Tempe History Museum

This was a wonderful place. There is so much to see that I can't wait to go back. The staff are great people and full of helpful knowledge. Excellent nearby parking. Museum is FREE, FREE, FREE as of 6/21/2025.

This small museum has a cool exhibit on Tempe's Old West days, with old clothes, tools, and toys that show how fast the town grew. The rest of the museum covers everything from culture and film to desert living and ASU history, with fun interactive stuff for kids, free admission, and a gift shop full of unique finds.

This small museum is currently exhibiting Tempe's Old West history, and I found it very interesting to read about how quickly the town changed and spread. Included in the exhibit are pieces of clothing, tools, and toys from this boomtown era. The rest of the museum has displays from an ethnic standpoint to the movie industry to sustainability in the desert to ASU history. One corner has a truck, books, and costumes so that kids can get hands-on. Admission is free, and the museum shop has lots of unique gift items. Bonus: the Tempe Public Library is right next door

A small but enjoyable and free museum for all ages. We went to see the signs exhibit, and it was pretty cool seeing signs that used to hang all around Tempe, including some historic. Other exhibits included a timeline with artifacts over the decades of Tempe, historic vehicles, and also historic photos and concept art. There was even a section dedicated to Tempe’s appearances in movies.

A really small, but enjoyable history museum focusing on the founding and history of Tempe. Admission is free and there is a lot of information to read and learn, as well as interactive exhibits for the younger visitors. Parking is also plentiful and close by. It is very small, as mentioned, so I left with many unanswered questions, but I can’t complain too much considering it’s free admission. However, if there was a charge to enter I don’t feel it would be worth it.

Very nice museum interesting fun facts about the history of Tempe. The exhibits feature some different displays of ancient history and Native American history. The displays also feature modern history of the city, buildings, local favorites eateries and business. It’s a great place for families.

This is always a great place to walk & talk with a friend or just spend some time alone. It's a small place but always has interesting exhibits going on. We went today for the "Tempe Signs" exhibit ... it was a fun blast from the past. 😀 We also walked through the room to see the areas, including "Campus Corner", showcasing ASU and the local music scene (so many flyers & ads of the bands we used to see). Admission is free but be kind and drop a fiver (or more) in the donation box. 😉 They have a good selection of gifts & trinkets at the entrance/exit. I've even bought a couple very nice t-shirts with throwback graphics.

I had a really fun time! I've lived in tempe for 9 years and I was really familiar with a lot of the places described ... I loved the interactive screen of all the historic locations! Please visit it's free

This small museum is currently exhibiting Tempe's Old West history, and I found it very interesting to read about how quickly the town changed and spread. Included in the exhibit are pieces of clothing, tools, and toys from this boomtown era. The rest of the museum has displays from an ethnic standpoint to the movie industry to sustainability in the desert to ASU history. One corner has a truck, books, and costumes so that kids can get hands-on. Admission is free, and the museum shop has lots of unique gift items. Bonus: the Tempe Public Library is right next door

I have been coming here for 20 + years as our go-to library is just next door. The museum is relatively small. It has different exhibits throughout the year and includes interesting fun facts about the history of Tempe. The exhibits feature some different displays of ancient history and Native American history. The displays feature a modern history of the city, buildings, local favorite eateries, and businesses. It's a great place for people and families of all ages. Admission is free but be kind and drop some money in the donation box. There is also a little shop that has a good selection of gifts & trinkets at the entrance/exit

Friends and I went to the kickoff of the history museum's Fall 2024 exhibit, Wild West Tempe. The friendly, knowledge staff was quick to share stories of Tempe's past. It is not a large museum, but it is a definitely a quality one. If you love learning about the history of The Valley of the Sun and specially the town of Tempe, you will find a stop here worthwhile. It also has several children's educational play areas too if your bring your child or grandchild.

