As a preface ... I love this sort of thing - love looking at history and love ruins so when we were in town visiting I had to come here. I had my expectations low since it's in the middle of the city and seemed like it might be small... However, I liked it a lot. There's a little bit of ruins you can actually walk through and try to imagine what happened. They also had some replicas of buildings from way back when and that was neat to walk through as well. The museum part itself is small but had lots of information about the people that used to live there. For a small museum in the middle of the city it was pretty informative. read more

This is a wonderful archaeological park! A little noisy outside as it's near the freeway but very informative and worth the very reasonable admission charge. read more

The must! Especially if there's children. You think the US was a desert? It was a civilisation! And we need to know and be proud of it. Great staff, terse but clear and easy to digest data in two halls as an exhibit. Very recommended, and don't forget: tickets are only $6 adult. Sincerely yours, Www.californiaway.org. read more

Rock on! I had no idea that right in Phoenix was the site of the original hub of the Hohokam people in the first century. This museum is so interesting and while the 10 minute intro video is informative, and i'm sure kids enjoy the Dig It zone, but the archaelogical park is my favorite part of the tour. It's so hard to picture the life the Hohokam lived here a thousand years ago, but the plaques scattered around the park paint a great picture of early desert living. Also fun are the reconstructed home and pit houses that you can go inside of and check out daily life for Hohokam people. I love that the entry fee is only $5 because you really are transported at Pueblo Grande. read more

This is clearly a hidden gem. Props to Phoenix for keeping these ruins as a tourist attraction. Learning more about the HOHOKam tribe also made me learn why the Cubs never win. This tribe disappeared back in 1450 and nobody know exactly why or what happened. The Cubs named their spring training park after this tribe, so you can see the anaology hopefully. It is 6 bucks to enter and after a short movie, hit the trail to see what's left of this tribe. My favorite part was looking at the ancient ballfield and wondering what went down in those gladiator arena's years ago. Actually, it was supposedly a marketplace, but there were photos of athletic games taking place also. These Indian tribes were smart back in the day and the canals and structures built were truly a marvel of their times. read more

Wow! Right across the street from the hotel. The light rail is at the entrance (kitty corner). 6 bucks is the adult fee. Not bad at all. Awesome artifacts, nature walk, history, short video, interactive kids section. They have a changeable art exhibit. Well worth the hour and half. TAKE the kids if you got em. No animals (dont want any pee/poo on the premises) it's ancient artifacts. The have a gift shop featuring local artitists. Their prices are extremely high but there are a few smaller priced things there. Bery friendly and helpful staff. read more

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So I've only been here once, unless you count that time 20 years ago when i was there with my Girl Scout troop, and I really "dug" it. (Ok, I know puns are bad, but I'm feeling very punny today!) But really, it's a real pleasure to have places in Phoenix flaunt what an amazing, rich and ancient history our valley really does have. After all the quips I hear about how hot it is during Summer, it's great to visit a museum filled with Arizona Awesomeness that I can flaunt to those Texans who swear their state is the best of them all. And this museum certainly does that. Great pottery, docents and views make this museum a lovely place. I went for the Yelp Helps event, and was blown away by how absolutely gorgeous this place is at night, and how the sounds of the city just disappear and transport you back to a time when the light rail and street lights were figments of people's imaginations. I can't wait to schedule this into the cool places I'll be taking my niece over Winter and Summer breaks! read more

I never knew this place existed in the middle of the city. I saw an article about this place in the paper and we decided to come and check it out. It doesn't take very long to watch the video, walk the park outside and check out the museum inside. It was pretty neat and I'm glad I checked it out, but I was a little bored. read more

My husband and I came here on a mild Saturday afternoon. They were having a special event so our admission was free (it is usually $6 for adults). We walked through the museum and art gallery. The museum was small but interesting, it had quite a bit of artifacts. The photo gallery seemed very out of place in the museum, the photos were great but I don't see how they tied in with the ruins. I was underwhelmed by the ruins, I was expecting something more grand (probably my fault since they are just a little old). We were there for about an hour before my husband was itching to go. If we had kids, it would have been a great learning experience with a variety of hands on activities going on. Will I go again? Probably not, but it was quick, cheap and something different to do on a Saturday afternoon. read more

