Photo courtesy of Arizona State Museum The Arizona State Museum open house will feature unique collections not normally on display to the public, including this mask from Honduras.

The Arizona State Museum is home to a centuries-old collection of Southwestern artifacts, but the facility has much more than pottery shards and kachina dolls.

In fact, at Saturday's open house, the museum will showcase its collection of Mexican masks, Chinese textiles and the breathtaking aerial photographs of Adriel Heisey.

"We have been on campus for 102 years, so we have materials from all over the world," said Diane Dittemore, the museum's ethnological collections curator.

The open house will be an opportunity to expose the community to collections seldom seen.

"Over the last five years (of holding open houses), we have done more towards highlighting certain collections," said Dittemore. "We also try to get people with special knowledge to be involved."

The ASM has exhibited to Heisey's aerial photographs since November, and during the open house, he will be on hand to show off his ultra-light airplane as well as give a multimedia presentation of his work. His photographs of the Sonoran Desert have been featured in National Geographic, and his technique is very unusual.

"I wanted the flexibility of working solo (without a copilot)," Heisey said. "I steer with my knee, so I can shoot with both hands."

As for the other seat in the plane?

"It is for gear," he said.

In order to get his special aerial view, he said he flies "close and slow and low."

"Most people won't see the world like this," he said. "My dedication is to the aerial view; it is a way to express my love of the views, the landscape."

His passion for the desert is closely followed by his dedication to flying.

"One thing that I want to accomplish (at the open house) is for everybody to get a sense of aviation as something that you really can do yourself. It is demanding but really rewarding," he said.

Representatives from Catalina Magnet High School's aviation-aerospace program will be on hand to discuss flying and demonstrate a flight simulator. Heisey was instrumental in getting these young pilots and mechanics involved with the open house.

"I suggested inviting them after hearing about a friend's son go through the program," he said. "I sure wish there had been something like that for me when I was that age."

Sue Harris from the aviation-aerospace program spent 20 years in the Air Force and is delighted that there are opportunities like the Catalina program for young people, especially girls.

"I worked as a mechanic in the Air Force because in 1972 that was as close as (women) could get to a plane," Harris said. "Our program has 240 students and quite a few of them are girls."

The chief flight instructor will be at the open house with a flight simulator, and student pilots and mechanics will be on hand to conduct activities, like paper airplane races and Alka-Seltzer rocket launches.

Heisey will drive his ultra-light aircrane to ASM in a trailer, because it folds up, James Bond-style.

The open house is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission and parking are free.