Very fun and interactive art pieces! Make sure to pull up the descriptions on your phone for an…read moreeven better experience. Some fun pieces, some unique, and some inspirational artwork as well.

Bestie was in town and she had this genius idea to visit Wonderspaces Arizona. She's been to the…read moreSan Diego one twice and loved it, so I was excited to see what it's all about. This place is beyond cool! There are different rooms to experience, and each one is truly unique. I think I speak for us both when I say the one with the string lights was the most entertaining visually. The light show lasted about 15 minutes total from beginning to end. When you first walk in through the mall entrance, you'll end up at the bar area. Alex was so nice and very engaging. She answered our questions and whatever you order at the bar, you can bring it with you so don't feel confined to the bar area as you finish your drink! I got the School Rules (mocktail) and bestie got the Mango Colada. They were so good, I finished mine pretty quickly! One of the other exhibits that I enJOYed was the coin flipping one. Whoever thought of all this is amazing to say the least! The face display made out of different sized balls on strings was so cool to see, especially when you walked up to it and to the side of it. We don't have membership, but the older gentleman sitting near the bar informed us that if you pay the $99 fee, you can come as many times as you like and you'll get 20% off any merchandise. He was really informative and we appreciated that he wasn't trying to push it on us. I believe you can also bring a guest for a discounted fee. Some of the exhibits were not as entertaining as others, and I do wish there was more to see, but they do switch it up every couple of months so that would definitely be worth the membership. Don't forget to get your selfies in front of the huge mirror near the bar! I highly recommend coming here if you have out of town guests, or if you've just never been. The bonus is that it's located inside the Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale (same floor as the food court under the escalators), so you can have something to eat or walk around before or after Wonderspaces! It would be a cute date idea, too. I just may buy into the membership because the best part about it is that it does NOT automatically renew. So, if you don't like it, you won't have to worry about your account being charged. Good idea! Check out Wonderspaces Arizona and have so much fun!

One of my goals this year is to be more like a tourist even though I'm a resident. Meaning hitting…read moreup the types of spots that tourists would visit in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Case in point: Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. I stopped by on a Sunday afternoon with my mom to check out this museum that specializes in Western and Native American art. Here's what I really like: complimentary docent-led tours three times daily. We got to participate in two of them. They're a great way to get a more in-depth view of the museum. With that being said, even if you explore the museum on your own, you'll have a great time doing it. It's a two-level museum and there's plenty to read about and check out. We spent roughly three hours there and probably got through about 50% of the museum. Here's what I didn't like: they have two back-to-back video presentations in the small theater. They unfortunately weren't happening when I was there due to a private event. Bad luck on my part. Also, general admission is a bit pricey. Outside of the price, it's a fantastic museum. There's a complimentary parking lot across from the museum or you can find street parking. And it's a few blocks away from the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. You'll see Arizona's landscape represented in paintings, Native American artwork, Western movies, and much, much more. I'll definitely be back again!

I wasn't sure what to expect with Western Spirit - Scottsdale's Museum of the West, as it is a…read moreniche museum, but I was thoroughly impressed with my visit here. Located just off Old Town Scottsdale, this museum has beautiful and modern interiors, with wood accents and colors that perfectly complement Western and frontier themes. The employees/docents are all incredibly kind and friendly. Exhibits are spread out over 2 floors, with much of the artwork on the 2nd floor, with unique Western and Native American artifacts and exhibits on the first floor. There's also a theater showing a film which we enjoyed. The collection of cowboy tools on display was truly impressive and unparalleled, as the only place in my travels that has come remotely close to showing such a vast collection of similarly themed artifacts would be the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. We really enjoyed our visit here, and really regret that this museum wasn't on our radar on prior visits to Scottsdale. For those even remotely interested in Western and Native American history, I'd recommend a visit to this museum when visiting the Phoenix and Scottsdale region.

This is a must do in Scottsdale. Period. Art is an…read moreexperience. A memory. This will be a core memory for you right here. You will expand your mind and think about how art parameters are often too narrow. Parking was easy. Old town shopping is across the street. There are a plethora of outdoor sculptures to explore. This is a day for the whole family. Be sure to say hi to the nicest docent ever! George loves to tell you about the work and is the most lovely soul. So far this was my favorite day in AZ yet.