If you love learning about the Hohokam culture, Pueblo Grande is a must-see! It's an incredibly cheap activity- it will cost you a mere $2 for adults and $1 for children, but you'll get to see things you can't anywhere else. For instance, you'll see 1,500 year old Hohokam village ruins, an 800 year old platform mound and an excavated ballcourt. You'll also be given a wealth of information on the Hohokam culture, so you not only will get to see how they lived, you'll learn about the people themselves, the challenges they faced and their everyday lives. Really cool. You can also take a little trail to see replicas of prehistoric Hohokam homes. You can go in them because they're full-size and it's a hands-on experience. Lastly, if you want to take a little of the culture home with you, there's always the museum store! read more

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Definitely a museum of culture. We stayed at the hotel across the street, we were looking to pass the time between checking out and going to the airport. Easy walk through outside and in. I'm glad we got to stop by. Perfect, relaxing and casual ending to our trip. Definitely learned things. My fave part were the artifacts on the inside. The pictures of haunted places was really cool too! read more

Eh. Im all for history but this place kinda toots its own horn a little much. "Pueblo ruins" is a stretch. Faint remnants and clearings w/ a video explaining what used to be there is more accurate. On the plus side it's cheap (or free some days, i think) and its a good short trip if you have kids you'd like to expose to a little culture. I appreciate the educational value of this place, but it got kind of boring trying to imagine what it looked like instead of actually being able to see much. They have some neat reproductions and a lot of information, and the museum is decent. read more

I'm giving 4 stars because I just love to find this many artifacts of the basket and clay varieties when I visit a museum. It really amazes me, the craftmanship of our ancient peoples! This small museum is not part of the Science Museum circuit, so I wasn't able to use my discount or member card, but for $6 I felt it was worth the trip to check it out. Some exhibits in the kids' room have been duplicated and enhanced in the main museum hall, which was fun to compare. The outdoor area is actually a preserved portion of a reservation belonging to the Hohokum Indians and there are examples of the water distribution canals and housing styles from 300 years ago along the Salt River, AZ. Great, informative afternoon! read more

YELP HELP was great! that is all. OH, the place looks really nice! R\_ read more

This was a great experience! I loved the museum inside. The information was fantastic and was a great introduction to the outside experience. The umbrellas for the walk is a special and needed touch. The price was also great - $6!!! It is great to see this wonderful history preserved in the midst of a bustling city! Well worth the visit! read more

S’edav Va’aki Museum - Museums Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I checked out a Culture Pass from the Mesa Library to check out the museum. It wasn't so hot out to walk the trail. The museum was very nice and small and not crowded. read more

An enjoyable museum experience for adults and kids alike. Reasonably sized exhibits- You can experience everything in about an hour and a half. Right near the airport so very convenient if you have some spare time before you flight. read more

Outdoor museum so don't go in the summer. Took a class field trip here and the docent spoke clearly and was very patient with all my students. She was well informed and knew how to navigate the hundreds of questions a group of 8 year olds will ask. The museum is a must for gaining a deeper appreciation of the rich history that truly exists in this young city. read more

One of the truly great anthropological sites in Arizona. It is important not just for the amazing archaeological treasure that it represents but also as an important historical site in the development of Arizona, and southwestern archaeology as a whole. I spent many hours listening to Julian Hayden tell stories about working there in the 40s. Must see! read more

Amidst the urban sprawl and commercial filth of Phoenix, lie the ruins of a 1500 year old civilization, the Hohokam. Literally meaning "those who have gone," this was the name given to the mysterious Indian culture that thrived in the southwest of Arizona between AD 1 and 1500. Known throughout the southwest for the irrigation canals, pottery, and ruins they left behind, this is one of the parks that brings you closer to this culture. Though the ruins are little more than mounds, due to building materials back then being in limited supply (i.e. adobe, caliche, and if you got lucky - some logs) and heat and monsoons eroding away what once was, there are some wonderful full scale homes (replicas) for visitors to explore. Picture the teepees we know and love in the Westerns, now replace the furs and leather with the surrounding soil. I can't imagine that their villages were easy to sustain, though their exceedingly large ballcourts survive to this day, seen here at Pueblo Grande. Walk the trails and walk in the footsteps of this ancient culture, trace the foundations of their homes, look at pottery which has been found at the site, learn about the amazing irrigation canals that helped their civilization thrive as a successful farming community for 1500 years. Advice: never come here unless it is below 85 degrees. Locals can talk all they want about it being a dry heat, but you will be doing a lot of walking while here. Admission is $2, that's all the city gets for sponsoring the research, tours, talks, digs, and displays. If you are bored to tears just thinking about walking amidst almost non-existent ruins, visit the visitor center museum and gawk at the artifacts found in or around the site. Kids can be archeologists for a day and dig around in their life-size excavated trench. read more

