Arizona Science Center

This is a very nice science center. We have been to quite a few around the country since the membership at our home science center gets us free or discounted admission through the ASTC network. We were visiting during the Christmas holiday break and it wasn’t too crowded. We also visited the Pompeii exhibition. This was our main reason for visiting the science center. It was a very interesting exhibit and I’m glad I was able to see it.

Super informative and relatively up-to-date science museum and activity center. Active research graduate students are highly engaged. Plenty of space to run around, with nooks and a quiet top floor. And a solid, varied gift shop ;)

This is honestly my favorite place. I have been going ever since I was a small child and it still manages to amaze and intrigue me after many years. There are all sorts of exhibits and immersive experiences. The new Dorrance Dome is fun too.

We’ve been visiting the Arizona Science Center for years, and it never disappoints. They regularly feature different showcased exhibits throughout the year, keeping each visit fresh and exciting. One section we always appreciate is the Reduced, Reused, Recycled area—an engaging and important reminder of how we can all help conserve resources. The gemstones and natural elements displays are another highlight, showcasing fascinating specimens from Arizona and beyond. The center is full of hands-on activities—from sound experiments to weight distribution challenges, and even the thrill of riding a bike across a tightrope. The planetarium is always a standout for us—beautiful, immersive, and worth the extra cost. The 3D movie theater is also well-kept and enjoyable. We also love that they offer the Blue Star Museums program for military members and veterans—ID holders plus up to six guests get free entry (planetarium admission not included). The gift shop is reliably interesting, with unique finds every time, and the on-site restaurant usually serves really good food (though last time we visited it was under construction). Whether it’s a date night, an outing with friends, or a fun family adventure, the Arizona Science Center is a place we’re always happy to return to. Highly recommended!

My Aunt is on hospice and has limited time left, I bought tickets to see the space exhibit as her bucket list was to go stargazing. She’s in a home and can’t be in her wheelchair for long so we scheduled this visit in lieu of trying to drive her out to flagstaff or superstition and cause more issues for her. Upon checking in, I mention my aunt is on hospice, this was a bucket list item for her and they scheduled a PRIVATE viewing about 10 min before the actual show. Cameron was amazing and showed us the Milky Way, nebulas, anything we wanted. My aunt was so happy she was crying. I was crying we all were crying. Thank you for this small kindness.

We love using the ASTC Passport Program when we travel. This is the first museum we visited on the ASTC Passport Program that we had to pay for a family member to get in. It was total chaos on a Friday afternoon with school field trips attending the museum. We had a hard time using the elevator and not having our service dog get touched. Be aware the SkyBike costs money to do. We didn’t realize until my son had already waited in line for 30mins. It’s less than $10 to experience something pretty unique. The kids liked the health section and the poison exhibits the most. Fun afternoon at the Science Museum- happy we took a moment of our trip to experience.

Parking is available in the heritage garage and they will validate at a lower rate, besides that nothing seems fair about this place. All exhibits were either outdated or not as described. Basketball was completely flat at one of the stations. Others just out of order or completely faded rendering them useless for learning. You essentially need to be a child with reading skills to enjoy it too. Or at least have a parent willing to narrate the entire place. Nothing is intuitive to children unable to read besides a station with legos and another with build your own snowmen. But again not really worth it after spending hundreds on admission. Their snack and food options are also very minimal and unhealthy. Which is ironic that it’s a science center but really only hot dogs and pizza and ice cream for families to choose from. They featured info on donors during a movie we saw but we still paid $15 on top of our tickets so I’m not sure where donor money goes to if everything costs extra and is outdated. It’s a shame. The line to enter was very long as well.

We came for the Pompeii exhibit and ended up spending a lot of time exploring the science museum too. It feels high quality but a bit overpriced, though the Pompeii display and the Bio area were both impressive and worth seeing.

We keep coming back to this place every weekend, our kids love this place and they always excited to come. The It's a Great place for kids to learn and explore all about the science. The workshops is a great stop that you may want your kids to do a hand-on project. They can pick their own projects as they like. To find the parking around this area might be challenging, however; you can park your car in the car parking garage and make sure bring your parking ticket to waive the parking expenses for you. If you kids love the science or looking for places to go or to take them to experimenting different, I highly recommend this place for anyone who interests in learning and exploring new things. Come and check it out!

