The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is regularly listed as one of the top ten zoological parks in the world due to its unique approach in interpreting the complete natural history of a single region (in our case this is the Sonoran Desert and adjacent ecosystems). This represents a significant achievement, as the Museum’s collections and size are smaller than many of its counterparts. Not a “museum” in the usual sense, it is an unparalleled composite of plant, animal, and geologic collections with the goal of making the Sonoran Desert accessible, understandable, and valued. The 98 acre Desert Museum is a fusion experience: zoo, botanical garden, art gallery, natural history museum, and aquarium featuring: - 21 interpreted acres with two miles of walking paths through various desert habitats - 242 animal species - Plants number 56,000 specimens of 1,200 taxa - Mineral and fossil collections include 16,853 specimens Beyond merely an attraction, the Museum's conservation and research programs are providing important information to help conserve the Sonoran Desert region. The Desert Museum's Art Institute inspires conservation through art education and gallery exhibits. The Museum's publishing division, ASDM Press, has produced over 40 books and guides on the natural and cultural history of the Sonoran Desert region. Represented in the living collections are 110 to 120 species considered to be of conservation concern. Because of the continued and expanded loss of habitats and biodiversity in the Sonoran Desert, the Museum will play increasing roles in public policy issues related to desert conservation in the years ahead. The mission of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is to inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert.