Was on a layover and decided to checkout some local activities…read more Parking was on the challenging side because it is also next to a theatre and a performance was scheduled. We visited on a Wednesday after 3pm...it's pay what you can and they're open til 8pm so that also added to parking congestion. No pressure to pay/donate but they did let us know the normal price. We opted to pay $5 vs. the regular $28 per person. I primarily wanted to visit the Yayoi Kusama room but loved the butterfly installation and the tiny rooms as well. They have a nice variety of art work overall. There were some areas that were closed off due to a private event, so didn't get to visit all exhibits and they also have some additional pay areas too. Highly recommend and would definitely visit again!

PRICE SLIGHTLY STEEP Not my favorite art museum I've ever…read morebeen to as it lacks big well known pieces. I felt the adult price of $28 was too high, especially as a couple -- that's almost $60 for a day out of looking at some pictures. They do offer a AAA $3 discount, which we took advantage of. KUMSAMA FIREFLIES INFINITY MIRROR ROOM My favorite part was the Kusama Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room, where you wander into a room of darkness surrounded by mesmerizing twinkling lights and mirrors. I wasn't aware that this was there, so it was a pleasant surprise. LAYOUT I felt the museum has a slightly confusing, disjointed layout. GIFT SHOP There's a quality gift shop selling typical art museum items like jewelry, scarves, mugs, etc. LOCKERS There are complimentary lockers for backpacks/purses and water. WEB SITE Before our trip, I used their web site and found it confusing to find out the price of tickets and as to whether they were actually open on certain days. See my photos attached. Helpful?

I grew up in an old victorian house and thought it would be fun to bring my dad here for a tour…read morewhen he was in town visiting. We ended up being the only ones on the tour which was nice. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The entire house has been restored to represent how the original owners would have it set up as closely as possible. The inside details are gorgeous and intricate. Our tour ended up being more like 45 minutes because it was just us and we didn't ask questions. It was a great way to spend a little bit of time before our next activity.

History aficionados, architectural enthusiasts and Fans of Phoenix - Rosson House Museum is one…read moreplace you cannot miss! It is an incredible work of art, craftmanship, technology and innovation, even after 130 years of its construction in 1895. Setting aside that one can actually attend what Victorians' interest of communicating with the dead through in house scheduled Séances, Rosson House offers a magnificent view and experience of that bygone age at the turn of the century industrialization which can only be likened to our recent 21st Century internet technological advances. Walking through the main door into the foyer, climbing the beautiful staircase, entering a bed chamber, seeing a pre-modern bathroom, admiring the kitchen and pantry antiquities in food preparation, admiring the home's décor, its design, its furnishings simply takes you back in time and allows one to somewhat sense the then lifestyle and what it was like to live a sophisticated, well-to-do lifestyle during that period. One is amazed at the stunning quality and fastidious workmanship created and implemented almost six generations ago! And compare the quality and art Rosson House personifies to today's Ikea and unassembled products. With every turn, every corner, every step and every breath of one's journey through this place in history is enjoyable and fascinating. The folks who walk you through this historic menagerie are professional and delightful, as well as brilliant in their presentation and knowledge of all things Rosson. I must say, this has been one of my most memorable attractions to attend in Phoenix and wholeheartedly recommend if you've not visited to do so as well as bringing out of town friends and family. The restoration and preservation of Rosson House is most admirable. And, make sure to stop off at the Museum Store - its well worth it.

I loved my experience here at the Japanese Friendship Garden! For starters, this area is peculiar…read morefrom the rest of Phoenix, making it stand out from the other attractions enlisted here. It creates a beautiful environment that not many can experience outside of Arizona, and it is highly recommended to visit for anyone that is seeking a quiet, peaceful, calm, and beautiful setting with jaw dropping scenery. I went with one of my close friends and we both enjoyed the experience we shared. There were benches around to sit and admire the views, along with bridges to get a closer look at the koi fish and ducks. However, the best part was how many ducklings there were following their mamas. I had never seen anything like it, and it was truly an experience to remember.

