City: Tucson, AZ

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (520) 838-6200

Address: 32450 S. Biosphere Rd.

Description: Named by Time-Life Books as one of the 50 must-see man-made wonders of the world, Biosphere 2 (the earth itself is Biosphere 1) sits at an elevation of 4,000 feet on over 35 acres of land in Oracle just off Highway 77. The Biosphere truly has to be seen to be believed. Funded by billionaire Edward Bass’s Philecology Foundation to the tune of $150 million and built in 1987, the main structure (the Biosphere) is 92 feet tall at its highest point and has 6,500 windows that enclose 7.2 million cubic feet.The Biosphere itself contains 5 ecologically distinct areas (biomes), including a rain forest, a 700,000-gallon saltwater ocean, a savannah, a marsh, and a fog desert. Two acres of machinery below the surface power it all. In 1991, with great fanfare, 8 people were sealed into the Biosphere for 2 years to see if they could survive in a closed system. Today the facility is managed by the University of Arizona and used for a wide variety of scientific research projects. Open to the public, tours are available daily and begin with a 13-minute movie followed by an hourlong walking tour through this unique science facility. Wear comfortable shoes; bottled water only is allowed on the tour itself.A cafe and outdoor picnic area are also available. The Biosphere is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Christmas and Thanksgiving Day. Tours start at 9:30 a.m.; the last tour is at 4 p.m. Prices vary: adults, $20; seniors 62 and over, $18; children 6 to 12, $13. Discount coupons are often available at the visitors bureau and in local publications.To get here take Oracle Road north about 15 miles and watch for the sign pointing to Biosphere 2.