Since I work in the area, I decided to walk in is right across the street from the Hyatt Regency…read morehotel. They serve Matcha and other desserts inside as well as a lot of Latino culture art attached to a store and looks like they play music in there as well not for sure if they do live performances or not overall they were spacious a lot of great art Firm artist and the store where you could purchase items and or coffee drinks

We came across the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center while exploring the murals along…read moreRoosevelt Row, and it was welcoming location, full of artistic energy. Art talks were underway, and galleries and studio spaces offer interesting vantage on work in process.

With credit to the poem, "Ozymandias" by Percy Shelley…read more I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said--'Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. ... Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive ... Okay, my inner Irish and mostly Irish heritage could not resist that poem piece. So, I love the Irish cultural center. It is an unexpected treat. Every day while I drive up and down Central Ave I look over and see this gem. Seeing this marvel always makes my heart happy. It still surprises me to see a mini castle in the middle of downtown Phoenix. A very cool structure that works mainly as an event center and cultural library. I have been here several times and I am due for another visit soon. I went here most recently for a St. Patty's Day themed or Irish themed magazine photo shoot, The small grounds are simply beautiful and the park behind it is also a nice area to take photos. Inside there is a library and event center. They sponsor movies, events, and I know some weddings have been performed here. You really need to stop by and check it out. The luck of the Irish says you will not be disapoointed. Then afterwards you can grab a pint at one of the local Breweries/pubs in downtown.

This place is an absolute oasis! It's a little bit hidden away, but just magnificent. I've taken so…read moremany people from my work here and they absolutely love it. There is a beautiful park right behind it that you can walk around. There's even a cool porch swing out in the park right in front of the parking lot. They have a gorgeous courtyard with a little French bistro set up. The bathrooms are so clean. It's free to visit this cultural center and this museum. If you wanted to check out books, you would have to pay for a membership, but you can hang out there and read books while you're there. The ladies that run the place are just the kindest people in the world. They're so knowledgeable about Irish history and can tell you about your last name and your lineage. I love coming here. I can't say enough good things about it. It's truly a hidden gem in Phoenix.

This is OPEN! Just went to visit Arcosanti with a friend that came to town and what a cool…read moreexperience. You have to schedule a tour, self guided are not allowed. The tour guide Joseph was so kind and full of energy. The video you watch when you get there is a very heart felt explanation of the passion to continue this community. They own 800 acres and the property is built on 20 acres, it was built between 1971-1975 for the main spaces that are shared. 45 people live there but could range to 80. They show how the products and structure are made. I had no clue about silk casts and loved the hands on understanding and history. They have concerts, events, gatherings. Etc at the amphitheater. Check out the website. The cafe is closed. You can stay as a hotel guest overnight. They offer apprenticeship also.

I'm not sure why the Yelp page states Arcosanti is closed. We were just there and is open and…read moreoperating. Clearly what the original architect had in mind many years ago never came to fruition as it really hasn't changed in years. Is appears to be a small artist community but we didn't see anything going on at the moment so couldn't tell if it id still active or they make everything south in Scottsdale at Cosanti. There is a gift shop where you can watch a brief video on the history and learn about their wind chime creations. Personally I've received many of the wind chimes over the last 20 years for housewarmings or Christmas gifts. Each is unique. The greeter in the gift shop was friendly and stated there is a tour available as well. We didn't have time for the tour but purchased a couple of small gifts. He suggested visiting the Scottsdale location as well which is called Cosanti. I had no idea it was located in Scott's well. Will check it out.

The magic is in the effort that the puppet makers and the puppeteers put into this place. They put…read moreall they have into it and the kids love it. The magic shows up in the kids faces and the delight they get from the weird looking puppets dancing across the stage. The shows are tacky and corny, but only last 40ish minutes and the children's faces light up. Adults get a kick out of the joy it brings to the kids, but if it were just us we wouldn't attend the show ourselves. The theater is a lovely well kept historic building amidst the downtown hustle and bustle. Prices are not cheap for the experience, but once again the kids love it and it'll be a core memory,

So fun! My husband and I brought our two year old here for his birthday weekend to see the Winnie…read morethe Pooh performance! I was a bit worried maybe he was a little too young for it but it was actually perfect, kids/babies of all ages there! In a cool building with interesting history. I loved the little museum and shop when you walk in, and then it's a cute little theater with folding chairs, benches, and an area on the floor to sit, though some of the spaces were reserved for a birthday party that was there. The show was fun and engaging, and not too long for the little ones. Nice that it's not overly expensive either, easy to book tickets online and free parking. Would love to take my son again this summer!

