Art, Activities, and Adventure! It’s Time To Take A Look At These Museums In Phoenix!

Did you know that Phoenix is home to over a dozen unique and fascinating museums? Phoenix might not be the first city that pops up in one’s mind when they think of art and history, but this city is full of rich cultural sites. From science centers to art galleries, Phoenix has something for every taste and interest. Check out this list of some of our favorite museums in Phoenix now!

Want to treat your loved one to a fun day at the museum? Surprise them with a virtual GiftYa card! Within seconds, you can text your loved one a virtual GiftYa card to one of their favorite museums in Phoenix. To make the gift extra special, you can even add a special message to it. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or you just want to remind your friends and family members how much you love them, GiftYa cards are the perfect gift for anyone!

1. Phoenix Art Museum

Stunning paintings dating back to the Renaissance line the walls of this contemporary space

1625 N Central Ave | Phoenix | phxart.org 

The Phoenix Art Museum houses over 18,000 historical art pieces from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Since 1959, this expansive museum has hosted festivals, live performances, and special educational programs on art history for the general public. An interactive space gallery, photography exhibition, and landscaped sculpture garden can also be found at this popular museum. 

Interested in learning more about the fine arts? Visit the Lemon Art Research Library. Housed inside the museum, this specialized fine arts library offers over 40,000 books and files to peruse for free. 

“If you need a quiet place to get away to.. this is it.. roam this museum and soak in all of the beautiful things on display .. you could spend a couple of hours seeing everything. From paintings to statues to light installations there is always something in each collection to appreciate...A must see!” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Phoenix Art Museum.

2. Arizona Science Center

Educational museum featuring a planetarium, five-story IMAX® theater, and numerous hands-on exhibits

600 E Washington St. | Phoenix | azscience.org 

As one of the country’s biggest science museums, the Arizona Science Center is sure to fascinate you with its hands-on exhibits and breathtaking planetarium. The science center’s permanent exhibits will take you through the lower crusts of the earth, new technologies that rule the digital world, and thrilling high-wire physics!

Inside the Dorrance Planetarium, guests enjoy an immersive art and cinema experience. During the Art 360 show, stunning special effects and heart-pounding music come together to create an unforgettable performance. Guests can also order tickets for special shows that take them through the vast cosmos surrounding earth. 

“Amazing learning options for kids and teens and oldies in between. I really enjoyed this place from the Cow eyeball dissection -live- to all the interactive activities. The star of the show though was VICTORIA the T-Rex. This bad ass well conserved Dino is the main attraction at the moment.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Arizona Science Center.

3. Musical Instrument Museum

Largest musical museum in the world filled with 15,000+ instruments

4725 E Mayo Blvd | Phoenix | mim.org

Are you a music lover? Then you need to visit the Musical Instrument Museum. This unique museum houses over 15,000 instruments from almost 200 different countries and territories around the world. 

Since 2010, thousands of visitors have admired the museum’s extensive collection and attended regular live concerts. The museum has numerous concerts scheduled for the upcoming months. Due to COVID-19, the Musical Instrument Museum has implemented new safety precautions to help protect both guests and staff members. 

“Anyone who is into music needs to visit this extraordinary place. We always take our out of town guests here. Touring with a headset you get to hear all the instruments on display. Lots of history, but many contemporary artists as well. On occasion you'll hear a guest play the communal piano in the main hall.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for the Musical Instrument Museum.

4. Children’s Museum of Phoenix

Entertaining museum offering 300+ interactive play areas for children up to 10

215 N 7th St. | Phoenix | childrensmuseumofphoenix.org

Looking for somewhere new to take the kids? Working inside all day can get boring and monotonous. Change up your kids’ routines by taking them to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. 

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix features over 300 play experiences spread throughout three floors. In addition to its vast selection of play rooms, the Children’s Museum teaches classes on music, art, yoga, science, and more interesting subjects your kids will love! As one of the three top children’s museums in the nation, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is sure to entertain and inspire your little ones. 

