The Best Landmarks in Tucson

I recently visited the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson for the first time. I've lived in Tucson for years and had no idea what I was missing! The museum is a reconstruction of the original Presidio, which was a fort which protected both the Spaniards and the native Hohokam people. Sign boards tell the history of the fort and the Spanish colonization of the area. I visited on a living history day, which I highly recommend. Volunteers in costume brought the village to life as soldiers and townspeople. The theme on the day I visited was food, and they had demonstrations and samples of the types of food that would have been eaten by the Hohokam, as well as the Spaniards.

Nice small museum with Native American pottery and baskets. We had to park a few blocks away in public parking but it was no problem as it was a nice day for a walk. The museum is on the University of Arizona Campus. The museum also included a section called Paths of Life, a history of the American Indians of the Southwest. If you can get a docent for your walk through the museum. They are not there every day so you may want to call to see what their schedule is. The docent we had was very informative and made the museum even more interesting. In addition there was a great gift shop. The gift shop had authentic handmade items including jewelry but most were out of our price range.

Our Museum guide was George, a very personable, friendly and knowledgeable gentleman. George was virtually a walking encyclopedia full of wonderful and fascinating information about the history of the Fort and those who served there. This was a completely new experience for us, as George went into great depth about the soldiers, their lifestyle, hardships. I, myself, have been a part of the military family/community for more than 47 years, while my friend was a veteran. We could identify with the military customs and life. Of all the museums we have visited, this was by far the best and most thorough tour we've experienced. George stand head and shoulders above the other tour guides.