READERS' PICK: It's been known as La Paloma Blanca, the White Dove of the Desert, for generations. Until a couple of years ago, however, the Spanish colonial mission's feathers were looking a little frayed. Thanks to a vigorous restoration project funded by heritage-minded Tucsonans and involving Italian and Tohono O'odham art restorers and artisans, the mission has regained some of its 18th-century luster, and it's one of the rare surviving landmarks that visitors simply must see in order to understand what makes our city special.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum