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The 7 Best History Museums in Phoenix, Arizona (AZ)
Nearly perfect year-round weather and several impeccably designed championship courses have made Phoenix one of the top golf destinations in the world. But there's more to this mild-mannered metropolis than pristine greens and tee times. The greater Phoenix area also offers visitors an array of impressive cultural attractions. Visit the internationally renowned Heard Museum for an in-depth look at Native American history or peruse the fine collection at the Phoenix Museum of Art. Enjoy a ballet performance at the ornate Orpheum Theater or or catch a concert at the state-of-the-art Comerica Theatre. In addition to golf, the city offers access to numerous outdoor endeavors including rock climbing, hot-air ballooning, desert jeep tours and more. Family-friendly attractions, first-rate shopping, dining and entertainment, and spectacular recreational activities make Phoenix a must-visit destination.
Restaurants in Phoenix
1. Heard Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,899 reviews
The foremost showcase of Native American art and culture in the U.S., the Heard Museum reveals the cultures of tribes in the region through exhibits, demonstrations and live performances and displays the work of contemporary Native American artists. Artists demonstrate their work during the week and musicians perform on most weekends.
Reviewed By MsInformedALWAYS - Las Vegas, United States
This place was a real surprise, nice architecture, beautifully displayed/housed native America goods from clothes, baskets, paintings, and general artifacts in excellent condition. Very well laid out with a nice bookstore AND gift shop (a bit pricey) Most enjoyable visit and stands out above and beyond most I've seen (I'm a fan of native American indian works - I've been to a half dozen wonderful museums...)
2. Wells Fargo Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 299 reviews
Celebrating Wells Fargo's role in Arizona's colorful history, the Wells Fargo History Museum is just steps away from the US Airways Center and Chase Field. Exhibits include an authentic 19th century stagecoach, a replica stagecoach you can climb aboard, gold and precious minerals, a replica mine shaft, antique firearms, working telegraph and other artifacts depicting the settlement of the American West. The museum's impressive collection of original artworks includes the world's largest collection of famed illustrator N.C. Wyeth's western themed work. The museum store features a variety of Wells Fargo branded gifts, collectibles and apparel. Tours are available with advance reservations and admission is always free.
Reviewed By abqsage - Fort Myers, United States
This museum has some great artifacts and memorabilia from the real Old West- including one of the signature stage coaches like the ones used by Wells Fargo in the past. It's a small museum, but well worth a visit.
3. Phoenix Police Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 115 reviews
Reviewed By BillL2329
Free Museum to spend a few hours at. Don't miss the Miranda exhibit and a nice tribute to the 9/11 events.
4. Pioneer Telephone Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By Nostalgiyeah - Bellevue, United States
This is a museum that does an excellent job of telling the history of telephone communication - how it began and its evolution from the early switchboard days to present cellular phones. The focus is on the former half of history. The displays start from a replica of the communications device that Alexander Graham Bell invented - the first telephone and then meanders through the evolution of telephones, significantly covering Bell Telephone Company and American Telephone and Telegraph, which later became known as AT&T. I was amazed to find such a rich collection of telephone related items from the earliest days. Some of the artifacts that stood out for me included phones used in late 19th century to mid 20th century, earliest 2400 bps modems, early round dial telephones, evolution of switchboards and telephone exchanges and a number of pay phones that were displayed as well. Steve, who was a docent, gave me a wonderful tour of the museum and it was quite obvious that he was quite knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. Hats off to the wonderful folks who have played a role in creating, maintaining and enriching the collection here. They do have a mechanical switchboard which has been modified to show the step-by-step of how a phone connection gets established. Apart from that, there is not much for children in this museum. If you are an electronics, technology or history buff, you'll enjoy visiting this museum a lot!
5. Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 172 reviews
Guides in period costume show guests through an authentic turn-of-the-century Arizona village.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
To save some of Arizona's historical buildings that were built between 1870 and 1910 before they were demolished to make way for new construction by land developers, a group of Arizona history enthusiasts, including former Governor Paul Fannin and Senators Barry Goldwater and Carl Hayden, established a foundation in 1956 to create a museum to preserve the pioneers' legacy. In 1969, the Pioneer Living History Museum or Pioneer Village was inaugurated on a 90-acre property in north Phoenix. Located on 3901 West Pioneer Road, it features 30 original and reconstructed buildings from the 1880s and early 1900s. There also is Fort Woods, a replica of what a fort looked like in the West in the 1860s and the Town Cemetery, a replica of a common pioneer cemetery. Among the original structures are the Opera House which was built in the early 1870s in Prescott in which Lillie Langtry once performed, the Ashurst Cabin which was built in 1878 near Prescott that was the boyhood home of Arizona's first senator, the Phoenix Bakery (1881) that was the first in the territory to use a horseless carriage to deliver its products, the Flying V Cabin (1880) which was located in Canyon Creek and features notched gun ports used in the last battle of the Apache War, the Gordon School (1885) which was located east of Payson and was used to teach children in the area until 1930 and the Ranch Complex (1870). On Main Street, visit the Bank, Miner's Cabin, Blacksmith Shop, Dress Shop and Sheriff's Office.
6. Maricopa County Justice Museum and Learning Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