Oh, the potential!…read more The George Washington Carver High School is now a museum and cultural center (almost). The school originally opened in 1926 as a segregated school called the Phoenix Union Colored High School. After Carver died in 1943 the name was changed to honor him. The school remained open until Arizona desegregated in 1953 (it closed in 1954). Before you enter you are greeted by a statue of Carver that was added in 2004. Carver is best known for his innovations in farming. He developed the crop rotation method of planting soil depleting crops one season and soil enriching crops the next. He also developed over 300 uses for peanuts (a soil enriching crop). His ideas helped save the southern farming industry. He also found ways to make dyes from different crops. He gave most of his ideas away instead of profiting from them based on his belief that God was giving him the ideas to pass along. It's a challenge to visit the museum. The website says that the hours are M-F from 10-3. We called Thursday and there was a message indicating that they were closed for the day. We arrived at 10:15am today and the sign in the door stated they were closed. We took some pictures outside and were on our way back to the car when a man asked if we wanted to see inside. (It is a negative that it is hard to visit; however, it appears that it is mostly run on a volunteer basis with little funding, so it is to be expected...but it is still unfortunate.) The curator, Princess, greeted us and gave us a private tour. She was extremely informative giving us information about each exhibit and stories that have been shared with her. The stories come from the teachers and students who were actually at the school from 1926-1953. The museum has a lot of potential, but needs a lot of work. Most of the exhibits are not in cases yet and out in the open...which makes me cringe after being to so many museums that focus on preservation techniques. The displays include pictures of the students, a history of life in the area (including a kitchen and bedroom area from the 1940s). They have a display of all of the Phoenix area schools that were named for African American leaders. In the center of the buildings is the Sculpture Garden which has the"That Which Might Have Been Birmingham 1963" sculptures. The four statutes are a memorial to the four girls killed in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The pant on the walls around the garden is unique as well. It sort of looks smoky as part of an homage to the bombing as well. There are a few other exhibits inside as well; one for area churches, for a student who was an inventor, for the accolades of the sport teams who played for Carver. It is definitely a work in progress. The gym floor is torn up because it was not in the condition to remain. They will be replacing it and at some point (2010 or beyond) have the facilities open to rent. It seems like it will take a lot of money to have it restored...but will be wonderful to see once it happens.

George Washington Carver was my boyhood hero and this museum is a great place to bring the kids. I…read moreplan to become an annual member to help support their work. Dr. Carver was born a slave and orphaned during the Civil War. Carver was the name of the man who owned him. He went on to get an earned Master's in biology as well as honorary doctorates and was a professor and Head of the Agriculture Dept. At the Tuskegee Institute for 40 years You may know him as the Peanut Man.

This place is really cool! I brought some 3rd grade kids here for a Fieldtrip. They were…read moregracious enough to invite the drivers in to tour around. Lots of cool Indian artifacts and history. The tour guides were very helpful in what they explained to the kids and adults. I learned some new info for sure.

This is a place you won't find unless you are paying attention. It's hidden in a neighborhood and…read moreit's easy to miss out on this historical site. It's closed during summer but we got in the week before they closed down. They open back up in the fall so add it to your list of places to go. It only takes an hour or two to walk through the site and read about the history that was here long before us. It's amazing to see how they found trade to be strong here. As they had the mounds built in alignment with the astrology and it's really amazing to see in person. It's an amazing spot and I hope to help more people find it!

I went to an improve comedy event last night and I was very pleased with the center and I loved the…read morecomedians. I plan on going to many more events at the center.

From the owner: We host social, educational, artistic and recreational events to introduce and promote the Persian…read moreCulture to the community.