Wowww, I have heard about this garden for sometime but finally I made it happen to visit…read more As soon as you stepped in-- you already find yourself in the right place; calm, peaceful, beautiful and simple. The garden is well maintained and organized, quiet place for give yourself quiet time and meditation. The garden is not that big place to walk around, but it's definitely worth it if you feel like need to escape and looking for nature therapy--this is the one! Give yourself more time to sit back and enjoy the greenery. The staff is super friendly and welcoming! I will definitely come back again soon.

Much more than we could absorb in one visit !! We are already planning our return. We never…read moreeven made it to the second floor where the boarding school exhibit was presented.

After discovering the Heard Museum in the book "1000 Places to go Before You Die", we put it on the…read morelist of ''must sees' for a recent trip to Phoenix. TAKE THE LIGHT RAIL We took the light rail to the museum from our downtown hotel. There's a stop just down the road. GET A DISCOUNT The adult entry fee was $26 and we used our AAA membership for an exciting $1 off. I feel by the time you're paying $50+ for a couple, the cost is getting off-putting. LOCKERS AVAILABLE We used their complimentary storage lockers for our carry-on luggage as we were on our way to the airport afterwards. You also have to stow water bottles in the lockers. There are a couple of water fountains around the museum in case you get parched. ALLOW HALF A DAY The museum is a quality museum with a lot to see and read, but you really have to be into southwest stuff to really appreciate it in my opinion. After a few hours we were getting slightly overwhelmed, glassy-eyed and tired/bored with aching backs. (To be fair, it was our fourth museum in 3 days, so we were a little burned out!) STAY FOR LUNCH We really enjoyed an excellent lunch at the cafe in the courtyard and highly recommend it. EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP(S) There's a high-end store where you can purchase expensive rugs, jewelry, sculptures, etc. and there's also the 'Mugs and T-shirts' souvenir store and a small coffee shop. RIDE SHARE DROP OFF AND PICK UP The ride share pick-up and drop off is around the back at one end of the parking lot. Helpful?

Love this museum! You can definitely spend a full day here as there are multiple floors and kids…read morelove all the interactive exhibits and activities. I've been here about five times over the years and my kids never get sick of it. From exploring a giant human body and sliding down a digestive track to experiencing hurricane winds with fake water bursts, this museum is pretty awesome. They also offer various season exhibits that cost extra as well as free science demonstrations throughout the day that are interactive, educational and pretty cool. While pricy, it's totally worth it in my opinion - especially if you plan to spend the whole day here!

I should have read the one star reviews before we spent $80 for general admission and the Pompeii…read moreexhibit. As most have said, half the stations didn't work and/or there was zero context about... what the point of it was? So disheartening. This would be expected in a small town but in PHOENIX?! The Pompeii exhibit was okay. Not enough to redeem the poor experience other wise. At the end there's a grand finale video, unfortunately there were technical difficulties and it would t play. I really felt for the gal who was acting as host of that section. People were pretty grumpy and couldn't hear her. The music was too loud and overpowered her mic. I'll be reaching out for a refund. I likely won't get it. But I can't believe we spent just shy of $100 and it was such a WASTE of time and money.

Modified Arts is all gallery now and no longer a music venue. The gallery is small in size. I…read morethought the art was on the level of Edward Hopper. I felt a certain loneliness in the paintings. Many of the works were sold so apparently the style of painting is desirable. Metered street and free parking on the side streets.

I visited during First Friday's and was very happy that was open. This is an amazing exhibit and I…read morehighly suggest everyone who can visit. It's a beautiful dedication to Brittney Griner. I think the roller basketball rim was my favorite. It was my most liked and commented on photo. Great job ladies!

Been to this gallery a few times and in addition to the art, Lisa Sette is always there to chat…read moreabout anything and everything. She's warm, welcoming, personable, knowledgeable and very cool. Always conversation pieces, the art is great. The picture shown is by Ben Durham and is a graphite drawing of words (must be seen close up) on homemade paper. Fabulous. Lisa educated us about it. Always a great experience.

