Music lovers should head to the Musical Instrument Museum which has a collection of 15,000 musical instruments as well as multimedia exhibits. The collection of musical instruments comes from every corner of the world. Many so strange, they are exhibited along with an instructional video. Visitors get the opportunity to learn diverse music styles that exist around the globe. The museum also has live performances held at its theater.
The Desert Botanical Garden was opened in 1939 to preserve the area's pristine desert environment. Today, the garden helps save endangered plants, with the focus still on native flora and a special emphasis on succulents. The cactus collection is world-renowned and between March through May, the seasonal blooms are spectacular. The garden hosts several events throughout the year, some of which include the popular 'Butterfly Habitat' during the spring and the 'Luminarias' during the holiday season. If you come during the summer months, don't forget your hat and sunscreen.
One of the largest in the Southwest, the Phoenix Art Museum includes a staggering collection of exhibits from the world over. Permanent displays in this facility include miniature interiors as well as 20th-century art. Featured pieces cover contemporary art and fashion design with international exhibits from Europe, Asia, Latin America as well as Western America. Interactive, hands-on activities are featured for kids at the PhxArtKids space. Traveling displays are often included in the museum's highlights. Exhibits include popular works by Ubertini, Nicolas Lepicie, Max Beckmann, Robert Henri, Eugène Boudin and many more.
Founded in 1929 by Dwight B. and Marie Bartlett Heard, this museum houses tributes to American Indian art and culture. At the Heard Museum, permanent displays are showcased along with traveling exhibits displaying the rich heritage of the people. Home of approximately 40,000 artifacts, the museum has on display American Indian jewelry and more than four hundred Hopi katsina dolls. Heard Museum also has an exhibition that narrates the stories of Native Americans in 19th-century boarding schools.
If you are in Phoenix and enjoy going on easy treks, then Papago Park is the place for you. With its sandstone buttes, marked paths and slight elevation, it is perfect for family hiking trips and there are plenty of easy mountain bike paths. The most notable attraction of the park is the hole in the rock formation, which formed over thousands of years most likely from water erosion. For the more adventurous, visitors can climb the face of the rock for an unparalleled view of Phoenix. Additionally, the park is close to famous attractions such as the Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo.
Drive through one of the largest parks in the United States that covers over 16,000 acres (6474 hectares). With many lookout points, South Mountain Park, offers fantastic views of Phoenix and the surrounding valley. Summit Lookout is at 2,330 feet (710.18 meters) and highlights the enormity of this sprawling desert area. For visitors, the Interpretive Center takes you through the heritage of the area including mining and botanical history. If you prefer an experience out of the car, hike by the marked trails and study the preserved petroglyphs. Carry lunch and enjoy the park's picnic areas with kids in tow. Remember your sunscreen, hat and drinking water when visiting Arizona's best park.
This shop brings home fresh style with prints from artists of very diverse styles. You'll find thoughtful, appealing stills and panoramas from Dave Wilson, beautiful landscapes of Isabelle Hall and and Julie Gilbert Pollard and thought invoking abstract work of Linda Pullinsi. Other featured art includes the famous work of Robert Hilton, Pat Kofahl, and Louis Mason. More than 2,000 frame styles are offered to preserve your beautiful choice.
Started by Bill Faust, Faust Gallery is one of the city's leading art galleries and features the work of up coming and well known Native American artists. The gallery showcases a wide selection of work including contemporary and historic. The list of displays is wide and includes sculptures, jewelry, pottery, blankets, rugs, katsinas, baskets, beadwork, and paintings.
Gebert Contemporary gallery is an affiliate of the Gebert Contemporary that was started in Santa Fe as Chiaroscuro Gallery by the Gebert Family. The Scottsdale gallery started in 2001 as the Chiaroscuro Gallery and was renamed as Gebert Contemporary in 2008. The displays at Gebert are mostly contemporary abstract paintings and sculptures. They also showcase the work of well known artists, who are mid career or well established. Exhibitions of artists from all over the world are also held here and include those from China, Austria, Germany, Nicaragua, Spain, Mexico and Poland.
Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center is a historic building which was built in 1921. Originally a synagogue named Temple Beth Israel, this historic place was later transformed into a Jewish heritage center. The building offers rental space for private events and is also listed among'Phoenix Points of Pride.' Visitors can get acquainted with Jewish culture through the various cultural and religious programs held here. The museum has a collection of Jewish wedding gowns, suits and some other collectibles. Besides, film screenings, book discussions and other interesting events hosted here give an insight into the rich culture. The center is open to people of all faiths who wish to know more about the Jewish heritage of Arizona.
If you are looking to explore some new creations in contemporary art, then visit the Harry Wood Gallery that is located in the Art Building on the Arizona State University Campus. The gallery is named after the head of the Arts Department Professor Harry Wood. The main objective of the gallery is to provide exhibition space to graduate students who want to present their art thesis. Other annual exhibitions like the Nathan Cummings Foundation Juried Travel Exhibition, Juried Undergraduate Exhibition and many more are presented here.
If you are into the art of photography or a student of photography then do drop in at the Northlight Gallery which is a part of the Arizona State University's Herberger Institute School of Art. The gallery was established in the year 1972 by the Professor Jack and fellow students. Works of upcoming as well of renowned artists have been kept on display in the form of photos and visual installations. A few of the international artists include Eugene Atget, Linda Connor, Betty Hahn and Mary Ellen Mark and many more.