First the bad news. 1. It takes a LONG time (30+ minutes) to get to the ticketing counter even if you have purchased tickets online. There has to be a faster way! Nobody needs all those paper tickets for the extra experiences. 2. The exhibits on the first floor are so old, many of them do not work, the first floor is basically a waste of time. 3. Sitting in the movie theater waiting for an 11:15 movie to start. Still sitting in the theater at 11:30, no movie. How about coming in and letting people know the projector is having issues? Little kids are getting restless! Everyone finally just walks out. 4. The sky bicycle. You cannot wear crocs, even closed -toe in sport mode. This is not mentioned anywhere on the website when purchasing the additional ticket at an additional cost. Now the good news. 1. Matthew, the manager that day, was very kind and tried his best to make it up to us after I talked to him about our experience thus far. 2. The planetarium show was great. The host was informative and even after the show, my 6 year old grandson asked to see Saturn and he made Saturn appear. I appreciate that! 3. Floors 2-4 are fun. Everything worked the way it should. 4. In the end we were there all day and had to basically drag my grandson out of there when it was closing time. I feel like a little more customer service is in order, a faster ticketing system in place, and fix everything broken on the first floor, and then it would be worth it.

Great time for my family! My almost 5 year old really enjoyed our time here the other day. There are three levels of exhibits ranging from the human body, physics, and a special temporary exhibit on poison. My daughter enjoyed engaging with the different exhibits and looking at everything. She was super excited! The exhibits are really good at helping kiddos understand the different concepts in a more hands-on way. I will say that some exhibits seemed to have seen better days. I hope they freshen these exhibits up soon to create a better experience for the kids in the future. The planetarium is temporarily closed until October -- they renovated and reimagined it so we will absolutely be back for it!

My husband and I came here for a date day. We had a lot of fun and wish we had planned for more time. I think we were there about 3 hours. We started on the bottom floor and worked our way up. I wish we had started with the poison exhibit because in my opinion that was the most intriguing. Unfortunately, we didn't make it up there until almost closing time so we had to rush through. My husband enjoyed all the hands on exhibits (he definitely was channeling his inner child). There's a little shop selling pre-packaged foods and snacks. Come prepared for not many food options of substance. I saw there will be a restaurant opening which will be a very nice add on! Minus one star because a handful of exhibits were broken. Also to note- we came here in June and it was FREEZING in here. Uncomfortably cold. If you are cold sensitive dress appropriately. Don't forget to validate your parking!

First floor we were on was not the best part. Many of the items were not functional, missing parts and at this point I'm thinking "did I waste my money?" Additional floors were better and more informative. There are things for adults and children but I believe it needs a serious upgrade and the temperature in the mission area needs to be increased. It was freezing in there! We were there a couple of hours and while my granddaughter didn't complain she was bored, in my opinion it was just okay.

The science center has 4 floors of fun and hands on activities for all ages. You can tell some items need to be replace or update cause seem very old and out of date. The power of poison was the latest exhibition that they had going when we went. It was very cool and informative. Check their website for upcoming exhibition. Parking is $5.

My friends and I visited the Arizona Science Center through an event where our admission was covered. Normally, it is about $23 per adult and about $17 per child. I hadn't been to these exhibits in years, so I was curious how much had changed. It looks like they still had a few activities that remained the same - so nostalgic! Most of the exhibits were new though, and I actually enjoyed them, as they were interesting and informative. The exhibits are primarily geared towards children, but they are also interesting enough for adults too. I would recommend going earlier in the day - by the time it got to the early afternoon, a lot of the exhibits had filled up with people. And with that, you may need to wait your turn for some of the more popular activities. Some of the older activities were showing their age, like computer screens not responding and others showing wear and tear. That's not surprising though since children can be pretty rough when interacting with some of these activities. This seems like a good place to take the kids to tire them out and hopefully have them learn some cool facts about our world! Note: Park at the Heritage garage and get your ticket validated when you enter the science center. It comes out to about $1/hour. When we went, there was a sign at the garage that said event parking, so it would've been $30 for the day otherwise!

I love the fun events the Arizona Science Center plans for the Phoenix Community! My boyfriend and I attended the large free event they had for the total solar eclipse on April 8th. They were giving away free solar eclipse glasses, had fun activities for kids, solar telescopes and super telescopes with filters for a close look at the eclipse and a ton of super nice employees giving lots of info. They had so many fun and educational activities to teach people of all ages about the eclipse and other science things. I thought it was lovely. Not only that, but they validated parking so that was free as well! I was so happy we got to see the eclipse thanks to this event. It was an incredible experience.

It's a great place to keep cool in the summer. The girls and I had a good time here. We went during the week, and it was nice and quiet. Our favorite things were: the telescope when you first walk in, the bubbles outdoors, the making airplane area with a launcher, the tooting digestive slide, the second floor in the room that had the bed of nails, blowing balls, pulling systems, a stand and spin thing, third floor AI room with Legos and other hands on creative play. The girls got to decorate a postcard that will be adding much needed weight to a space shuttle heading into space next summer, and then it will be mailed to them. The gals working in that room were so engaging with our girls while they educated them at the same time. They really enjoyed hanging out with them. They also had a fun science show. We passed on the squid dissection. The girls weren't drawn in too much over all. A lot of displays weren't working. They had areas you could make thing with, but the supplies weren't replenished from the days prior to participate. The two movies they were playing didn't grasp them at all. They really need to repair a lot of things. Over all a good experience. Just need to repair and update some things.

#ScienceWithATWIST @UrbanDesertFlora @YELPPHOENIX For a geek like me, this was a dream event. My guest and I got to dress-up, walk through science, make some "magic" and relive a bit of yester year. This was my first time at the AZ Science Center. Just being in the multilevel Science dome would have been enough, but getting a chance to play, create, dance, and donate to the center was awesome. Besides the DJ and ample dance floor, my favorite thing was listening to the various sounds the stomach makes! There were so many beautiful people dressed in their prom finest and most medieval. I didn't get to see the winners of the costume contest but I can't imagine that picking a winner was an easy task. I hope this same theme happens again next year. I've already started creating the perfect costume in my mind.

My husband and I attended the Prom: A Science Soirée at the Arizona Science Center as I won the tickets via the Yelp Elite Ticket Giveaway. At arrival we could hear the music and noticed there were several attendees dressed in full prom attire. We were able to walk around and enjoy the Science center as it was closed for the event! Overall a fun experience!

Granted it was the 4th of July when we went, so we basically had the place to ourselves and we were loving it. My husband is active duty military so my family of four got in for free! The only thing we had to pay for was parking at the parking garage that was on site and they validate the first two hours so we only paid $5. If you want, there is a valet service there that charges $20 to park your car for you, which I found unnecessary for the day we went but can see it being a small expense for not having the headache of looking for parking on a busier day. We walked in, and it was one of the hottest days of the summer so the cool AC inside was so much appreciated. We enjoyed all the exhibits on every floor and didn't feel rushed to view and experience them either. There were a handful of worker around each major exhibit and they were so helpful and knowledgeable. My kids enjoyed the teaching moments each of them were given by the staff, especially in the physics section. They had interactive activities that kids and adults could do, so it made it fun for me too. The ocean experience was so thought out and well done with each kid getting to register their name and get their own wrist band and choose their adventure with the sea animal of their choice. It was a little difficult and finicky to use the wristbands and they didn't read well or quickly so you had to just carry it around and be patient at each station, no biggy. Everyone was so nice and the place was so clean and cool inside that we forgot it was 120 degrees outside. Take your kids here for a great and fun learning experience and you'll enjoy seeing them fall in love over science.

Six-year-old has been going to the museum for several years something always sparks his interest each time that is new and exciting this time it was playing basketball among other things. This is truly an amazing science center for children of all ages

I'd like to begin with saying, we were guests of a group. So, I did not have to pay for my passes. That being said, even as an adult without munchkins I spent 90 minutes walking around and being educated. There were several interactions that seemed to not be working, but for me, I just kept moving. I found the poisons exhibit to be very interesting. It was easily understood and filled with ways to connect with young minds (and my old one too). We caught the last presentation of "mimicry" for the day. This was actually my favorite part. The presentation was geared towards 6-8yr olds but moved at a pace that didn't make me as an adult bored. Once again, even with the information being presented in a way that young minds could absorb, I as an adult gained information. The facility was clean and the team members worked diligently to keep the trash removed. I did not use the restroom but was told the bathrooms were also well maintained.