Plan a visit to the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park right here in the heart of Metro Phoenix, it's worth stopping by, you just might discover something new and something old. If it's been a while, the museum, archaeological park and platform mound, and Native American cultural gallery are worth rediscovering, and they can all be found at this location in the city. I only recently learned about this historical site and I've discovered something new with each visit, whether it's the "All good clay smells like rain" exhibit (runs thru August)or that about 50 mounds placed about 3 miles apart have been found along the ruins of ancient irrigation canals in Arizona. Walking the outdoor trail gives you the feeling that you're walking in the footsteps of the ancient Hohokam. The Pueblo Grande Museum Store offers a lot. You can find everything from a children's section, to books about archaeology and Native American culture, and works of art by Hopi and Navajo artists. What makes shopping here even better is that all proceeds go to the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary to help support educational efforts of the museum. read more

This place is fun and informative. If you're wanting to learn and see first hand the vestiges of the Hohokam culture and are not willing or able to hike in the Sonoran desert then this is a must visit archeological site. We as a modern culture owe so much of what we do and our knowledge to the desert peoples before us and it's ironic how similar things are now to 800AD. The site is rather small compared to how large the experts speculate it was at one point but it's fun to walk around and imagine what it was like here. Most of the structures are eroded due to not being occupied for hundreds of years but it's easy to see the engineering prowess that these people had. It's a self-guided walk that allows for an extended stay. Information plaques are festooned in various locations to assist with interpretation of the site. There is a reproduction of some ancient living quarters, some petroglyphs, various types of desert flora, and a small garden. The gift shop is all a must see. read more

Been to better museums. It's very stagnant. Nothing really overwhelmingly interesting that you couldn't read on a book. I'd recommend watching their video which sums up the entire archeological park. read more

We went a few weeks ago and it was definitely too hot. Wait for the weather to cool off before going. On the bright side, they have umbrellas you can borrow while outside! It was interesting to see the ruins, especially within view of the highway. Really makes you think! read more

Yet another nice Hohokam ruin worth seeing in metro Phoenix. It is kind of odd to find this one in the shadow of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. read more

patrick b. asked and answered a great question....phx and history? hah! to those naysayers, az was once crawling with native americans. we discovered to some depth last night at the Yelp event held here. it was such a wonderful night and we signed up for a behind the scenes tour of the archives. it's a really neat place, just like something you'd think indiana jones would be perusing. our docent was so friendly, funny, and informative. there are on-site ruins which we didn't see because it was dark, but some of their scale models are very cool! if you think phx has no history, stop by the museum and i'm sure they'd be happy to change your mind! read more

An easy thing to do if you're in the area and looking to burn time, but thought it'd be a little more interesting than it actually was. I guess looking at really old structures and reading hypothesis' on what they could've been used for may be your thing, but in this case it wasn't mine. read more

So apparently I didn't do my homework and Pueblo Grande DOES have stuff for the little kids. The scavenger hunt that I brilliantly suggested? Yeah, they have that already. Evidently a little snooping around beforehand would have been beneficial to our visit, as I would have discovered all of the stuff that they've already prepared for the little ones. So I guess it is a really great place, after all! read more

good addition to this metro city and the cultural life. But how come the entrance is far away from the light rail?? I would thought that they would take advantage of this, unless they are car user oriented. Aside from this, the exposition is well organized and there is much more to learn. read more

I gave a bad review to the Heard Museum so wanted to balance this with a better museum. This one is a good educational experience, balanced and historic about the ancient civilizations of Central Arizona. The outdoor areas include living history, with an old canal from the ancestors of the modern day Pima Indians and an old ball court. It's also family friendly and has a good conference center. Take an out of town visitor to this museum as a good way of showing them the history of the valley. read more

Cute museum. Really hot in the desert. Cool history lesson of how the Hohokam Indians lived back in the day.