“An absolutely fun place to take children. Full of excitement and joy. The tree house is a favorite. I mean who doesn't love a treehouse and it also reminds adults we are not as young as we think we are lol. My youngest loves the art room he loves to paint so the big rocket ship he got to paint was amazing and building different crafts on the table is just as fun.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Children’s Museum of Phoenix.

5. Heard Museum

Private, non-profit museum featuring American Indian art

2301 N Central Ave. | Phoenix | heard.org

The Heard Museum is a world-renowned museum known for its stunning exhibitions and lively festivals. All of the museum’s exhibits and galleries are dedicated to American Indian art and culture. Many of the exhibits are presented from a first-person perspective, thereby enriching the museum’s educational impact. 

If you want to take a souvenir of this historic museum with you, make sure you check out the gift shop. A courtyard cafe is also conveniently located inside the museum in case you get hungry. 

“Really cool experience! This museum was very educational and has lots of great information on Native American culture. The art pieces and exhibits are well supplemented with written information teaching guests about the various items and the people that make them. This was a very affordable experience and a must try for anyone interested in learning a little more about Native American culture!” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for the Heard Museum.

6. Pueblo Grande Museum

Historic archaeological park featuring pre-Columbian sites and ruins

4619 E Washington St. | Phoenix | pueblogrande.com 

The Pueblo Grande Museum features pre-Columbian archaeological sites and ruins. Visitors can explore prehistoric platform mounds and irrigation canals at the museum’s massive archaeological park. 

Inside the museum, you can find three fascinating galleries focusing on the Hohokam people who lived in the area from A.D. 450 to 1450. A children’s gallery is also available if you bring your little ones along. While the indoor museum is still closed, you can still walk through the campus’s outdoor interpretive trail for free. 

“The inside museum is nicely done with a surprisingly large display of pottery and many educational overviews. I found the map of historical dwellings in the Phoenix area to be particularly interesting as I had no prior knowledge of the extensive settlement in the region. This is a great place to take children or visitors and reasonably priced admission.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Pueblo Grande Museum.

7. Arizona Capitol Museum

Historic museum that connects visitors to the Arizona government’s fascinating past

1700 W Washington St. | Phoenix | azlibrary.gov/azcm

Last, but not least, is the Arizona Capitol Museum. This historic museum features fascinating exhibits detailing the state’s rich political, social, and cultural history. Guests can learn about everything from the USS Arizona to the state’s historic mining communities. Located inside the State Capitol Building, the museum is the perfect spot to visit during a day tour exploring the history of Arizona. Nearby, guests can find the Arizona Legislature and Executive Tower. 

“The Arizona Capitol building is now turned into a historical museum. The admission is free and parking is free in the lot across the street. It has 4 floors of the history of Arizona and lots of interesting facts about the state itself. It just so happens the time I visited the place, there was a 50 years exhibit about my favorite basketball team, the Phoenix Suns!” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for the Arizona Capitol Museum.

Phoenix is home to a wide selection of fun and interesting museums. Which ones do you plan on visiting next? Let us know!

Penske Racing Museum

Penske team race cars, medals, and memorabilia at this museum!

Spotlights on the cars, showing off their impressive builds! Image courtesy of the Penske Racing Museum Instagram page.

7125 E Chauncey Ln | Phoenix | penskeautomall.com

Showcasing amazing collections of cars, awards, and racing memorabilia, the Penske Racing Museum has made it so any car or racing fan can enjoy this museum! With over 50 years of racing experience and over 500 major wins, Penske Racing isn’t holding back with showing off their stuff.

You might not be a huge fan of the racing or car world, and that’s okay! It’s still a very unique experience to try out and see all of the amazing construction work of the cars, learn what it takes to be a part of the racing world, and spend some quality time with a family member and or friend!

