Download this information in PDF format
The Musical Instrument Museum
4725 E. Mayo Blvd Phoenix, AZ 85050
(480) 478-6000
Also known as the MIM, celebrates art, music and culture by documenting the history of musical instruments from around the world. Everyone from Carlos Santana to Tony Bennett have sung the praises of this bright, open museum, which also hosts a full calendar of live music events. The museum collection includes instruments from 200 countries from around the world, with emphasis on ethnic, folk, and tribal music. Guests are given wireless headsets so they can hear instruments being played at each display, and flat-panel monitors throughout the museum give guests the opportunity to see instruments being performed live. Whether you love Chinese opera or Big Band jazz, the MIM celebrates the joy of musical expression in all its forms.
Hours:
Mon, Tue, Wed, and Sat. 9am-5 pm
Thu and Fri 9am-9pm
Sun 10am -5pm
Arizona Museum of Natural History
53 N. MacDonald St Mesa AZ
(480) 644-2230
This museum (formerly the Mesa Southwest Museum) is one of the best museums in the Valley, and its wide variety of exhibits appeals to people with a range of interests. For the kids, there are animated dinosaurs on an indoor "cliff" with a roaring waterfall. Of course a display on Arizona mammoth kill sites some old jail cells and a walk-through mine mock-up with exhibits on the Lost Dutchman Mine. There's also a mock-up of a Hohokam village.
Hours:
Tues-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 11am-5pm; Sun 1-5pm
Transportation: Bus: Red (R) or 30
Price: Admission $8 adults, $7 seniors, $6 students, $4 children 3-12
Arizona Science Center
600 E. Washington St Phoenix AZ
(602) 716-2000
So, the kids weren't impressed with the botanical garden or the Native American artifacts at the Heard Museum. Bring 'em here. They can spend the afternoon pushing buttons, turning knobs, and interacting with all kinds of cool science exhibits. In the end, they might even learn something in spite of all the fun they have. The science center also includes a planetarium and a large-screen theater, both of which carry additional charges.
Hours:
Daily 10am-5pm
Transportation: Bus: Red (R), 0, 1, or DASH downtown shuttle. METRO light
rail: Central Station
Price: Admission $12 adults, $10 seniors and children 3-17. Planetarium
and film combination tickets also available
Heard Museum
2301 N. Central Ave Phoenix AZ 85004
(602) 252-8848
The Heard Museum is one of the nation's finest museums dealing exclusively with Native American cultures and is an ideal introduction to the indigenous peoples of Arizona. From pre-Columbian to contemporary, if it's art created by Native Americans, you'll find it here. If you're interested in the Native cultures of Arizona, this should be your very first stop in the state. The museum is an invaluable introduction to the state's many tribes. The HOME: Native People in the Southwest exhibit examines the culture of each of the major tribes of the region and is the heart and soul of the museum. Included in this exhibit are more than 500 katsina dolls. In another gallery, you'll find fascinating exhibits of contemporary Native American art. Guided tours are offered daily. The annual Guild Indian Fair and Market, held on the first weekend in March, includes traditional dances along with arts and crafts.
Hours:
Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm
Transportation: Bus: Blue (B), Red (R), or O. METRO light rail: Encanto
Blvd/Central Ave
Price: Admission $12 adults, $11 seniors, $5 students, $3 children 6-12
Historic Heritage Square
115 N. Sixth St Phoenix AZ
(602) 262-5029
The city of Phoenix was founded in 1870, but today few of the city's early homes remain. However, if you have an appreciation for old houses and want a glimpse of how Phoenix once looked, stroll around this collection of historic homes, which stand on the original town site. All of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and although most are modest buildings from the early 20th century, one impressive Victorian home was built in 1895. Today, the buildings house museums, restaurants, and gift shops. The Eastlake Victorian Rosson House, furnished with period antiques, is open for tours. The Stevens House features the Arizona Doll & Toy Museum. The Teeter House (tel. 602/252-4682; www.theteeterhouse.com) now serves as a Victorian tearoom (with cocktails and live jazz in the evening), the old Baird Machine Shop contains Pizzeria Bianco, and the Thomas House is home to Bar Bianco.
Hours:
Wed-Sat 10am-4pm; Sun noon-4pm. Hours vary for other buildings; call
for information
Transportation: Bus: Red (R), 0, 1, or DASH downtown shuttle. METRO light
rail: Central Station
Price: Rosson House tours $5 adults, $4 seniors and students, $2 children
6-12
Phoenix Art Museum
1625 N. Central Ave Phoenix AZ 85004
(602) 257-1222
This is one of the largest art museums in the Southwest, and within its labyrinth of halls and galleries is a respectable collection that spans the major artistic movements from the Renaissance to the present. Exhibits cover decorative arts, historical fashions, Spanish colonial furnishings and religious art, and, of course, works by members of the Cowboy Artists of America. The collection of modern and contemporary art is particularly good, with works by Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Georgia O'Keeffe, Henri Rousseau, and Auguste Rodin. The popular Thorne Miniature Collection consists of tiny rooms on a scale of 1 inch to 1 foot. Because this museum is so large, it frequently mounts traveling blockbuster exhibits. The cafe here is a good spot for lunch.
Hours:
Wed 10am-9pm; Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon-5pm; first Friday evenings
6-10pm
Transportation: Bus: Blue (B), Red (R), or O. METRO light rail: McDowell
Rd/Central Ave
Price: Adults $10, seniors and students $8, children ages 6-17 $4; under
6-years free; free admission every Wed 3-9pm and the first Friday of
the month 6-10pm
Phoenix Museum of History
105 N. Fifth St Phoenix AZ
(602) 253-2734
Located in the Heritage and Science Park in downtown Phoenix, this modern museum presents an interesting look at the history of a city that, to the casual visitor, might not seem to have any history. The modern design and interactive exhibits make this place much more interesting than your average local history museum. One unusual exhibit explores how "lungers" (tuberculosis sufferers) inadvertently helped originate the tourism industry in Arizona.
Hours:
Tues-Sat 10am-5pm
Transportation: Bus: Red (R), 0, 1, or DASH downtown shuttle. METRO light
rail: Central Station
Price: Admission $6 adults, $4 seniors and students, $3 children 7-12,
free for children 6 and under