I waited a few days to process my visit with my two young kids before writing this. After much thought, the Arizona Science Center was quite a disappointment from what I recall it being prior to Covid. We arrived on a Monday just before noon. They weren't terribly busy, so I figured it would be a pleasant visit for the little ones. We spent about 3 hours there visiting each floor. There were a good amount of exhibits either not working or under construction. Even though it was at the beginning, both children enjoyed the American Airlines area where you can build and test fly your very own paper airplane. There weren't very many volunteers or workers to ask about the exhibits that weren't working, so we did what as could and moved through. Like someone else stated in the reviews, things are dated and could use a remodel. I first visited in 2012 and the exhibits and displays that were there then are still there. On the most recent visit my eldest asked as we walked through why so much didn't work. No idea buddy, no idea, but for $50 everything should be going! I asked my eldest if he would be interested in returning and it was a no. They do validate parking for Heritage Parking garage, however I believe it only covers two hours because I still paid $5 when I exited.

What's not to like? So much fun running around seeing the exhibits and the Poison one was so interesting. Easy to get to and easy to park. They validate SOME of the parking so that your ticket.

I loved how interactive and informative this place was. I definitely decided to come here solely for the bubble exhibit and I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't really any learning from it. Just a bunch of different toys to make different sized bubbles. I really expected more from it since it's called "The Science of Bubbles." There was a lot of interactive exhibits inside. While they are more catered towards children, I still had fun with them. However. there was multiple exhibits that didn't work properly or was missing props so you couldn't actually interact with it. This place has a great starting idea on what to do, but the execution is missing its mark.

Always enjoy going to the science center! It's a fun spot for kids! Toddlers I would say not much to do but they can still enjoy and would need help with some of the interactive games they have. They added some new rooms so that was fun to explore

Had the grand kids in for a week this was one of the best things to do with them. Spent 4 hours there and had lots of fun. The place really is made to give them knowledge, inspire and lots of hands on exhibits to keep them wanting more. The price is great and they validate parking if you park in their garage. Kids want to go again when back in town.

Went to a show this weekend and they handed out DIRTY 3D glasses! This is awful and disgusting. Especially during Flu season! Will think twice before coming back!

An a-okay place to bring young children on a hot day. Three floors of exhibits which are mostly geared towards young kids or tweens. There are plenty of hands on exhibits and plenty of hand sanitizers around as well ;) If you're an adult without kids I can't imagine this place is going to be very enjoyable for you. Park in the science center garage and validate your ticket inside and parking is $1.

Thought they would have more things here. We did see a space show, it was interesting. It has 4 floors to explore.

This was such a fun stop for our family on our short visit to Phoenix. Everything was bilingual in Spanish, too! We were there during snow week which seemed to be much anticipated by people there--which cleared the way for us to play and explore inside since we are from a snowy area anyway. We loved the sound area on the top floor and really loved the flight area and the natural disasters area. There was so much to see we could have spent days and had we been Phoenix natives we would have gotten a pass. The kids loved it!

I enjoyed coming here when I was younger but I retuned here last month. There were a couple of actives that were added. I enjoyed how this place is very interactive for children. Many exhibits were active and it was cool to learn a couple of facts. My group of friends stay there till closing since we were exploring everything. Highly recommend going for fun and for younger children. For sure an all day activity.

Would be a great place if half of the interactive games weren't broken. The poison room was closed , observatory , and plane area. Definitely could have been a better experience knowing these were closed before purchasing considering my group was most excited to see the observatory. There is also no discounts or offers for groups

This place is in disrepair. Many, if not most, of the displays are in need of repair. Most of the exhibits have not changed in decades. The price to get in is robbery for the condition of the facility.