Tempe is my hometown and I am embarrassed to say that I have never been here. Even after all those years of checking out books at the nearby library. But I am happy that I finally discovered this place. Tempe History Museum was founded by Tempe Historical Society in 1972 and is now operated by the city of Tempe. The cool thing about this museum is that admission is free! Here at Tempe History Museum you can learn about Tempe's rich past history and how the city has grown to be what it is today. There are old exhibits, photographs, and artifacts that you can look at. There are also events that you can attend. I spent all my years growing up at Tempe public schools. I graduated from Arizona State University and have seen all the growth and changes this city has gone through. I still remember the day that they first started filling up Tempe Town Lake in 1997. I haven't lived in Tempe in quite some time, but still enjoy dining and attending sporting events here. The museum has a fun exhibit that shows the old uniforms from ASU's early days. Things have changed so much since they were called Tempe Normal School. What brought me to Tempe History Museum was their most recent "Tempe Signs" limited exhibit. I'm a big foodie and have ate and drank at many of Tempe's restaurants and bars over the past few decades. Monti's, House of Tricks, Rúla Búla, Macayo's Depot Cantina - it was fun seeing all these old signs of my favorite hangout spots that are now closed. My parents banked at Valley National Bank and that sign brought back old memories. Tempe History Museum has hosted other limited exhibits like "Trains of Tempe" and "Legend City". If you can't visit Tempe History Museum, check out their website and watch their YouTube channel or listen to their Spotify playlist. Tempe History Museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and on holidays.

A great little museum that's in the same location as the Tempe library (next door building). They have different exhibits quarterly or a few times a year and they're always interesting. Admission is free and it's open Tuesday through Saturdays 10-5. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Currently there's an exhibit on the Old West and it's full of nifty artifacts and memorabilias from the past. A great way for kids to learn by seeing actual historical items and reading and the experiences of people in the past. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the place is clean. It's sad but the outdoors little park/walkways area sometimes have a few homeless people who slept on the benches overnight, but they keep to themselves and don't bother anyone. The museum also has several permanent exhibits about life in AZ, like how to survive the desert (water usage and conservation) and there's a college town section about ASU with a campus corner. Overall, we love coming to this little museum when we visit this area and discovering what new things they've put up that my kids and we can learn about. There's always something new to learn after all. Always learning.

Tempe History Museum is located near the Tempe Library. The same parking lots may be used for the museum as for the library. The buildings are separated by a paved outdoor corridor. Admission to the Tempe History Museum is paid at a donation drop box at the beginning of the museum floor. The museum packs a lot into a small space. This is done without making the area look crowded. High ceilings help make the space feel light and open. There is so much information about Tempe. Everything from the city's early days until today. Walk around and look at all the visuals. Each has a blurb of information. The visuals are impactful enough that even littles who don't want to wait for the explanations will get something. This museum does a good job of trying to be interesting to everyone. Speaking of littles, this museum is very child friendly. There is a toddler corner. Two different vehicles may be climbed on. Put on a performance. Easy costumes and a velvet curtain put children's imagination center stage. There is even a pint-sized football arena. There is a small giftshop area located in the lobby. Giftshop merchandise is primarily desert themed items. There are some items that are Tempe specific. Profits help support the museum.

A really small, but enjoyable history museum focusing on the founding and history of Tempe. Admission is free and there is a lot of information to read and learn, as well as interactive exhibits for the younger visitors. Parking is also plentiful and close by. It is very small, as mentioned, so I left with many unanswered questions, but I can't complain too much considering it's free admission. However, if there was a charge to enter I don't feel it would be worth it.

Moseyed here after visiting the Tempe Public Library next door, and was surprised to find this gem. Learn about Tempe, from the Hohokam people, later settlers, canals and waterworks (woo urban planning), ASU, what it is today, and more. I pleasantly surprised to see the Humans of Tempe exhibit, which highlighted some diversity I didn't know was present in the area. There is also a small interactive section for kids to play in, if your little ones get distracted. If you're setting up your library card, stop on by! If you're bored on weekend, stop on by! If you want to learn more about Tempe, stop on by!

