoise Beaded Necklace Price $877.00 Quick View Horse Fetish with Turquoise Arrow Inlay Price $138.00 Quick View Mosiac Inlay Necklace (Turquoise/Coral/Jet) Price $701.00 Quick View Navajo Silver Coin Necklace Price $772.00 Quick View Big Cross Pendant (Turquoise) Price $553.00 Quick View Cuff Bracelet Price $729.00 Quick View Cuff Bracelet w. Turquoise Inlay Price $1,088.00 Quick View Jack Tom Necklace w. Turquoise Pendant Out of stock Quick View Tufa Cast Cuff Bracelet Price $1,778.00 Quick View Zuni Bracelet Price $732.00

Donate Donate Now Thank you for considering a gift to the Tucson Desert Art Museum. Your donation directly supports our mission to preserve and celebrate the art, culture, and history of the American Southwest. Contributions help fund art acquisitions, special exhibitions, educational programs, conservation, and research. If you wish to make a one-time or recurring donation, please proceed by clicking the donate button below. Your support is invaluable to us and helps ensure the continued success of our museum. To donate via check, please make it payable to the Tucson Desert Art Museum and mail it to 7000 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson, AZ 85715. Please specify any restrictions or designations for your gift on the check or in an accompanying note. First name Last name Email Donate in the name of: Enter the amount you wish to donate: $ Donate Thank you for your donation! Gifts of Art or Artifacts The Tucson Desert Art Museum welcomes art and artifact donations that align with our mission and enhance our collection. Please contact us for more information: (520) 202-3888 or mail@tucsondart.org .

Permanent Exhibitions Weavings of the Diné A premier collection of pre-1940’s Navajo textiles, including Chief’s blankets, Eye Dazzlers, Saddle blankets, Germantown weavings, Yei weavings and child's blankets. Dawn of American Landscapes Masterpieces by the preeminent Nineteenth century landscape painters. Works by Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and other master artists. This collection captures the transcendental spirit of these artists' search and expression of the sublime. Pueblo Artistry Immerse yourself in the beautiful arts of the Hopi people. Arizona Women Uncovered Arizona Women Uncovered offers a unique insight into the lives of early pioneer women through the evolution of their undergarments. Arizona Women Uncovered was curated in collaboration with Claudine Villardito of Black Cat Vintage. True Grit This exhibition tells the stories of the courageous women of Southern Arizona's past, who helped shape the Southwest into what it is today. Teachings of the Spider Woman Textiles tell stories, and this exhibit helps us to find them in each amazing, uniquely crafted work.

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All Exhibitions 2015 SNAP! GEOLogic​ Crossing Between Worlds Women Artists of the West Bittersweet Harvest 2016 The Dirty Thirties Desert Relations Art of Circumstance Behind Barbed Wire Paul Kitagaki's Gambatte! 2017 ​The Dazzled Eye The Wayfinder's Perspective ​The Wayfinder's Dilemma Under A Vast Sky Vaquero & Charro 2018 Colors to Dye For The Sawmill Fire 2019 Effie! Plein Air Pioneer SNAP 2! Snapshots of History through Vintage Advertising 2020 The REDress Project Art is the Seed Buffalo Soldiers 2021 All The Single Ladies Sacred Dancers 2022 Citizen/Enemy 2023 ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues 2024 Gold Fever September 27, 2023 Circa 1930s: Memories of the General Store, Feed Sacks, Quilting and More Repair, reuse, make-do and don't throw anything away in this 1930s based exhibit that includes an era-inspired General Store. Read More May 1, 2019 SNAP! Visualize History Through the Art of Vintage Ads! ​ Read More November 1, 2015 GEOLogic​: Michael Holcomb ​ Read More November 1, 2015 Crossing Between Worlds: Life, Land and Culture of Canyon de Chelly ​ Read More November 3, 2015 Women Artists of the West 45th Annual National Exhibition: WAOWing the Grand Canyon State ​ Read More December 5, 2015 Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942 - 1964 ​ Read More December 5, 2015 The Dirty Thirties: New Deal Photography Frames the Migrants’ Stories ​ Read More March 11, 2016 Wayne Norton: Desert Relations ​ Read More November 5, 2016 Art of Circumstance: Art and Artifacts Created by Japanese Americans Incarcerated During WWII ​ Read More November 5, 2016 Behind Barbed Wire: Japanese American Incarceration in Arizona ​ Read More

