Building Fun: The Packrat Playhouse at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum by Adventure Gear

Pretend to be a packrat at dusk by collecting, building, and climbing - all the while avoiding predators.


Tucson, AZ, June 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The new Packrat Playhouse at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum that recently opened has been a tremendous success! The 4,000-square-foot desert-inspired, Tucson-themed playhouse exhibit features several tiers of climbing nets, slides, tunnels, an observation deck, and much more! Families and nature enthusiasts come from all over to experience this indoor and outdoor museum that is known as part park, part zoo and part botanical garden. The museum’s latest attraction, the Packrat Playhouse, has been featured in local and national news outlets since prior to its opening. The five-star museum may just get another star from their children visitors who get to discover the desert through the eyes of a curious critter, the packrat.

Kids can slide down the Gila monster's tail or the cholla skeleton ribs, climb through an impressive prickly pear cactus structure, slither through an oversized rattlesnake, explore secret tunnels where they can stumbleupon hidden objects like glowing scorpions, and much more! The remarkable, life-like murals surrounding the dessert play structures make kids feel as if they are really a packrat at dusk collecting, building, and climbing- all the while avoiding predators. “The incredibly designed exhibit is both an opportunity to learn about the Packrat but also to experience how they live. It's a wonderful destination for little ones and preteens. They will get a good workout too.” Museum visitor, Kathy W. of Tucson, AZ.

When the most notable museum attraction in Tucson, Arizona needs to build an extraordinary structure, they hire Mike Reddish, owner of the Oracle-based company, Adventure Gear. The museum contracted Adventure Gear to build a structure that would keep children visitors educated and entertained. Mike Reddish carefully constructed the 20 ft. tall prickly pear cactus climbing structure. The project took 9 months and has received outstanding reviews from visitors and news outlets alike.

Michael has been designing and building adventure courses and zip lines since 1978. He has over 30 years of direct experience working with camps, organizations, schools, and adventure companies. He owned Lynx Challenge Courses, an accredited PVM of the ACCT (Association of Challenge Course Technology) 2005 – 2009. He is also the founder of Adventure Rope GearAdventure Ropes Course, and Zip Line Consultant.

His long list of accomplishments include building the second commercial zipline in the U.S. in 2002, building the longest zipline in Hawaii in 2005, building the ONLY commercial water zip in the U.S., and designing various new pulleys, brakes, and operational procedures that was partially behind the recent growth of zip lines in the U.S. and around the world. He has designed forms for insurance companies, training certification guidelines, and standards that now control the zip line industry.

Michael works from his home in Oracle, Arizona consulting with many companies about a wide variety of topics; Zip Lines, play structures, educational curriculum, sales, new product design, and effective marketing techniques. He has published the Zip Line Construction Guide, the most complete informational guide for professionals and homeowners alike to help safely build and operate zip lines. His store, Adventure Gear, offers the most complete selection of zip line pulleys, gear, and products in the industry.

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Image of the brand new Packrat Playhouse at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Packrat Playhouse at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

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