DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District, Art museum and historic district in Pima County, United States.
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District is an art museum and heritage site spread across desert land north of Tucson. It comprises multiple adobe structures built in Pueblo Revival style that form galleries, exhibition spaces, and religious chapels.
Construction began in 1951 when the artist started building the chapel and gradually expanded the site over more than a decade. The project was completed in the mid-1960s, establishing a lasting center for art and regional heritage.
The site takes its name from artist Ettore DeGrazia, whose work shapes the entire complex and celebrates Southwest artistic traditions. Visitors encounter spaces that document indigenous cultures and regional life through painting and design.
The 10-acre grounds are reached by car near the Swan Road and Skyline intersection, and the buildings are scattered across open desert rather than arranged along one path. Allow time to walk between the Mission in the Sun, the gallery and the outlying structures, and bring sun protection and water. The chapel reopened in fall 2019 after the 2017 fire, with some damage kept visible.
The Mission chapel on the grounds features murals dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and missionary Eusebio Kino. Visitors often leave personal objects and photographs there, creating a tradition that adds a living spiritual dimension to the site.
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