Presidio Museum Tour

The Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum is a re-creation of the original Presidio San Agustín del Tucson that was founded by the Spanish military in 1775.The site was chosen because it was close to the Santa Cruz River, with its perennial water and fertile floodplain. In addition, a village inhabited by the O’Odham people was nearby at the base of Sentinel Peak (“A” Mountain). The name “Tucson” originates from an O’Odhamword “chuk shon” which means “at the base of the black hill.”

As Tucson developed from a fort, to a town during the Arizona Territorial period, to a modern city, the Presidio walls were torn down. Today only fragments of the original structure remain, hidden beneath the ground.

The museum you are visiting today opened in 2008 as part of the downtown redevelopment district known as Rio Nuevo. The museum is basically located on the northeast corner of the original presidio, and it encompasses four acres of the original fort's 11 acres.

In addition to daily docent tours, visitors to the museum can enjoy a variety of events including Living History Days, cultural activites, and a variety of downtown walking tours. For more information on these, see www.TucsonPresidio.com.