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All 3 Oracle Attractions »

Biosphere 2

32540 South Biosphere Road, Mile marker 96.5, Oracle, AZ 85623
800-828-2462, 520-825-1289
Ranked #1 of 1 tours in Oracle
4.0 of 5 stars 98 Reviews
Type: Educational Sites, Science Museums, Tours, Landmarks/ Points of Interest
Activities: Group tours/walking tour
Owner description: Visitors can observe nature in a controlled state at this world-famous steel and glass research center where desert, forest, ocean and other...... more » Owner description: Visitors can observe nature in a controlled state at this world-famous steel and glass research center where desert, forest, ocean and other ecosystems are monitored and studied. « less
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98 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
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Date Rating
Tucson, Arizona
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 26, 2012 NEW

was fun. I take visitors there. fun. But I'd only went twice. More

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Vancouver, Canada
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
58 helpful votes 58 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 22, 2012 NEW

We didn't realize how far away the Biosphere was from Scottsdale, so we didn't get there until the last tour was about to depart. It's in the middle of nowhere and is quite an amazing place. The history is fascinating and our guide obviously knew his stuff. We watched a short video and then we were taken through the different... More

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Grand Canyon Village, Arizona, United States
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 18, 2012

We really enjoyed our stay - from the drive there to our tour. We were disappointed the cafe was closed so early, but otherwise our stay was excellent. The cafe is only open from 11-2. The tour was a little over an hour and seems to start at the top of every hour. Our guide was very informative and extremely... More

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Jamestown, North Dakota
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 8, 2012

Biosphere 2 is in a beautiful setting. One glance and you could be stepping into the future. From the architecture of the buildings to the facinating life sustaining facts, this is a whole new type of adventure for you. When you walk out of this "compond," you have learned so much. Wonderful experience. More

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kansas city
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 25, 2012

The Biosphere2 was a fascinating tour into a piece of history while providing a glimpse at current environmental studies. The guide was so knowledgeable that I secretly wanted to play a game of "Stump the Guide" but it was no contest; he would've won. The scenic drive from Tucson was also rewarding. If you're on the fence about whether to... More

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Scottsdale, Arizona
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed April 24, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

It's just OK. I wouldn't go way out of your way to see this. This is one of those things where the photos and advertisements are really cool to look at, but when you get there, you think, it was OK, but not all that. It's not a place to go if you have difficulties walking as there are stairs... More

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Anchorage
Top Contributor
54 reviews 54 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 23, 2012

Go before it gets too hot, as it is in the middle of the desert and there is a fair amount of walking to get to the actual tour facility. Keep children close, as there are snakes and can be very hard to see. They are not aggressive to humans but, if startled, the situation can turn. Just back away... More

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vancouver, wa
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
Reviews in 27 cities Reviews in 27 cities
54 helpful votes 54 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 12, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

I had purchased a groupon for this. My boys are 7 & 11 and we all loved it! What a great tour. I loved hearing the history of how the biosphere came to be and who all has owned it over time. I was surprised to hear that U of A has only owned it since the summer of 2011.... More

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Tucson, Arizona
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 12, 2012

Biosphere 2 is such a unique place. It was first created as an experiment in creating a closed system that was nearly all self-sustaining. About 20 years ago, a crew of 8 people spent 2 years living in the Biosphere. It was closed to the outside world so the crew had to produce all their own food as well as... More

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Brooklyn, NY
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 10, 2012

What a remarkable, unique place! A microcosm of our world, where scientists are tackling some of the big issues facing the planet. You are, literally, visiting a university science department, so it's not your typical Disneyfied tourist attraction -- it's a lot better. I've been fascinated with this place since reading about the project to sequester a crew of people... More

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