*Missing a star due to some exhibits being closed for repair & bubble area was almost non existent on bubble solution so I ended up filling the crates for my child and the other children because staff was not available. READ ON: I decided to bring my toddler here and while this specific center would be best suited for kids over the age of eight (8) it's also a great exploration world for adults. GOOD THINGS TO KNOW: There are restrooms separating genders on each floor as well as a gift shop on the bottom floor. Stairs and elevators to each level are available. Comfy sandals or tennis-shoes are best for the amount of exploring one will do here. Inside on one of the floors is another area closed off labeled Guinness World records & there is a separate fee to enter/view. (Not worth it for me personally). WHAT THIS CENTER OFFERS: This center has several levels of fun and stretches the science world into many platforms from the human body, earth, spacecrafts, music, weather, etc.. as well as offers kids the ability to utilize their motor skills and critical thinking skills. The bottom floor has an indoor/outdoor space for kids to blow oversized bubbles. The use of tv monitors are widely spread out throughout the center. Some are used for trivia games while others play educational clips. Inside the Az Science center you and your loved ones will learn about the entire human body as there are hands-on pretend-play organs for mannequins. The development of babies from conception to birth is also playing on a screen in a smaller corner for those interested as well as bones and the structure of how they work. Oversized organs like a nose and stomach that play sounds including sneezing, digestion and fart noises are just a few of the silly things kids will love about exploring. One can also learn about the impact of food within the body and are able to identify eating habits by riding a bike locked in place. The user pedals faster and faster to see balls rise inside a tube and the higher they rise, it reveals how much energy it takes to burn off different food choices which can lead to healthier food choices overall. Inside this center is also a floor dedicated to the earth and the effects of wind, rain, tornadoes, volcanoes and all other earthly elements. A child can enter into an enclosed box and experience what it's like to be in a tornado whirlwind. The air circles around them and most kids laugh and enjoy their hair raising into the air so they tend to try this exhibit over and over again. On the very top floor there is various waste and construction materials which teach children how homes are made and the effects on the environmental choices we make when dealing with garbage. Also, available on this floor is a space open to the Phoenix sky that has various musical instruments that teach the effects on air and sound. FINAL IMPRESSION: Overall, this center is a child's hands on dream. The expectation and finality of science and education is amazing and you and your child will leave here in awe. Highly recommending the AZ Science center.

Great Science Center, not sure what all the ruckus is over it being a children's Museum! That's what Science museum's are geared towards, if your wanting a lecture series go to a University! There's enough to keep small kids busy all day and older kids interested for a couple hours. Like with most Science Centers around the US, they do offer add ons ONTOP of the admission price (this is not a new concept). We went durring Snow Week and they had different events and stations set up about SNOW, inside and outside and the kids loved! We did encounter a couple exhibits that were out of order (the Rover wasn't working when it was our turn), after bringing it to the attention to a n employee, it was swiftly fixed and back to working. Overall great time!

Went today with wide and 12yo daughter. Cost was $63, which I guess is okay now these days. Half the exhibits with a printed page saying "404" and the other half had zero context to what we were looking at or doing. Seemed like just a bunch of things to play with without knowing the objective of what the takeaway is. Kids running around and into each other, fighting over available exhibits to play with and disinterested parents treating it all like they are on a playground. A couple staff roaming around seemed like they were trying to make the best out of a terrible situation and hold on to their dreams. Others were just as disinterested as the parents. Everything was dirty but plenty of hand solution around. Use it... Every time.

Their special exhibition of Guinness World Records was incredible, without it I'm not sure I'd score it quite as high though still quite nice. I especially appreciated how interactive everything was. I was surprised that the food options were VERY limited. Though they vending food was actually quite good.

I chaperoned a field trip here with a group of first graders. The kids had an absolute blast. We spent just under 3 hours and it was plenty of time, even with a sack lunch break. The museum is definitely geared towards elementary and middle schoolers. There are tons of interactive exhibits. The kids dashed from exhibit to exhibit and room to room, eager to try everything. The kids loved the ocean sand table, stomach model slide that farted, nose that sneezed, storm simulator, wheelchair races, bubble tables and musical instrument areas. How much science they actually learned is debatable, but they sure had fun. It is a bit confusing to navigate the 4 floors even with the map you pick up at the front desk. After a while, I got the hang of it since the building is not very big. Belatedly I learned there was an elevator after dragging my big backpack full of kids' lunches and water bottles up a huge flight of stairs to level 4 (got my steps in though!). There is a guest elevator on each floor. Don't be confused by the staff elevator, which did not operate for us! One criticism I have is the lack of staff members. It took some time to find someone to ask about the elevator. I also had to search for someone to open the machine that swirls your pocket change when my library card fell into it! In the gift shop, a single sales clerk was overwhelmed by too many in line at once. Two staff members were parked in front of the Guinness world records exhibit, not to help guests but to collect the extra fee. At $8.50 extra each we did not go! Happily, the museum was not overcrowded, even with field trips happening. I saw only our school (3 classes of 1st graders) and 2 other schools at the same time. If an area got crowded, if you waited a few minutes they would clear and the kids could interact with the exhibits. In conclusion, if you have elementary or middle school age kids, definitely go here. High school and above - skip it.