This museum appealed to both the casual anthropologist and the photographer in me. Very educational both inside and out. It is a relay race of science and mystery. read more

Interesting find near PHX. The modern building and the history lessons are more interesting than the actual ruins. I wish there were more historians trying to learn about the Hohokums. If you're looking for facts, they are few and far between. read more

So worth a visit! We visited on Saturday and they had a groups singing, dancing and playing music, as well as various live demonstrations and vendors. Although my favoriate aspect was the juxtaposition of the ancient ruins against the modern Phoenix skyline. read more

This museum is great to learn about Native American Indian tribes in Arizona and how they made a living! Each section of the museum is another space to show their way of life. There is a labyrinth, bowl museum, and lots of archeological games for kids. It also explains their housing situation in the ruins. There also is a small gift shop with bracelets and woven baskets. There is an art hall and lots for little kids to look, touch, and play with! I thoroughly enjoyed the museum; this is my second time back. I went when I was a little younger and again for a school project. I would recommend this museum to anyone who has first moved to Arizona or anyone wanting a full Indian cultural experience to immerse themselves in. There is a nature walk, videos, and artifacts for you to enjoy and watch as well. The videos go in depth on how people made maize and used it to eat and make baskets. There is a little mini replication of the city too! In the gift shop there features local artists work that you can buy. It was fairly inexpensive to go. Around $6 per person. I love when things are not too expensive. Very educational for young kids. The homes are over 1000 years old. There are umbrellas you can take on the tour so you or your little ones do not get overheated. The staff are pretty knowledgeable as well. The experience is only about an hour to two long. It is fun to see a couple times. Once you have left you will have a full grasp on the Navajos, Mayan, Incan, Pueblo, Hope, and Navi, etc. The first time I had came I went with my Girl Scout Troop and loved it. This time I went with family and really got more of an understanding as I am much older. This trip is worth the drive but make sure to bring plenty of water because it is mostly outside exhibit. read more

I've visited a number of Native American ruins in Arizona and New Mexico and was intrigued to learn that Pueblo Grande is an archeological site and Hohokam ruin situated right in the middle of Phoenix adjacent to the airport and just East of 44th and Washington Streets. Inside the museum is a small theater that hosts a short introductory film about the archeological site and the Hohokam culture, and the museum hosts both a permanent exhibit and a changing exhibit. The film is an adequate introduction to the site and the history of the Hohokam, but it would be more informative if it addressed some of the aspects of what you are viewing as you walk around and up onto the top of the ruin. In the museum, the most interesting features of the permanent exhibit are the large wall display depicting the extensive canal system that spread all across the Phoenix valley, and the model representing what the ruin may have looked like when intact. Native American artifacts are displayed throughout the exhibit although their origins are unidentified and are not cited as being specifically indigenous to the Hohokam, as such they are probably of most interest to first time visitors of the Southwest. At the exit of the museum leading to the tour of the ruins, the facility thoughtfully provides visitors with umbrellas for reprieve from the sun and heat while walking the unshaded grounds. The ruin itself is an unexpected surprise. The size of a football field and 15-20 feet in height, the ruin contains the remains of walls and rooms in varying degrees of excavation. A paved path leads around the exterior of the ruin, and up onto the top where it makes a full circle of the entire structure. All along the path there are guidepost markers with detailed information about the points of interest being viewed. The first marker along the path identifies the Grand Canal, flowing adjacent to the ruin, which was one of the first canals of modern day Phoenix, and identifies a distant ridge as the remains of an ancient Hohokam canal. Throughout the top of the ruin the markers speculate about the particulars of each partially excavated area. The path continues away from the ruin to an excavated Hohokam ball field, along a few reconstructed buildings thought to be indicative of the period, and back to the museum, making the entire walk about 1.25 miles. Pueblo Grande may not be one of the most spectacular ruins of the Southwest, but it holds enough mystery to deserve a visit. The site emotes a strong "presence" of some unknown quality, and feels very, very ancient though right in the heart of Phoenix. And, what an odd juxtaposition in history and time to be standing on top of an ancient Native American ruin with enormous planes about to touch down some yards away! Odd, indeed! The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park is one of the available venues in the CulturePass program offered through the public libraries throughout the Valley. Depending upon weekly availability at your local library, use your library card to get free admission for two through CulturePass. read more

This is an amazing place to be in a major metropolitan area next to a large airport. Native Americans were in this area well before the settlers arrived. They were drawn by water and did quite well for a long time. These ruins are a small part of what was once here. The small museum assists you in understanding what is here and what is missing. You can then walk around or upon the surviving ruins. This isn't Stonehenge or even a cliff dwelling but it is definitely worth an hour or two exploring that which was here long before western civilization dropped a city on top of it. read more

I have been to the Heard Museum and just recently visited the Pueblo Grande Museum. The Heard has nothing on this one. I learned so much about the Hohokam community and I loved the outdoor exhibit. It was amazing to see the actual mounds, ball park, and canals they built. i was also amazed when i saw the pit house replicas. I would recommend touring this museum to everyone. read more