Tucson, AZ

Having spent my childhood in Virginia, I didn’t learn very much about the history of other states. In fact, I don’t remember learning much of anything about Arizona history at all. So, I decided to check out the Arizona Historical Society Museum at 949 East Second Street here in Tucson to learn more about it.

When I first walked in the door, a nice lady greeted me, and gave me a brief overview of the museum. She also explained the pricing and told me that tickets cost five dollars for adults, four for students, and it was free for children. Unfortunately I didn’t have any cash on me though, so they did have to charge me an extra dollar to process my Visa card. But, I figured it was okay since the prices were so reasonable.

The museum started with a history of medicine in Arizona. It showed really interesting artifacts such as 19^th century medical equipment, examination tables, and what medicine looked like and was made of back in that era (what staggered me is that ingredients like morphine and cocaine were perfectly normal in over-the-counter remedies). There were also more modern historical artifacts such as an iron lung that would have been used in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Then, to tie things together at the end of the exhibit, there was an explanation of how the hospitals of this area got started such as Tucson Medical Center, University Medical Center, and Saint Mary’s.

The next part of the museum focused on transportation. There were saddles on display, a Studebaker car that would have been used by law enforcement officials back in the early part of the 20^th century, and what I considered the show stopper, the old time Stage Coach that would have been used for travel back in the 1800’s.

After the transportation exhibit, there was a very large and interesting room filled with information about mining in Arizona, which was the primary reason this area thrived. There was an almost scary tunnel erected to allow visitors to experience the feel of what it was like to work in the mines. The rest of the room was dedicated to what life would be like in a mining town. There were also pictures and artifacts (including clothing) from the 1800’s that illustrated life during those times.

Another exhibit focused on mock ups of what homes would look like back when Arizona was first getting established. There was a bedroom, a living room, and a dining room with a sample meal placed on the table. What was particularly striking about that was how little was on the table. There were just a few peas, a few slices of tomato, and a lettuce leaf. If this is truly a sample meal of what would have been eaten on a normal day during that time period, I’m glad I live in a time where there is more available!

All in all, I really enjoyed the Arizona Hisotical Society Museum. There were lots of interesting artifacts and exhibits that not only focused on the early history of Arizona, but also on more modern times.