Japanese Friendship Garden and Margaret T. Hance Park
The East comes
to Phoenix at this garden and its Musoan ("Dream for the Future") Tea
House (south side of Margaret T. Hance Park, 602/256-3204,
http://phoenix.gov/parks/jfg.html,
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., Oct.-May, $1). Phoenix's Japanese sister city, Himeji,
assisted in the design. Visitors leave their troubles at the gate to experience
the simplicity and beauty of nature. You can participate in an authentic Japanese
tea ceremony on the second Saturday in Oct.-May by reservation.
Margaret T. Hance Park runs in a long, grassy strip (actually atop the Papago Freeway
tunnel) south of Phoenix Central Library and Culver Street. The park holds scattered
monuments to Phoenix's eight sister cities, including a huge bronze panda sculpture
from Chengdu, China at the park's east end. Parking is plentiful off Culver
Street, west of Central Avenue.
Phoenix Trolley Museum
From 1887 to 1948, streetcars rattled down the
city streets to almost anywhere you'd want to go. Car No. 116 now rolls again
on a short section of track at the museum (1218 N. Central Ave., 602/254-0307 or
277-6627, www.phoenixtrolley.com, Sat.
from Oct. to May, check for hours). Turn west on Culver Street just north of the
Margaret T. Hance Park bridge.
Phoenix Art Museum
The nearly 17,000 works of art in this wide-ranging
collection will take you to many different times and places (1625 N. Central Ave.,
602/257-1222 recording or 602/257-1880, www.phxart.org,
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun., until 9 p.m. Thurs., closed Mon. and major holidays,
$9 adults, $7 full-time students over 18 and seniors 65 and up, $3 children 6-17,
everyone gets in free on Thurs.). European galleries illustrate important themes
and styles as far back as the Renaissance. Works in the American galleries span
the years from Colonial times to about 1900 and include Western landscapes and bronzes.
The Modern Art Collection represents many of the pioneers of European and American
modernism such as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Georgia O'Keeffe. Exciting
works by leading international artists turn up in the very active Contemporary Collection.
A partnership with the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson creates exhibits
from world-renowned photography collections. The exceptional Asian collection reflects
the heritage of China, Japan, Tibet, and Southeast Asia over the centuries. Exhibits
of fashion design emphasize American trends of the 20th century but also include
pieces by European designers. You'll marvel at the details of the famous Thorne
Miniature Rooms, which re-create in intricate detail historic interiors of Europe
and America at a scale of 1:12. Two large halls host major shows and you'll
often find other visiting exhibits too.
You can check for
presentations at the video theater or borrow an audio guide for additional background.
Scheduled tours offer an in-depth look at exhibitions and collections. Talks, art
classes, and other special programs for adults and children take place regularly.
The Art Research Library holds more than 40,000 books, monographs, and other material;
call for hours. Kids discover art projects and some touchable pieces in the ArtWorks
Gallery. The Museum Store sells art, jewelry, crafts, apparel, cards, posters, and
books. A cafe serves creative light meals during museum hours. (You don't have
to pay museum admission if you're just visiting the store or cafe.)
The museum forms a large courtyard with the Phoenix Theatre's Main Stage and
Little Theatre at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and McDowell Road. Free
parking is available around the museum and in designated spaces across Coronado
Road to the north. Some exhibitions may have a different fee and hours.
Heard Museum
This world-famous collection (2301 N. Central Ave. between
McDowell and Thomas, 602/252-8848 recording or 602/252-8840,
www.heard.org, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except
major holidays, $7 adults, $6 seniors 65+, $3 ages 4-12) introduces regional Native
American groups and reveals insights into many aspects of their cultures. You'll
not only see some of the finest tribal art from prehistoric times to the present,
but also gain an appreciation of how the Native peoples relate to their lands, stories,
and family and spiritual values. Native people talk about their feelings in the
video HOME: Native People in the Southwest, complete with beautiful photography
and Native music. Displays of superb Native American jewelry—mostly from Navajo,
Hopi, and Zuni artisans—show artistic skill and development of styles.
Masterworks by Native Peoples of the Southwest showcases the museum's finest
works, including a collection of nearly 250 kachina dolls that illustrate the complexity
of the Hopi pantheon. You'll experience the worlds of Arizona's 21 federally
recognized tribes in We Are! Arizona's First Peoples. The poignant
Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience recounts
a system feared, hated, endured, and loved by Native American children. Families
explore artistry and try hands-on activities in Every Picture Tells a Story.
Other permanent and changing exhibit galleries hold large collections of Southwest
pottery, weavings, basketry, and fine art, including contemporary Native American
pieces.
The Spanish Colonial-style museum itself has a long
history, and, in one of the original galleries, you can get a feel for how the collection
looked on opening day in 1929 and how it has grown over the decades. Along the way
you'll also pass through attractive courtyards graced with fountains, native
flora, and sculpture.
Docents offer guided tours daily, and
you can rent an audio tour. For deeper research, visit the extensive library. The
museum's outstanding Shop and Bookstore sells authentic Native American arts
and crafts, plus a fine selection of regional books; there's a children's
corner too. Arcadia Farms at the Heard cafe offers a light breakfast and lunch each
day inside or in a courtyard.
Major annual events to watch for include the World
Championship Hoop Dance in early February, the Guild Indian Fair & Market on
the first weekend in March, Katsina Doll Marketplace in April, and the Navajo Weavers
Marketplace and the Spanish Market in November.
The museum
has a branch with exhibits and a shop in North Scottsdale; check the website or
call for details.
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