Grand Canyon Museums

(Grand Canyon, Arizona - AZ, USA)



Visitors to the Grand Canyon are forgiven for not realizing that there are a number of popular museums here, because naturally most people come here to gaze at the spectacular scenery or hike around the South Rim.

The Grand Canyon contains four museums in total, three of which offer impressive views of the canyon, while the Tusayan Ruin and Museum is something of an archeological site, with exhibits relating to ancestral Native American homes in the region. Standing on the South Rim, the four-story Desert View Watchtower dates back to 1932 and features a gift shop on the ground floor, together with an observation deck at the top, overlooking the eastern section of the Grand Canyon and its surrounding scenery.


Desert View Watchtower

Address: Desert View Drive, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Tel: +1 928 638 2736
This small museum and Grand Canyon information center was originally a trading post and today houses an array of telescopes for viewing the spectacular gorge and its colorful intricacies. If you are coming from the park's Southern Entrance, the Watchtower will be the last attraction on your drive down Desert View Drive towards the Eastern Entrance. The 70-foot / 21-meter high stone Watchtower includes a glass-enclosed observatory, where you will find various telescopes and remarkable views covering the massive Vermilion Cliffs, Painted Desert, Marble Canyon and the Colorado River.
Open hours: daily - 08:00 to 19:00, seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge

Kolbs' Photography Studio

Address: South Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Tel: +1 928 774 1760
Built in 1904 and operated as a photographic studio by two brothers, Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, Kolb Studio is situated near the trailhead of the Bright Angel Trail. This museum faces ongoing restoration works and today houses an art gallery and bookstore. The brothers were the first to film a Grand Canyon rafting run and they took endless photos of descending mule riders.
Open hours: daily - 08:00 to 19:00
Admission: free

Lookout Studio

With a commanding position and view over the Grand Canyon's South Rim, the Lookout Studio museum was built in 1914 as a competitor to the famed Kolbs' photographic studio situated nearby. The building mixes well with the remarkable surroundings of the canyon and was the brainchild of architect Mary Jane Colter. Highlights here include the convenient trail that connects the studio with El Tovar Hotel and views of the gorge from the upstairs loft.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Tusayan Ruin and Museum

Address: Desert View Drive, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Tel: +1 928 638 2305
Located to the east of Moran Point, the Tusayan Ruin is an archaeological site with remnants of Native American rock dwellings from over 800 years ago. For further information on the dwellings and the people that inhabited them, the excellent museum features models of the homes and artifacts collected from them, as well as several exhibits on the regional tribes of today.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free