PO Box 67, Tumacacori, AZ 85640
Phone: 520-398-2341
Fax: 520-398-9271
Open All Year
Overview. Tumacacori's history dates back to 1691, when Jesuit explorer Eusebio Kino celebrated mass at the site and established a mission. The present mission church was not begun until 1800, and was built in stages by the local Pima Indians who worshipped there. Mass was first conducted in the church in 1822, but it was still unfinished when the Mexican government expelled the foreign missionaries in 1828. The Pima Indians continued to worship there, but increasingly hostile Apache raiders forced them to abandon the mission in 1848. Today, the grounds provide a stunning backdrop for living history demonstrations, and offer us a glimpse into 19th-century mission life. What to see and do. The visitor center houses a museum filled with historical displays and artifacts from the mission, including original wooden statues from the church. A self-guided tour leads through the mission complex and includes the church, the ruined foundations of the compound's buildings, and the cemetery where Indians who labored to build the church are buried. Herbs and flowers typical of those grown in other northern Sonoran missions are cultivated under the shade trees of the Patio Garden. You may purchase a selection of books, videos, and other informative materials there. If you get hungry, there is a picnic area near the visitor center, and a selection of restaurants close by. You can savor a taste of the old Southwest through the living history demonstrations at the mission and, if you're lucky enough to visit in December, you may catch the Tumacacori Fiesta. Held on the first weekend of that month, the fiesta has craft booths, demonstrations, music, and heaps of native food on both Saturday and Sunday. A Mariachi Mass starts the day off on Sunday. The visitor center is open year-round from 8 AM to 5 PM. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Leashed pets are permitted. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available.
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