SMoCA, Scottsdale's Museum of Contemporary Art was a refreshing find in Old Town Scottsdale. The…read morevenue is intimate but that is where it shines. We enjoyed three main exhibitions which were all well curated, interactive and amazingly well presented. Squidsoup - Infinite : a darkened space filled with lighted spheres dancing to instrumental music commissioned by SMoCA. An immersive experience evoking thought and mood. Casey Curran - Tidal Sky : immersive and interactive sculptures framed and freestanding, each incorporating delicate movement, beauty and decay. James Perkins - Burying Painting : literally, this artist buried his artwork in locations such as beaches and the desert, exposing them to the collaborative forces of nature to evoke beauty and emotion. --- Bonus for us was a weekend Merchantile Market gathering of vendors for the afternoon in the nearby Civic Center Plaza offering live music, food trucks, handcrafted beverages, and vintage finds and handmade goods perfect for gifting. Street parking was easy and free nearby. Well worth a visit in Old Town!

We visited the museum on a weekday morning. We enjoyed the displays of rocks from various parts of…read morethe earth, the Arizona-Mexican artifacts, and of course the dinosaurs, especially the aquatic dinosaurs. This museum has an active dinosaur fossil dig - you can watch and even talk to the paleontologist working on it! There's lots to see and enjoy here, including real elements from a jail that held prisoners from the 1830s to the 1970s!! The gift shop is reasonably priced and you can even purchase a "memory bag" filled with pencil, notebook eraser, etc, for only $2.50 each.

Paid $14 and only stayed about 40 minutes. There were multiple groups of school children that were…read morerunning around, screaming, jumping and bumping into everything. I expect that behavior to be tolerated at a children's museum, not a public museum where a basic level of respect and decorum is expected for EVERYONE inside. Wish I could say I enjoyed it but the hundreds of screaming children ruined any experience I could have had and left with a migraine. **Would appreciate museums to have specific days for "field trips" or hours for school days. Unfortunately many museum experiences are ruined due to the behavior of unruly children, and I'm still the one paying full price.

The Desert Botanical Garden is always a great place to go for a walk and experience the beauty of…read morethe desert. Every visit feels a little different depending on the season, and it's amazing to see all the different desert plants, wildlife, art installations, and water features throughout the garden. My wife especially loves coming here for gardening inspiration because this is one of the best places to see what actually thrives in a desert environment. One of the things that keeps us coming back is how often they rotate exhibits and events throughout the year. If you live nearby, a membership is absolutely worth it because just a few visits will pay for itself. Earlier this spring we visited during the FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse installation, which used 3D scanning technology to document desert life. The huge digital displays scattered throughout the garden added such a unique modern contrast to the natural scenery. They're currently hosting the Garden: After Dark exhibit with light installations integrated into the trails and cactus gardens. We visited during the daytime so we haven't experienced it firsthand yet, but it already looks incredible. Another highlight is the permanent Dale Chihuly glass exhibit near the entrance. If you're a fan of glass art or Chihuly's work, you'll definitely want to spend time checking it out. A few tips: definitely bring water, especially if you're visiting during the day. Thankfully there are several refill stations throughout the trails and plenty of shaded seating areas to rest. There's also Gertrude's near the main entrance along with a café deeper in the garden for snacks and lighter fare. The gift shop is also worth browsing before you leave. One of my favorite parts of every visit is the wildlife. On this trip alone we saw prairie dogs, quail, woodpeckers, doves, hummingbirds, and even a roadrunner. It's such a peaceful and beautifully maintained place that never gets old no matter how many times you visit.

The garden is always such a nice place to experience nature, get inspired for gardening and outdoor…read moredesign, and get a little walk in. They do such a nice job with all of it! They also hold events all through the year. I definitely recommend a membership if you're close-ish. I come often and it's definitely worth it and supports a great organization. If you see volunteers at any of the tables throughout the garden, take a moment to stop! They have interesting information and its fun to learn new things from them. The short guided tour is also worth doing.

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.

Was in the area from out of town and I wanted to see this beautiful house in person. I wasn't able…read moreto go inside but the outside is so pretty Love all the details. It's truly breathtaking

The Mim. That's what my son called it when he told me he wanted to go to a museum that his musician…read morefriends had told him about. I was down for a visit, even at the hefty price tag of $20. It' educational and cultural, after all. I had no idea how absolutely amazing it would be. I go to lots of museums and this is in the top ten, maybe five, for sure! If you have any interest in music, history, instruments or just an appreciation for the arts, you'll likely enjoy a visit here. I'd say that it's more appropriate for older children and adults. There is a room for hands-on play that the younger kids will enjoy, but the majority of the museum is slightly less interactive-although the headphones that automatically play as you get closers to the TVs throughout the exhibit are pretty cool! This will absolutely be a place I'll revisit with my son-and we will plan even more time to visit some of the exhibits that we ran out of time to see this trip.