BEAUTIFUL every single time I visit this stunning gallery.read more

The Gallery @ City Hall is an art gallery inside of Phoenix City Hall. The exhibition right now is…read morea photo exhibit of historic buildings in the Phoenix Area. I loved all the history I read about the buildings, and I know all of them since I am a native of Phoenix! The docent told me that the next exhibit would be older works from the City's collection of Public Art. They have over 1000 pieces in the collection, which she said dates from 1915! Wow, I didn't even know we had a gallery there. I'm looking forward to the next exhibit that starts June 7th!

The Orpheum is a gorgeous theater in downtown Phoenix. Arrive an hour early to find parking and to…read moremake your way to your seat. You don't want to be late because once the doors are closed, you will wait in the lobby for a break in the program before the ushers will allow you to enter. Thankfully I'm not speaking from experience, but my mom clued me in that this had happened to her in the past. There is NO parking at or with the theater venue. You will have to be resourceful and find other options. Again, arrive at least an hour early to find parking and make your way to the venue. The streets around the theater will be packed. Car traffic will be at a standstill and lots of pedestrians will hold up traffic at every lighted intersection. We used a parking app called SpotHero to reserve a space at the hotel caddy corner to the theater. Despite reserving and paying for the space in advance and arriving early, we were stuck in traffic circling around the block to get to the valet drop off at the front of the hotel. It took us over 30 minutes to be served by the valet because there was a long line of cars hoping to use the service. Once at the theater, there were two lines around the block on both sides of the building! These were people lining up to get their will call tickets and others lining up to show their ticket to go inside. The queue took another 20 minutes. Thankfully, we made it inside to our seats right on time. However, it seems management decided to start the show late because of the large number of people still waiting outside in line to get inside!!! We saw the Phoenix Symphony perform on this occasion. One thing that was extraordinary about the performance was the presence of a harpsichord on stage. This instrument was often used during the Renaissance and Baroque ages. Since the concert we saw had a lot of Baroque period pieces, this instrument was an amazing addition to the performance. The conductor was from another state and had collaborated with the local symphony in advance to put on this unique holiday arrangement. He had a biography on the website and a link to a video where he discussed his collaboration and musical arrangement. He was so passionate about the work he did. I was excited to see the performance, and he did not disappoint. The symphony was on stage, so it was somewhat difficult to see them. We brought binoculars to get a better view, but unfortunately the harpsichord and the pianist playing it were behind the conductor, so you couldn't really see her play. I wished that they had her up front and turned to the side or had a camera projecting her fingers playing the instrument so that we could see it closer. There were several performers that cane and went from the stage during the show. The soloists were beautiful and projected well throughout the hall. I love the beauty of this old venue, but it does require advanced planning to get to a performance in a timely manner. Keep that in mind, and you will surely enjoy the show.

The self-appointed king of events is back at it with another venue review. I checked out Orpheum…read moreTheatre for the first time for the Grand Kyiv Ballet's performance of Snow White. Located downtown, they don't have a parking lot so you either have to pay for metered parking on the street or park in a parking garage. Lack of accessible (and free) parking is usually a detriment for me, but this theatre is so amazing that I can't help but give them five stars. There are several Orpheum Theatre's across the country. This one is stunning on the inside and outside (especially on the inside). Going through security was quick and painless and I was able to bring an empty water bottle (gotta stay hydrated in Phoenix). Upon entering the venue, I was taken aback by the old school charm of this theatre. The architecture is absolutely stunning, both in the lobby areas and the theatre itself. Pretty much every city has an old school theatre, this is Phoenix's version (and it's an amazing one). In terms of concessions, even though I didn't by any, I noticed that they have your typical full bar featuring adult beverages and soft drinks. You can't get a full meal here, but they do have some snacks. All of the ushers and everyone I interacted with was friendly. Orpheum Theatre holds various events ranging from ballets like the one I attended to concerts to comedy shows and more. I can't wait to return for my next event!

What a great museum I stumbled upon while walking around downtown Phoenix during a recent trip…read more I was greeted by two very nice volunteers who explained a little about the history of the museum and how it's laid out. It had some very cool memorabilia and exhibits to see. I am a crime junkie but I was amazed at all the stuff I learned that was new. I would highly recommend this stop to anyone in the area.

Great place to visit in downtown Phoenix! Lots of history and information. Fun to tour with friends…read moreand family!