It's a good afternoon of getting out of the house. Visiting the grandkids, it's over a hundred degrees out. Where you going? This is a good choice. Three floors of interesting, somewhat engaging things for all ages. I'm not a scientist so I'm thinking they covered a lot of stuff dealing with science. The brain, energy, environment, weather, body and other science stuff. The whole place is fairly clean being a public space. Gallons of hand sanitizer! Last words...air conditioning.

We have visited the Arizona Science Center a few times now, and we will probably visit a few more. The number of stars I would rate the Arizona Science Center fluctuates depending on the number of exhibits/activities that are in full working order. Even with the upkeep issues, there is still plenty to do. When we visit, the younger two of my children find hours of activities to educate and keep them busy. (My high school age child does feel he is too old for the science center.) Four levels of activities to explore. Astronomy, aviation, the human body, weather... the list goes on. Each area has activities for varying ages. Seeing the center through the eyes of my elementary age child, and through the eyes of my middle school age child, I would say that my middle school age child learns the most. My younger child enjoys the exhibits more for their interactive value. This is a place that has a little something for everyone. The bubble area is always a favorite. This is an outdoor courtyard with multiple bubble tables. Each tub has bubble wands in varying shapes and sizes. The buildings surrounding the courtyard help keep everything and everyone contained. The weather and astronomy areas are two more of my children's favorites. Even my eldest enjoyed the astronomy exhibits. More than planets and stars. Exhibits also focus on the ways we explore space. As for weather, a storm simulator makes the ground quake, winds blow, and even rain. For my youngest, it was exciting to experience all of that indoors. Giftshop is located near where tickets are purchased. Obviously, there are lots of science and nature related items. All kinds of different kits. Snacks and beverages may also be purchased here. Parking can be tricky. When there are events in the area, the closest parking structure can fill up. On those days, the metered street parking usually fills up, too. Partial validation is available for the parking structure closest to the building.

Horrible. Half of the displays are broken. The rest outdated. Also they removed the one thing my kids asked for the bubble zone. Come on a day with field trips and it's absolute torture. Never coming back

We love the science center. There is so much to do so many things to see. I recommend you to take your time and not try to rush through everything so you can enjoy and experience what's most interesting to you. Also I highly recommend you purchase tickets to watch a movie/show at the dorrance planetarium.

WHAT A JOKE!! $57 for two people and we were done in 20 minutes. Everything is old and interactive. It needs a huge update. I can't believe this is coming out of Phoenix and it was actually recommended on a YouTube video within 20 things to do in Phoenix. If you have children that are young enough to cheaply entertain. Maybe I would take them. It needs a serious remodel. I found the staff to be unfriendly and robot like. A huge disappointment. Don't waste your time

Not just for kids! Arizona Science Center houses one of the largest planetariums in the United States. There is a giant screen theatre that shows documentaries about wildlife, space, oceans, and other interesting things. The W.O.N.D.E.R. Center is one of their permanent galleries. If your interested in the brain you can examine its anatomy, neuroscience and development with a touchable brain model. It simulates the size, weight and texture of a real brain! Try the Lasers & Liquor nights when it re-opens (currently suspended due to Covid). There is a digital gallery, where you can discover modern and past technologies! We really enjoyed the Art & Science of Arachnids exhibit...now thru January 2022. There are 3 themed cubes which hold 100 live arachnids. Arachnids (class Arachnida) are an arthropod group that includes spiders, daddy longlegs, scorpions, mites, and ticks as well as lesser-known subgroups. Lots of cool things to see, touch and experience!

