Phoenix Sights

  1. Arizona Science Center

    The popular Arizona Science Center has over 350 hands-on exhibits, from computers to bubbles, weather, physics and biology. Live demonstrations are held throughout the day.

    Read more about Arizona Science Center

  2. Arizona State University

    Founded in 1885 and home to some 46,000 students, Arizona State University is the heart and soul of Tempe. The Gammage Auditorium (cnr Mill Ave & Apache Blvd) was Frank Lloyd Wright's last major building.

    Read more about Arizona State University

  3. Desert Botanical Garden

    Stroll among the succulents and a crazy forest of cacti at the Desert Botanical Garden. A gorgeous Monarch butterfly exhibit is the highlight of spring and fall, but the garden is very pretty at any time.

    Read more about Desert Botanical Garden

  4. Heard Museum

    The Heard Museum is perhaps the city's best, offering outstanding presentations on Native American history and culture. Don't miss the fascinating kachina-doll room, a real highlight.

    Read more about Heard Museum

  5. Heritage Square

    Eight late-19th- and early-20th-century houses are beautifully preserved in Heritage Square, which features a number of museums and craft shops and great places to grab lunch.

    Read more about Heritage Square

  7. Mesa Southwest Museum

    Animated dinosaurs, dioramas, a territorial jail, gold panning and changing art shows are some of the displays and interactive exhibits at the Mesa Southwest Museum.

    Read more about Mesa Southwest Museum

  8. Mystery Castle

    Equal parts Mexican hacienda, Native American cliff dwelling and psychedelic sand castle, the 18-room Mystery Castle dodges traditional labels. Constructed in the 1930s and '40s by Boyce Luther Gulley, the bizarre art house is made of stone, recycled telegraph poles, adobe and whatever else he could scavenge, and held together by a mix of sand, cement, calcium and goat's milk.

    Read more about Mystery Castle

  9. Phoenix Museum of History

    Displays at the Phoenix Museum of History range from 2000-year-old archeological artifacts to an exhibit about the sinking of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Other exhibitions celebrate significant Southwest events and culture over time from rodeos to highways.

    Read more about Phoenix Museum of History

  10. Taliesin West

    Scottsdale's main draw is its popular shopping district, known as Old Town for its early-20th-century buildings (and others built to look old). Another highlight is Taliesin West. Built by Frank Lloyd Wright (he also taught and lived here) in the mid-20th century, the environmentally organic buildings are spread over 600 acres.

    Read more about Taliesin West

  11. Waterworld Safari

    If the wee ones are wilting in the heat, visit Waterworld Safari, with a six-story-high water slide, acres of swimming pools and a wave-making machine.

    Read more about Waterworld Safari

  12. Advertisement