DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District facts for kids
The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District is a very special place in Tucson, Arizona. It's an art museum and a collection of unique buildings created by an artist named Ettore DeGrazia. This amazing property is made up of several buildings spread out in a natural desert setting. It's located near Swan Road and Skyline. Today, it's a museum that everyone can visit. DeGrazia started building it in 1951 with an open-air chapel called the Mission in the Sun. After that, he built many other artistic adobe buildings. The main gallery and museum building was finished in 1965. It has cool features like floors made from cactus wood, exposed wooden beams, and unique artistic touches.
This gallery replaced DeGrazia's first building, which he built in 1944. Many artists and friends visited the new gallery. Some famous visitors included Thomas Hart Benton, Olaf Wieghorst, Jack Van Ryder, Pete Martinez, and Ross Santee. In 2006, this 10-acre (40,000 m2) property became a museum. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
The Mission in the Sun
The very first building DeGrazia created on the property was the Mission in the Sun. He dedicated it to Our Lady of Guadalupe and to the memory of Padre Eusebio Kino. DeGrazia painted murals on every wall inside the Mission. He also included a large painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the brick altar. Many visitors have used the Mission as a peaceful place for their own spiritual moments. They often leave photos, candles, and other special items. The Mission has also been the location for many weddings over the years.
On May 30, 2017, a fire caused a lot of damage to the Mission. Luckily, there were no paintings by DeGrazia hanging inside the chapel at the time. However, the walls, murals, and roof were damaged. Experts began working to save and restore some of the damaged art. The walls were plastered over to protect what was left of the original murals. About 80% of the murals were destroyed. One of the people helping with the restoration was an artist DeGrazia had personally taught. The restored chapel reopened to the public in the fall of 2019. Some of the fire damage was even kept on purpose, as a reminder of what happened.
Buildings at the Gallery
The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is made up of many different buildings, each with its own story. Here are some of the main ones:
- Mission in the Sun (1952)
- DeGrazia House (1952)
- Ceramics Studio (1954)
- Brian's House (1955)
- Ghost House (1956)
- Gate House (1960)
- Gallery in the Sun (1965)
- Garage (1966)
- Nun's House (1968)
- Underground House (1969)
- Apartment (1972)
- DeGrazia Grave (1982)
Images for kids
-
A walkway with cholla cacti
-
The gift shop at the Gallery in the Sun
-
Inside the main gallery building
-
An outside view of the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
-
The Mission in the Sun from the outside
-
Inside the Mission in the Sun (damaged in 2017 fire)
-
A mural inside the chapel (damaged in 2017 fire)
-
People enjoying festivities at the Mission in the Sun
-
The altar inside the chapel (damaged in 2017 fire)
-
Festivities happening at the Gallery in the Sun
-
DeGrazia's grave on the property
