The Museum's hummingbird aviary is bustling with courting rituals and nest-building activity so now  is the perfect time to sign up for a Winged Wonders behind-the-scenes tour.  Spend private time with a keeper in the aviary before the Museum opens to learn about his annual rite of spring and get close-up with these jewels of the desert. 

Spring in the desert is a time of renewal; wildflowers appear, cacti bloom hummingbirds nest, and bird migrations begin.  Get the scoop on all the action on the new complimentary docent tour, The Desert Comes Alive., offered daily at 1 p.m.    On this tour, you'll learn about the Sonoran Desert's two distinct rainy seasons and the resulting blooming activities! After the tour, stop by the sumptuous Ocotillo Cafe, now open daily through April 15.  

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Whether you are brand new to oil painting or are a seasoned artist, there is a spring oil painting class perfect for you. Learn techniques for painting fur and feathers both from photographs and live animal visitors with the guidance of renowned wildlife artist Edward Aldrich. In Oil Painting from the Masters let instructor Ada Koch take you through the tricks of the old masters, focusing on a different artist each day to create your own masterpieces.