For 2 years, beginning in September 1991, four men and four women were locked inside this airtight 3-acre greenhouse in the desert, 35 miles north of Tucson near the town of Oracle. During their tenure in Biosphere 2 (Earth is considered Biosphere 1), they conducted experiments on how the Earth, basically a giant greenhouse, manages to support all the planet’s life forms. Today there are no longer any people living in Biosphere 2, and the former research facility is operated as equal parts science center and tourist attraction. Tours take visitors inside the giant greenhouse and into the mechanisms that helped keep this sealed environment going for 2 years. The futuristic building rising out of the desert hill country is an impressive sight.
Tucson
Travel Guide
Tucson› Attraction
Biosphere 2
32540 S. Biosphere Rd., Oracle, USA
Our Rating
Neighborhood
Oracle
Hours
Daily 9am–4pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Phone
520/621-4800
Prices
$20 adults, $18 seniors and military, $15 students, $13 ages 6–12
Web site
Biosphere 2
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Map
32540 S. Biosphere Rd., Oracle USA TucsonNote: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.