“Free, fun and fascinating!  Great place to drool over luxury cars and see the Penske racing cars for FREE!!!  Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Porsche all on display. Penske museum showcases about 20 cars from the racing world.” -Yelp Review

Although this museum doesn’t have a GiftYa gift card opportunity yet, check back soon, as new places are being added to the GiftYa website frequently!

ASU Art Museum

“Arte para todos” AKA “art for everyone” is what you get at this museum!

Making connections through art, the ASU way. Image courtesy of the ASU Art Museum Instagram page.

51 E 10th St | Tempe | asuartmuseum.asu.edu 

The ASU Art Museum is centered on honoring objects, and to change their model to honor people. They also want to make sure that social justice is in the spotlight in order to restore the public’s trust in museums. These are all very good goals to have in an art museum, especially in our day and age. 

ASU Art Museum wants to breathe new life into the arts of learning, engagement with history/art, and the trust museums have with the people. You can see their four current exhibitions, (more info on how long those exhibitions are around for, is on the website), which are: Art in Focus: New Acquisitions, ASU Art Musuem’s Public Art, Embrace by ARENA, and Luster and Light.

Each of these exhibits share a range of things to look at from Spanish style influences, glass work, student pieces, and more. A nice variety to browse at the ASU Art Museum!

“Well worth a visit, while in Tempe, Arizona! Admission is FREE and they even validate parking. There is place to donate at check in, but it is strictly voluntary. The museum currently has 3 exhibits. Parking is convenient and staff were beyond helpful !” -Yelp Review 

Although this museum doesn’t have a GiftYa gift card opportunity yet, check back soon, as new places are being added to the GiftYa website frequently!

Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve

A nature reserve that spans 47 acres!

Beautiful views, beautiful weather, and some history to go with it! Image courtesy of the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve Instagram page. 

3711 W Deer Valley Dr | Glendale | deervalley.asu.edu 

Ever need a break from the bustling city life? Well take a gander at the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, a self-guided quarter mile nature trail featuring…you guessed it, petroglyphs, native desert plants, and the occasional animals seen in their natural habitats! The university that this museum resides under has been protecting it since 1994!

There are a great many opportunities to learn and expose yourself to the site, gain great knowledge of indigeinous cultures, and a free audio tour of the petroglyph trail! A great museum to get out, enjoy nature, and see some interesting facts of life along the way!

“This was a very nice, pleasant, relaxing place to go to on date day. Modern facilities and a short hike is a perfect way to spend some quiet free time with your loved ones / friends. It's fascinating to think that ancient peoples lived here so long ago.” -Yelp Review 

Although this museum doesn’t have a GiftYa gift card opportunity yet, check back soon, as new places are being added to the GiftYa website frequently!

Huhugam Heritage Center

“Where cultures thrive” is the tagline, and boy do they sell!

Gorgeous Arizonian landscape with that modern splash of architecture! Image courtesy of the Huhugam Heritage Center Facebook page. 

21359 S Maricopa Rd | Chandler | grichhc.org 

Highlighting the Gila River Indian Communities’ ancentreal, historic, and current culture, the Huhugam Heritage Center is making its mission clear to ensure these cultures flourish. Since 2003, this museum has had the mission to create a calming and unique atmosphere with its beautiful architecture!

The Gila River Indian Community is made up of two tribes, the  Akimel O’otham and the Pee Posh tribes. Huhugam Heritage Center has a large spanning collection of many different art pieces, pottery, and craft collections of each Gila River Indian tribe! Lovely sights to see while you’re in the area!

“Beautiful and significant items on display. The entire center is well designed but the best part are the many personal stories that are shared. The staff are friendly,  professional and highly knowledgeable. A magnificent monument to a proud people.” -Google Review

Although this museum doesn’t have a GiftYa gift card opportunity yet, check back soon, as new places are being added to the GiftYa website frequently!

To recap, we covered:

• Family friendly museums in Phoenix
• Educational and fun museums
• Variations of different “types” of museums to go and see!

Museums are always filled with so much to look at and these museums in Phoenix we listed here today are just scratching the surface of what this city has to offer!