Phoenix Museum of History

The Phoenix Museum of History is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting the early history of Phoenix. Visitors of all ages enjoy interactive and educational exhibits showcasing Phoenix’s metamorphosis from a dusty desert town to a modern metropolis. Now in its seventh decade, the museum continues to receive recognition and appreciation for its contribution to the cultural life of Phoenix. Come discover how time and place have influenced modern Phoenix, and the stories of the city’s exciting and colorful past.

The Main Gallery illustrates the important milestones and themes in the development of Phoenix, from prehistoric times to the mid-20th century. Visitors learn about life at Camp McDowell, law and disorder in the pioneer day, historic floods and droughts, water resources and irrigation canals, construction of the old state capitol, and the city’s present and historic multicultural population. Artifacts enliven representations of Hancock’s general store, an ostrich farm, “lunger tents” where tuberculosis patients recovered their health in the scorching summer heat, and a shop of Indian curios. The exhibits and interactive displays provide insight into the story of modern Phoenix and how time and place have influenced its development.

The Phoenix Museum of History is a sleek and elegant 20,000 square foot facility that hosts both a main gallery and a changing exhibit gallery, facilities that can be rented for events or meetings, a library and archives room featuring rare and current books on Arizona history, and a beautiful museum store that offers unique gifts and books.