< Back January 14, 2023 April 9, 2023 ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas The history and culture of Latinos and their impact on American culture and society through the lens of baseball, shared in the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s (SITES) new bilingual traveling exhibition hosted here at TDART. The history and culture of Latinos and their impact on American culture and society through the lens of baseball will be shared in the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s (SITES) new bilingual (Spanish and English) exhibition, Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas. The exhibition will be on view at the Tucson Desert Art Museum (TDART) from January 14, 2023, to April 9, 2023. "Kansas City Lady Aztecas softball team," Kansas City, Kansas, 1939. Courtesy of Rose Arroyo in memory of Mary Montes. Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas was organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Museum of American History . The exhibition received generous support from the Cordoba Corporation and Linda Alvarado, and federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. This exhibition is made possible locally with funding from a grant from Arizona Humanities ; support from Adara Wealth Management and media sponsor, Tucson Lifestyle Magazine . "Roberto Clemente, Forbes Field," Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, around 1967 . Courtesy of The Clemente Museum The exhibition captures the excitement of the game, from community baseball teams to the Major League, highlighting how the game can bring people together regardless of race, class, and gender. It will feature reproductions of historic and personal photographs, and graphic elements as well as a short bilingual video produced by “La Vida Baseball.” Throughout the 20th century in the United States and Latin America, baseball provided a path for a better future. Workers in agriculture and industry in the United States used baseball to make ends meet and as a socially acceptable space to find community and organize for rights and justice. Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas has been made possible through close collaborations with over 30 partners in 14 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico to help bring visibility to Latino community histories through baseball. Smithsonian curators collaborated with partners and local communities across the country to document and preserve baseball stories at the heart of Latino communities. The traveling exhibition will visit 15 cities through 2025. "Carmen Lujan on base," Colton, California, 1936. Courtesy of the Salazar family To highlight how baseball has played a formative role in Tucson’s barrios, this local exhibition also features archival photography that highlights the importance of baseball in Tucson’s own local barrios, including Barrio Anita, as well as a collection of historic baseball memorabilia from Arizona. TDART will host events in connection with this exhibition, including: ¡Pleibol! Night at the Museum January 24, 2023, 6:30 – 8:30 PM| Tucson Desert Art Museum Register Now Previous January 14, 2023 Next

