tubac presidio state historic park

Jill1207W

Worth the trip south of Tucson- an easy drive. The town has lots of shops, maybe a bit too "touristy", but the quality in many of the shops is good quality arts and crafts. The museum is terrific. It's staffed by volunteers, all of whom are well informed and interesting to speak with. The exhibits are not flashy or "high tech", but with texts and short films that offer an excellent big sense and overview of the history of the area from the perspective of the Spanish, Native American, and Anglo populations and interactions. The explanations and original equipment showing how the printing of newspapers was done was fascinating. $ 5 per person is well worth the fee!

JUSTINR870

We visited my in laws in Feb 2015 who live in Green Valley Ariz. They took us to Tubac for a day of shopping and exploring. We ate at a wonderful restaurant called Uno 2. I had the tamales and my husband had enchiladas. The folks shared a wonderful salad that was plenty big enough for them. My only wish is thet we could have went for another day. There are so many beautiful shops and artwork to see. I bought several pieces of silver jewelry from a pawn/resale store and I could have spent hours in there. They also have a wonderful spot for the men to sit and relax, have a cigar if they so wish and a cool beverage while waiting for the ladies. Wonderful town with friendly people. We will return soon!

merionvw

There really is nothing there! There are no original buildings, just a reconstruction of the main buildings. They are trying to make a big deal out of absolutely nothing at all. Go to nearby Tumacacori instead - now that is truly worth visiting

BabyButta

I like that this museum is preserving a lot of Native American history and the printing press is a great addition.

Whyland1

Not more than a stones throw from the main drag, this park is really well done. A self guided tour is all you need and the museum out back is chock full of history. Yes - do it!

JamaisVu

We've been to this historic park several times over the past decade, & with our latest visit we were very pleasantly surprised at how much it's been upgraded & improved. The museum ~ which was always interesting ~ is even more so now, but also has been refurbished, brightened up & made immensely more enjoyable. And the grounds have been completely redone... cleaned up... re-planted... & a wonderful tour of desert plants created. A lot of people shop & eat & play in the touristy town of Tubac but miss this historical treasure. It's definitely worth a visit.

kchiappina

a small but very interesting museum that tells the story of how the southwest started back in the days of Spanish conquistadores. I did not realize it was from here that Spain launched the conquer of California which at the time was being conquered by Russians from the north.

GrammyMame

We have visited the Presidio twice in the past week. We arrived late in the afternoon on our first visit. We had time to tour the grounds, the schoolhouse and the underground display. We arrived in the museum about 10 minutes before they closed and couldn't believe our eyes. It is a treasure, not to be missed if you want to learn about the history of the area, which is rich. It is very well done and not overwhelming. The gift shop has a nice selection of books. We found a revisionist history book on Geronimo, which is very engaging. They also have a nice selection of maps, done by both the Americans and the Mexicans of the same areas. The $5 fee is well worth it and we paid it twice just to finish our visit.Be sure to see this site before visiting the shops and galleries. You will be glad you did.There is a trailhead for the de Anza trail just behind the park and we hiked down it for a few miles. Would like to take it all the way to Tumacacori.

58Linda58

I thoroughly enjoyed the outside areas with detailed descriptions of the history of the site, some excavation has been done. The Museum follows the history of Tubac from Spanish to Native American, very good displays. Small area to walk and flat, so easily accessible, also good parking. The Museum is free, but donations appreciated.

LarryH715

The guided tour of Tumacacori first will set you up nicely for a visit to this park. Very important Arizona history site. Self guided tour and a well organized museum are park highlights. The five dollar fee helps support this site run by volunteer staff. While on the path to the museum, we spotted a large pottery shard which had been exposed by weather. A park volunteer recovered the shard and helped identify it before we left the museum. Appeared to be from a period between 500 AD and 1550 AD. The artifact will be added to the museum collection, leaving us with a feeling that we were helped add something of importance to this wonderful park.

glw1861

You get to go back in time about 300 years and you get to see some of the remains from a couple of civilizations, but I guess I expected to see more of what it looked like back then, rather than see what is left today. But I guess no one really knows what it was like 300+ years ago, so it is partial guessing. Be prepared to read a lot.

abh123456

This place does give a good sense of the history of Tubac. But a lot of the info was jumbled, hard to follow, and just overwhelming (lots of text to read, dates to absorb). You start by watching a 7 minute movie on the history of Tubac. Then you go on a walking tour, including the old school house, and then later the museum. I agree you could spend two hours in the museum part of it, but only if you like to stand and read for awhile. Part of the tour includes an preserved house, which was probably the most interesting part. $10 just seemed like a lot for what it was. Guess they have to make money somehow!

drtim

Quite a large park with lots of displays and much to learn and see. We enjoyed a couple of hours here. Surprising for such a small area.

JEankin

Yesterday my husband and I had the opportunity to visit the artisan mecca of Tubac, AZ. My husband, who is a birder by hobby, took off down the De Anza Trail, leaving me with some time on my hands. Not being a shopper, I wandered into the State Historic Park. What a wealth of information and treasures I encountered! I was greeted by a courteous and enthusiastic volunteer staff member and given a booklet directing me on a self- directed walking tour. Part of the tour brought me underground where a section of the Presidio's foundation was still visible. I spent almost 2 hours viewing the relics and artifacts in the museum. I was impressed with the quantity and quality of items, and also the complete written descriptions and information provided. This is a small town with a wealth of historical information offered! I was told it was run completely by dedicated volunteers, asking only a very small donation for entrance. This is a must-see for visitors in the area.

RJClancy

I recently took my guest from back East to the Presidio Museum in Tubac, Arizona. We were both blown away not only by the material preserved but by the quality of the presentation, too. This little museum is really an engaging archeological expedition into the various centuries and levels that exist on the site of the Capitol of New Spain, Tubac. The Presidio was built in the mid-1700's to safeguard the priests, soldiers and settlers recently arrived from Spain. You can walk underground and view the different levels of each succeeding generation of inhabitants of the Presidio. They have even preserved an early 20th century Mexican-American laborers "row house" complete with all the furnishings from early 1900. Tubac is a village rich in historical milestones like Arizona's first newspaper and printing press, Father Kino's mission and orchards, an early schoolhouse and the site of the Ortiz family's massive ranch. Admission to the park is only $5.00 and the gift store is stocked with a wide variety of books and gifts. If you're in the Tucson area, I would strongly recommend a visit to the Presidio Museum in Tubac.