Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about The Tombstone Epitaph Museum

Where can I find parking in Tombstone near The Tombstone Epitaph Museum?

Free parking is available for visitors in the nearby O.K. Corral parking lot behind the O.K. Corral on Fremont Street (Highway 80) between 3rd and 4th Streets. There are two main additional free municipal parking lots on Toughnut Street by 2nd Street and by 6th Street. Cars are not allowed on Allen Street.

Tombstone Parking Map

How much does it cost to visit the Tombstone Epitaph Museum?

Admission to The Epitaph Museum is free.

Visitors to the O.K. Corral receive a free copy of the 1881 Epitaph newspaper with their O.K. Corral admission ticket.

When is The Epitaph Museum open?

The museum is open from daily from 12 pm to 5 pm (except Christmas Day and Thanksgiving). The museum does not stay open for Tombstone evening events such as Tombstone at Twilight.

How do I arrange for a group visit?

We welcome group tours at The Tombstone Epitaph Museum. We'll need advance notice of how many people will be in your group, when you plan to arrive, and what you would like to see. At your request, we will try to provide a private tour guide. Please contact us at tours@tombstoneepitaph.com for information.

How do we get to Tombstone to see The Epitaph Museum?

Tombstone is a historic Old West town in Cochise County, Arizona, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory.

From Phoenix: Tombstone is approximately 180 miles (3 hours). From Phoenix, take I-10 south to Tucson and follow the directions below.

From Tucson: Tombstone is approximately 65 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes) southeast of Tucson. Take I-10 south to Benson, then take Highway 80 about 25 miles to Tombstone.

From Bisbee: Tombstone is approximately 25 miles north. Take Highway 80 north to Tombstone.

From Sierra Vista: Tombstone is approximately 20 miles (25 minutes) east of Sierra Vista. Take East Charleston Road east to Tombstone.

What should we see when we're in Tombstone?

In addition to visiting the The Epitaph Museum and its partner attractions - the O.K. Corral Historic Complex and Tombstone's Historama - many other Tombstone attractions are just a short walk down historic Allen Street. Most historic sites are open daily:

You can tour the town on a stagecoach or trolley, eat a buffalo burger, drink a sarsaparilla or taste local wines, buy genuine Indian jewelry or a custom saddle, purchase 1880s clothing, go horseback riding, shop for antiques, visit one of Tombstone's underground silver mines, and have your photo taken in an 1880s costume. There are a number of saloons, restaurants, and places to stay in Tombstone. Plan to spend at least 5-6 hours to see everything. Nearby you can visit ghost towns, Fort Huachuaca, Bisbee, and the world famous Kartchner Caverns in Benson. For more information, see Cochise County, Land of Legends, and the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce.

What events will be happening in Tombstone when we visit?

Tombstone has events going on almost every weekend. Check the Event Calendar at the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce).

Questions about The Tombstone Epitaph Newspaper

Can I purchase a subscription to The Tombstone Epitaph National Edition for a friend?

Absolutely! You can order online or by mail from our Subscriptions, Gifts and Renewals page.

Can I purchase historical editions of the newspaper?

Absolutely! You can order online or by mail from our Historical Editions page.

Can I read the Tombstone Epitaph National Edition online?

Not yet, but we are working hard on putting together an online section of the website to enable our readers to view The Epitaph on their mobile devices and desktops.

Have older issues of The Tombstone Epitaph been digitized?

Yes. The Epitaph was one of the first newspapers included in the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America historical newspaper website. The Epitaph is also part of Arizona Memory.

I’ve heard The Epitaph was honored as a national historical journalism site. Can you tell me more?

Since 1942, the Society for Professional Journalism has honored the people and places that play important roles in American journalistic history. In 1995, the Society named The Tombstone Epitaph was a National Historic Site in Journalism in recognition of the newspaper’s important role in documenting the history of the American West.

What is the connection between The Tombstone Epitaph National Edition and paper’s Local Edition published by the University of Arizona Journalism Department?

In 1975, the Harold O. Love family, as publishers of The Epitaph, assigned publication rights for a local edition of the paper to the Journalism Department at the University of Arizona, Tucson. This student-run edition of The Epitaph is published every two weeks during the fall and spring academic semesters and is distributed in specific locations throughout southern Arizona. Issues are also available online at TheEpitaph.com. See the Epitaph history page for more information.

Interesting Links

Here are links to some of our favorite partner pages!