TUcson presidio museum
Workshops
Experience history and heritage up close!
Holiday Cards Making Workshop
$15/member
$20/general
Dec 14, 2025
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Get into the holiday spirit at the Presidio! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll create four unique holiday cards. Artist John Gates will lead you through the process of creating two watercolor designs. Then Homer Thiel will teach you a paper cutting technique to craft two additional cards. All materials will be provided.
Candle Making Workshop
$70/member
$80/general
Jan 11, 2026
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Join Danielle Silvestri, owner of Dante’s Flame Candle Co. as she walks participants through the process of creating candles using all natural ingredients. Participants will use clean burning 100% soy way and cotton wicks to craft beautiful tin candles from start to finish. Danielle will guide participants in the selection and combination of fragrances, allowing participants to craft unique and personal scents. Each participant will leave with three custom tin candles.
Tohono O’odham Frybread Workshop
$45/member
$55/general
Feb 21, 2026
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
A beloved staple, frybread is both delicious and versatile. It can be enjoyed as a sweet treat topped with honey, powdered sugar, or cinnamon, or as the base for hearty dishes like red chili or savory tacos with heaps of beans, beef, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Sherrie will walk participants through the process of making frybread from scratch and assist everyone in frying the dough. Participants will take away 3-4 pieces of frybread and a recipe card to make more at home.
Cochineal Workshop
$20/member
$30/general
Feb 28, 2026
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Have you ever wondered about the white fluff found on prickly pear cactus? Join Andrew Lettes, the Sonoran Scientist, for a hands-on workshop that uncovers the interesting world of cochineal. This tiny insect is indigenous to the Southwest and Mexico. It produces a vibrant red or purple dye that has been used for thousands of years to dye both wool and cotton fibers.
Program participants will learn the rich history and interesting science of cochineal. Everyone will experiment with cochineal to achieve different colors, paint with various shades, and take home a hand dyed cochineal friendship bracelet kit.
Nopalitos Workshop
$45/member
$55/general
Mar 7, 2026
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Over the past few millennia, the succulent pads of the prickly pear cactus have fed millions of humans and other animals, offering life-sustaining calories, vitamins, calcium, and a host of other minerals. When the young nopal pads are cut up, they become nopalitos, and they are ready to be mixed with other ingredients to make delicious and healthy dishes. Locally, young prickly pear pads appear in the late spring, but Mexican farmers manipulate their crops so nopales are available year-round. Led by Carolyn Niethammer, author of The Prickly Pear Cookbook and four other cookbooks that include prickly pear recipes, this class will show attendees how to clean the pads of spines and cook them so they are ready to incorporate into delicious dishes. Be prepared to show up at the next potluck with something truly unique.