Founded in 1952 west of Tucson, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum developed a regional approach that presents the Sonoran Desert as an interconnected living ecosystem rather than separate collections. Created by William H. Carr with major support from Arthur Newton Pack, the nonprofit combines a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, publisher, and art gallery. Its grounds feature native plants and animals in realistic habitats, including well-known hummingbird and aquarium exhibits, while raptor demonstrations and outreach programs extend interpretation beyond displays. Research, conservation work, and media projects have further made it one of Southern Arizona’s leading attractions and educational institutions.