There are not a lot of things to do and it's pretty dirty. A lot of broken exhibits or exhibits that are out of order. We paid extra for the ocean exhibit which was not worth the money, not very interactive. Everything is pretty underwhelming for the price of admission.

Great interactive museum. No matter your age you will learn something. There are four floors so make sure you get there early enough to experience all floors. Staff was great and willing to teach you anything extra that they could. Employee stayed after to show us the static electric exhibit. Great time for all ages.

We received a membership for free from Doug Duceys program. Although we enjoyed each visit so much I definitely wouldn't renew my pass. I would say about 85% of the exhibits have been around since I was going on school field trips in the mid 90s. Those outdated exhibits also only work about 50% of the time. My 4year old always had fun and Wouldn't know the difference but save your money and go to another museum.

On our last day in Phoenix, we ventured back to this area. This time for the Arizona Science Center. We arrived on a weekday to find plenty of metered parking. There is also a parking garage nearby. My husband ended up reparking and getting science center validation. He noted that it would have been more worth it to pay for metered parking, repark, etc. There were a swarm of school children outside by the time we arrived around 10am. By the time we parked, they had all disappeared inside. Seems like the open time of 10:30am is a bit fuzzy. We were 4 adults and 2 toddlers. Children 3 and under are free. Adults are $21.95. As I am writing this, I realize there is actually a senior discount at $19.95, which one is unable to buy online unfortunately. I didn't pay as close attention when buying so something to keep in mind if you're traveling with seniors. The science center was interesting. Different themes for each floor/room. I think for toddlers 3 and under, it is not the most age appropriate place. The themes are much too complex to understand and grasp. Our girls enjoyed a few things here and there and quickly lost interest. Overall, a disappointing experience for having paid the adult fee for a lackluster toddler experience.

AZ Science Center is located in the middle of downtown Phoenix, near Phoenix Children's Museum. We love this place b/c it was spacious and usually not very crowded. They offer fun and live science experiments and up-to-date tech demonstrations. There's also a unique planetarium. The downside of this place is that they do not offer food inside the facility. Several years ago they had a cafe however, now it's gone. You might have options to get some snacks from the vendor's machine, personally, I would recommend bringing a lunch box or snacks with utensils.

I have such childhood nostalgia for the AZ Science Center - but what I remember from 20 years ago didn't seem as great as it did back then. The Science Center desperately needs a facelift. So many of the exhibits and interactive features didn't work, were broken or were badly damaged. There didn't feel like there was a lot of fluidity to the exhibits, nothing seemed joined together. There could have been better signage to distinguished what was where. I'm glad I came for a work event because I don't think it would have been worth the money.

Went to the Dorrance Planetarium to see BEAUTIFICA. Total wast of time. It is preachy. "Love is all you need" "Feel the gratitude" "kindness takes courage" etc All It is basically is an hours worth of computer generated images with no Rhyme or Reason. A 'screen saver' show with no segway into the next computer generated image that floats over the screen. After 30 minutes of these weird images coupled with the peachy new age commentary, it's enough to ask yourself, " why didn't we just spend all that money on a beautiful dinner out?"

lots of things not working. the craft was out of main building and instructions not clear about that: movie not at all appropriate for 4 year old but, when we paid no one told us that. was ok but, not really for small children.

Super fun way to enjoy a science center with your Friends and family. My favorite exhibit was the Brain Waves Game.

As science museums go, this one is a bit lacking in content despite the large size. Many of the exhibits looked pretty dated, and there were a lot of elements that were broken or not working properly. That said, my kids had fun and I was happy their air conditioning works well.

Overall this was a pretty fun experience for myself, my girlfriend and my son. There were. Ton of exhibits and interactive fun activities for us all today and we stayed busy for about two hours including the "Surival of the slowest" exhibit where we were able to pet some snakes and feed the tortoises. They had a cool fire display which was really neat. A recommendation I had is to maintain the exhibits more. A lot of stuff was broken and didn't look like it was attended to in quite a while.

I thought there might be some excitement for adults, but not enough to go without kids. We maybe enjoyed watching the other kids at the forces of nature display and the face and stomach displays were nice. Everything else was mostly kid related or cost extra. For $20, it was fine, but bring your kids.