< Back January 10, 2024 June 29, 2024 Gold Fever: Glory and Greed in the Western Expansion Years An exhibition dedicated to the history and legacy of gold in the American West. The Tucson Desert Art Museum is delighted to announce the opening of Gold Fever: Glory and Greed in the Western Expansion Years , an insightful exhibition set to debut on January 10, 2024. This thought-provoking showcase offers a comprehensive look into the California and Western gold rushes, illustrating not only the transformative impact of the pursuit of gold and glory on America but also the resulting moral corruption, as seen through the lens of the seven deadly sins. Frank Marryat. "Les Mines d'Or de la Californie." 1855. Mountains and Molehills; or, Recollections of a Burnt Journal. Curated with exceptional care, Gold Fever presents a balanced narrative of the era's monumental impact, juxtaposing the economic success and transformation of the American West against the backdrop of the darker human impulses of greed, envy, pride, lust, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. The exhibition features rare artifacts, personal narratives, video, and artworks and mining artifacts from the Arizona Historical Society, each telling a part of this complex story. Exhibition Highlights: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Gold Rush: A unique exploration of how the pursuit of wealth exacerbated human vices, leading to moral decay as seen in the excessive drinking and gambling culture, vigilante law, violence against minority communities, and most tragically, the California Native American genocide. Archival Photography, Illustrations and Painting: An artistic journey through the era, capturing the essence of life and popular opinion during the gold rushes. Authentic Mining Artifacts: Objects that provide insight into the daily lives of miners and prospectors in Arizona. Diverse Narratives: Stories highlighting the experiences of Mexican Americans, African Americans, Europeans, Chinese miners and others who contributed to the rich tapestry of the West. "Through Gold Fever , we aim to present a more nuanced view of the western gold rushes of the mid- and late-1800s, acknowledging not only the economic transformation they spurred but also the moral complexities and human costs involved" (Alyssa Travis, curator of the Tucson Desert Art Museum) Gold Fever: Glory and Greed in the Western Expansion Years offers an in-depth exploration into the dichotomy of human nature during a pivotal historical period. The exhibition will run from January 10 to June 29. Dalrymple, Louis, Artist. "His silent partners" / Dalrymple. We invite you to join us at 7000 East Tanque Verde Road for a powerful reflection on the transformative yet morally complex era of the gold rushes. For more details about the exhibition and the Tucson Desert Art Museum, please contact us at mail@tucsondart.org . This enlightening exhibition is made possible by a grant from Arizona Humanities and generous donations from the Long Realty Cares Foundation and the Cascade Foundation . Baker, Isaac Wallace. "Untitled (Portrait of a Chinese Man)." Photograph, c. 1853. Daguerreotype. From Oakland Museum of California. Previous January 10, 2024 Next

< Back ​ All The Single Ladies: Women Pioneers of the American West This informative exhibition tells select stories from the trailblazing lives of unmarried women in the 19th century, who were homesteaders, Harvey girls, boarding house owners, teachers, madams, prostitutes, and entertainers. All the Single Ladies: Woman Pioneers of the American West demonstrates how these women brought a richness and vivacity to the fabric of life in the emerging American West. Tales of the long-ago Wild West portrayed women in one of two stereotypical ways: the seductress or the wholesome farmer’s wife. In reality, the experiences of early pioneer women were far more diverse. While it is true, most women who moved west were married and traveling with husbands and families, many maverick single women sought another path to pursue their dreams of freedom from strict Victorian norms, adventure, and opportunity. "Harvey Girls at the lunch counter of the Harvey House in Winslow, Arizona circa 1910." Courtesy Arizona State Library. Exhibition made possible by a grant from AZ Humanities . "Donaldina Cameron and Tien Fuh Wu with an unidentified woman between them on the steps of the Mission Home." Courtesy of Cameron House. Previous ​ Next

< Back ​ Art of Circumstance: Art and Artifacts Created by Japanese Americans Incarcerated During WWII Art of Circumstance displays the inventive and creative spirit of the Japanese Americans incarcerated in relocation camps across the Southwest during World War II. The art and artifacts displayed in Art of Circumstance include objects on loan from the Arizona Heritage Center, Arizona Historical Society in Tempe, Arizona. Previous ​ Next

< Back ​ GEOLogic​: Michael Holcomb Michael Holcomb describes himself as a “formalist”, to the extent that his art is primarily concerned with form as an abstract expression of the unspeakable forces at work in the universe. His images interpret the canyons, mesas, caves, cliffs, the effects of weathering and erosion: the vast spaces and horizons, skies filled with light and color and extraordinary cloud formations that symbolize the magnificent and rich visual work to the Desert Southwest.​ His work is created using three-dimensional vertex modeling software and original algorithms, edited for characteristics of color, transparency and texture. In 2010, Michael retired as Dean for Technology in the Arts and Director of the Treistman Center for New Media in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona. His work has been exhibited and published internationally and is included in both public and private collections. Previous ​ Next