In 1889 Arizona’s state capitol moved permanently to Phoenix after hopping from city to city over a period of years. The original Arizona State Capitol Building in 1900, dedicated on February 25, 1901 and was designated a museum in 1977. The building served as the actual state capitol when Arizona became the 48th state in […]
Museums in Phoenix
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Featuring playthings of yesterday and today, plus a 1912-vintage schoolroom with antique dolls sitting in for the students.
The facility features changing exhibits about the history of Arizona.
This museum is operated by the Arizona National Guard Historical Society, a private non-profit corporation, and aims to preserve the military history of Arizona. The museums’ 25 exhibits contains all varieties of artifacts including uniforms, weapons, newspapers, maps and vehicles that showcase the history of the armed forces in the state. There are displays on […]
When it was founded in 1980 the Arizona Museum for Youth was the only childrens museum in the United States dedicated specifically to fine art. The museum was the dream of philanthropists Jack and John Whiteman and has become a place for Valley residents to introduce children to the world of art and discover self-expression. […]
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In more than 40 exhibits ranging from murals and skeletal reconstructions to three animated models (Tyrannosaurus rex, Pentaceratops and Stegosaurus), dinosaurs are showcased in the “Dinosaur Mountain” exhibition, roaring, snarling and devouring each other. The facility features a variety of changing exhibitions, many science-related.
At the Desert Ridge Marketplace kids and comic nerds can find paradise at the Arizona Popular Culture Expereince, crammed full of every sort of popular culture memorabilia. In the front room, you’ll find rooms filled from floor to ceiling with figurines from Star Wars, Star Trek, Indian Jones and Doctor Who, as well as screen-worn […]
The Arizona Wing Commemorative Air Force Museum is located at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa and displays a collection of aircraft from WW I through the Vietnam War. The collection includes planes such as the B-17G Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey, B-25, C-45, SNJ, F4 Phantom, Migs and other warbirds. You can even climb into the […]
Nestled in the middle of a sprawling, desert-pink complex, ASU Art Museum was designed by Antoine Predock in 1989. The galleries of the museum are arranged in three levels, with the main floor underground. Predock intended for the space to be mysterious and for the layout to be a little tricky to navigate; this way, […]
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Outside of Tucson a giant glass sphere rises out of the desert. It’s called Biosphere 2. The failed experiment in sustainable living now belongs to the University of Arizona, who use the building as a biological and climate-research facility. The Biosphere was constructed in Oracle, about a half and house outside of Tucson, between 1987 […]
Housed inside the historic Monroe School in downtown Phoenix, this kid-centric museum is a must for parents trying to cure the summertime boredom blues. Of course, the Children’s Museum on Phoenix is a great place to visit truly any time of year, with awesome exhibits like the infamous “noodle forest,” a waving, wiggling rainforest of […]
This archaeology museum and 47-acre Sonoran Desert preserve is home to the largest concentration of Native American petroglyphs in the Phoenix area. Open to the public for tours, the Will Bruder-designed facility serves as the primary exhibition space for the Center for Archaeology and Society.
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One of the Valley’s not-well-enough-known gems, the world’s largest such museum showcases memorabilia and restored antique equipment. The permanent “Safety House” installation allows kids ages 4-11 to search for hidden fire hazards, dress up in firefighters’ gear and climb aboard a vintage fire engine.
Handcrafted is a makerspace and workshop designed to experience pre-electric technologies for collaboration and learning. This immersive space will let you roll up your sleeves and use vintage tools – from a Kelsey letterpress to a treadle sewing machine, and a pedal scroll saw to a pastry cutter.
From humble beginnings, when the Dwight and Maie Bartlett Heard founded the museum in what was then a small Southwestern town, to the impressive world-class museum it is today, the Heard Museum has come a long way. The Heard opened in 1929 and houses internally recognized collections of Native American artifacts and artwork. You can […]