Phoenix is a hip and trendy metropolitan area with so many wonderful things to do for families with children. There are entertainment places for family fun, breathtaking spots to admire nature, a wide array of restaurants, and more. Alongside regular attractions, there are also amazing museums worth exploring too.
These awesome spots for educational fun will become your child’s next favorite destination in the city. From learning about what life was like before the technology to exploring new worlds through science fiction, each museum will surely become your child’s next favorite spot.
The IDEA Museum welcomes children of all ages and inspires them to experience their creativity and imagination through art, science, and technology.
The exhibitions and hands-on activities focus on engaging families, nurturing creative thinking, and supporting early learning. This is one of the kids’ favorites when it comes to educational places in Phoenix.
At the Arizona Science Center kids will find permanent and temporal exhibits, from the science of flight to natural disasters, and more, there’s always something interesting to see and enjoy in an interactive way.
Kids will also find one of the largest and most technologically advanced planetariums in the nation: Dorrance Planetarium.
Arizona Science Center is the best place for educational fun for the little ones. They will not know where to begin!
IDEA Museum is the perfect destination for children to experience their creativity and imagination through art, science, and technology.
The exhibitions and hands-on activities focus on engaging families, nurturing creative thinking, and supporting early learning!
Location:
150 W Pepper Pl, Mesa, AZ 85201, USA
Hours:
Open Daily Tuesday- Thursday 9 AM- 4 PM | Friday 9 AM-6 PM | Saturday 9 AM-4 PM | Sunday 12 PM-4 PM
The Musical Instrument Museum is a must-visit place for families with kids!
You will find musical performances and interactive technology, and will get to experience the different instruments’ sounds, and more! You will see more than 7,000 instruments from around the world, including those from Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash among others.
Location:
4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050, USA
Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday: Daily 9 AM -5 PM
The premier natural history museum in Arizona is a place for family fun and learning.
A flash flood cascading down a mountain inside a museum and a real territorial jail experience are among the many things you can see and do at the museum. Exhibits for all ages and something new to discover every time. Kids will love it, and parents too!
Location:
53 North Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 85201, USA
Hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 10 AM – 5 PM | Saturday: 11 AM – 5 PM | Sunday: 1 – 5 PM
Kids will have the best time at this interactive museum that focuses on Central Arizona history.
The AZ Heritage Center features many exhibits, and hosts workshops, lectures, and different events throughout the years. Your kids will have a great time while they learn about the past and present life of Arizonans.
Location:
1300 N College Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM | Friday – Saturday:10 AM – 4 PM
Butterfly Wonderland is an indoor butterfly conservatory where families with kids will have a unique experience finding butterflies, reptiles, fish, birds, and more!
The largest indoor butterfly conservatory in America features many educational and interactive exhibits and the unique chance of walking among thousands of butterfly species.
Location:
9500 East Vía de Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ 85256, USA
Hours:
Open Daily: Daily 9 AM-5 PM
The Hall of Flame in Phoenix features almost an acre of fire exhibits, including uniforms, equipment, fire apparatus, artwork, and much more.
Families will not only see pieces from different European countries but also visit a mini-theater, a two-room safety house, and many exhibits kids will enjoy.
Location:
625 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Hours:
Daily: Tuesday: 10 AM-5 PM | Wednesday: 10 AM-9 PM | Thursday- Saturday 10 AM-5 PM | Sunday noon-5 PM
Kids who love dinosaurs will have a blast at this educational center home to many interactive exhibits, animatronic dinosaurs, and recreations of prehistoric habitats!
After enjoying family-friendly activities and educational rides, you can have dinner with the family!
Location:
9500 East Vía de Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ 85256, USA
Hours:
Monday- Sunday 10 A.M. – 6 P.M | Tuesday: Available For Private Events!
The Phoenix Police Museum features exhibits of all the changes that police work suffered after World War II, as well as Phoenix’s first Mashall Office and Jail history.
Families will also get to learn about early law enforcement of the Arizona Rangers and even be sworn in as a Police officer in a Police uniform!
At the Phoenix Center for the Arts, families will find a great variety of classes for adults and kids such as ceramics, dance, fine arts, photography, and much more.
Families can also catch an exhibition or performance or even attend a special event.
Location:
1202 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Hours:
Monday to Friday: 9 AM- 9 PM | Saturday: 9 AM- 4 PM | Sunday: 9 AM- 1 PM
Arizona Capitol Museum is the right place for families who are interested in social, cultural, and political history.
Kids will love the Arizona Flag created from Lego bricks, and the entire family will enjoy the different exhibitions and the Wesley Bolin Plaza Monuments.
Location:
1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007, USA
Hours:
Monday- Friday: 9 AM- 4 PM | Saturday: 10 AM-2 PM
The Desert Botanical Garden serves as a kind of an outdoor museum where you’ll find thousands of species of cactus, trees, and flowers from all around the world, art exhibitions, festive events, a variety of classes and so much more.
Depending on the season, you can attend a variety of events for all ages!
The Arizona Capitol Museum is the best spot for families who are interested in cultural, political, and social history.
From seeing the Arizona Flag created from lego bricks and enjoying art and history exhibitions to exploring the Capitol Mall and the Wesley Bolin Plaza monuments, families will be learning and having fun at the same time!
Location:
1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007, USA
Hours:
Monday- Friday: 9 AM- 4 PM | Saturday: 10 AM-2 PM
The whole family can visit the Heard Museum which centers its exhibitions and collections on the advancement of American Indian art.
The collections use a first-person voice to tell the stories of American Indian cultures and you will find changing exhibitions that even include shows for all the family to learn about Arizona’s past.
Location:
2301 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 9.30 AM-5 PM | Sunday 11AM-5 PM
The focus of this interactive museum is the history of the Lower Verde River valley and the people who settled here: the ancient Hohokam, the Yavapai, early ranchers, and modern-day settlers.
You will see different exhibitions that will teach you what brought these ancient people to this land and how they’ve found ways to create an oasis in the Verdes.
Location:
12901 North La Montana Drive, Fountain Hills, AZ, USA
Hours:
Thursday- Saturday 9 AM-Noon (Summer) | Tuesday-Saturday 10 AM-4 PM (Regular)
Families who want to learn more about Pueblo Grande and the Greater Southwest can visit Pueblo Grande Museum.
With exhibits for all ages and interests, you will learn about the Hohokam people, archaeology and much more!
Location:
4619 E Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85034, USA
Hours:
Monday- Saturday 9 AM- 4.45 PM | Sunday 1 PM -4.45 PM
Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum is an open-air museum that teaches visitors about 19th-century Arizona.
You will walk through a village and visit historical buildings and accurate reproductions. Visit an 1890’s dress shop, a jail, a sheriff’s office, and much more!
Location:
901 West Pioneer Road, Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA
Hours:
Wednesday to Sunday: 9 AM- 4 PM
For families who want to learn about the history and folklore of the Superstition Mountains Apache Junctions and the surrounding region in a unique way, this is the place to visit.
Inhabitants of these regions included the Salado, Hohokam, and Apache Indians. Visit the Superstition Mountain Museum to be educated in all of this amazing region.
