Tour Requirements

The under-the-glass walking tour of Biosphere 2 consists of approximately 150 stairs (up and down) and the route is just under one mile to walk round-trip. The tour duration is 1 hour and 15 minutes with a considerable amount of standing (The tour has an additional 10 minutes of travel time to and from the Visitor Center). The tour spends time outside as well as inside the Biosphere 2 research facility itself. The weather can range from quite cold in the winter months to extremely warm during the summer months. Winter and spring weather can be unpredictable in southern Arizona so wearing layers of clothing is recommended. Comfortable, closed-toed shoes are also highly recommended as the tour route includes standing, climbing and walking. Tours are conducted on days with inclement weather unless the weather conditions pose a hazard to the safety of the visitors and staff. The interior of the Biosphere 2 research facility is heated and cooled based on current research protocols and as a result visitors may experience a variety of heat and humidity conditions on the under-the-glass guided tour. Bottled water is allowed on the tour and encouraged. Visitors who have medical considerations, special needs, are non-ambulatory or have other conditions may want to arrange for a less rigorous tour, please see ACCESSIBILITY.