I've lived in Arizona a long time now and had never been to this museum, which is well-renowned and…read morehighly rated. I'd heard good things about their concerts, specifically. April is community college month and for that, they offered all MCCCD students and employees half off admission, which I took advantage of. I brought my friend here and we got two for one admission, plus entry to their special exhibition: The Magical Flute. After we got our tickets, we were given a headphones and audio set so we could hear. The music being played on the screens throughout the museum. No food/drink allowed, or backpacks. I was wearing a small one but was able to keep it with me by wearing it on my front, maybe so I wouldn't inadvertently knock things over if it was on the back. We started on the second floor and moved through the continents, starting with Africa, "Middle East" (aka West Asia), Asia, Latin America, USA/Canada, and Europe. Saved the two we were least interested in for last. Honestly, I was overwhelmed with the variety and amount of instruments; the orientation video said they have 10,000. I was curious how they amassed them all and hoped it was done ethically (saw a few spots that notated gifts and donations by certain people). I liked the similarities of instruments across geographical areas, and it made sense when I saw the Silk Road section and how trade connected these countries. I had quite the jump scare as I was moving through West Asia and I came across "Isr*el". That is NOT a real place and it should be correctly labeled as Palestine. I didn't even look at that exhibit as it made me too mad, and I vocalized my annoyance. Almost ruined my visit honestly, and I wish they would rectify this particular exhibit. I read a review that said it used to be Palestine; if so, shame on them for changing it. During the Latin American section, the power ran out on my portable headset so we went back downstairs and got new ones so we could continue to enjoy the music. It did make me think about how deaf people experience this museum in a much different way than people who can hear, as it becomes primarily a visual experience. I agree with my boba sistah who shared her desire to play with the instruments, as that same feeling came over me many times during my visit. I understand why this isn't allowed, but it takes some self-restraint. I must have missed the experience gallery with instruments that could be played, that would have been fun. Though the gift shop had a few instruments that we tried out. The special exhibit on flutes was fine, but not worth the extra price if I had to pay. I did recognize a familiar face: Ken Koshio, who plays the drums and flute at sunrise on Piestewa Peak. The museum also has an artist gallery of different musicians that I didn't find too interesting (Maroon 5? Taylor Swift? Really?). They have a cafe and we quickly perused the menu, but seeing items like a pork banh mi for $19 doesn't sound tempting. Overall, I would say this is a worthwhile visit and there is so much to take in and explore. I was glad to have gotten a deal on admission. Though I am super bummed about their exclusion of Palestine, hence my rating.

I had my first experience at this museum & it was such a good one!…read more My favorite part was capturing the illusions in my photos! There are so many illusions to choose from. I loved that they had stickers that helped navigate you to on how to take the perfect picture with the illusion within it. The customer service was 10/10. The staff was so helpful and offered to take photos for us. If we were having a trouble finding the illusion, they would guide us through it. This is the perfect activity for a date night, solo date, or family fun day! There is something for everyone!

3.5/5 I've been to…read moreone other Museum of Illusions and I think 95% of the exhibits here are the same. My kiddo and I still had fun though seemingly defying gravity and conjuring all sorts of optical illusions. We didn't look at some of the illusions on the walls so it took us maybe 45 minutes to go through the whole museum. It's a little pricey even with the discounted admission if you book online I feel, since it's not a very large museum and you don't spend a ton of time here. All the staff here were very nice though and willing to answer questions and take photos for us.

AC and free water. Who wouldn't like a quick stop at the Scottsdale Historical Museum. After…read morespending the afternoon walking around Old Town Scottsdale, we stumbled upon the historical museum. What a fun museum to explore the founding of Scottsdale. The staff were super nice as well.

Pretty cool little museum in between old town and the park. The people were really nice that…read moreworked there. There was some interesting information about scottsdale. I liked the baseball history of scottsdale. Best of all this was free!!!!

This place has so much to do within its vicinity. They have a laser and mirror experience, which is…read morewhat we tried and loved. They have an ice cream shop. They have a UFO experience. They have a dinosaur experience and at the time we went they had a bubble party outside and everyone was allowed to join without an extra cost. If you're visiting Arizona, this is definitely a place you should visit.

Overall, fun complex with some good experiences/activities. However, it's highly overpriced and…read moreneeds more food and dining options. Restrooms were also a bit limited. It looks like they are adding more in the future, so hopefully it improves. Definitely a lot of potential.