Free and quick museum with a tiny gift shop as well! Great for kids and adults alike. I went for about 35 minutes and did some basic learning about my new town, Tempe! There's information about the founding of the town, the ancient culture of the Hohokam people, ASU, and present-day living. Here are some fun facts: 1- the ancient culture that existed in Arizona for 1000 years was the Hohokam. Their descendants today are the Papago and the Pima ppl. They built the largest irrigation system in prehistoric North America with only digging sticks and baskets. 2- they left bc of droughts, floods, warfare, and social conflicts in the 1300s. 3- casa grande was a major Hohokam settlement, but abandoned in 1450. 4- Tempe was so green and lush that it was named after a beautiful Greek valley. 5- Tempe was an ideal crossing point on the river so there was a constant stream of freight wagons moving goods. 6-alfalfa was the leading crop. 7- Charles Hayden built the first flour mill in 1874 and a ferry boat, aka Hayden's ferry today. 8- Roosevelt Dam was the network of dams and reservoirs, today known as SRP. 9- Mill Avenue is Tempe's first paved street in 1919, named after Winchester Miller, Tempe's first constable. 10- ASU was initially a cow pasture and its color is gold to represent treasure and sunshine.

Great little museum full of awesome Tempe 'blast from the past' memorabilia and fun facts! Donations encouraged. Can spend hours if you really are curious!

Good place to go in the summertime if you are in the area and have an hour to spare. It's free and there is semi-covered parking (solar panels). I was surprised they had a fairly large section of the museum dedicated to Cesar Chavez and migrant workers. That's something you don't necessarily think of and perhaps take for granted. There's some fun things for the kids to keep their attention for a few minutes. Well done! I will be back.

Local history buffs unite at the Valley's best kept touristy secret: the Tempe History Museum! Off the beaten path in central-ish Tempe, next to a library is a small building that houses A LOT of history- enough to tickle your fancy for a few hours or so. It's technically free admission, but they ask for donations. Give a little of your money to support a great local cause. It is a self-guided, quite interactive tour that has about 5 key areas about the history of Tempe, ASU, the Valley and Arizona in general. If I wasn't with friends I probably would've read thru every item, every page. It is really neat to see how this city where I live has developed immensely in the last 30/60/90 years. The newest exhibit is on Humans of Tempe, which I hope they continue with in the future.

I adore this museum. I remember visiting back in 2008 or so when they had an exhibit celebrating the history of Muslims in Tempe. And since then, I've been to several events hosted in their meeting room, which is a lovely space and perfect for after hour events. It's not a large museum by any means, but it's filled with different exhibits and fun things for kids too. When I visited today, they had the Trains of Tempe exhibit, ASU history, and more about community members and advisory councils. The best part about this place is that I feel it truly embraces the diversity of Tempe and celebrates its rich history. Dan is such a kind gentleman and is always so warm and accommodating. There is a lot of parking as it is located in the same plaza as the library and two community centers.

I love this place small yet effervescent. They have a great photo post card stand. Free community history museum with several rotating exhibits per year and lots of events during the year. They have plenty of hands on activities for kids of all ages. Before or after you can visit the Library and Cafe next door.

An absolute gem of a history museum, tiny (you can get through the museum in about 30 minutes) but packed with lots of information and sights. They have a small gift shop where I found some really cute trinkets to bring home. Friendly staff. They hosted Archives Summit (for those working in archives, libraries, etc. to have a small conference). Offered a very nice space, friendly staff to help with anything needed, and overall this was a great experience. Stop in!

Excellent museum on the history of Tempe, stretching back to the Hohokam. The museum is free and the exhibits are all really well done. Not too text-heavy and very interactive which is good if you have small children. Being new to the area, and with Phoenix lacking a museum of its own, I found this museum to fill the niche. I enjoyed the pull out drawers, and the Jan Young exhibit from the 70s. I didn't get to read everything so I'll be back again. There was also an Indian cultural event going on at the time of my visit which looked interesting.

Found the exhibits to be very educational. Will be back again next year. Need to add something for John McCain.

I didn't think the Tempe Historical Museum would be that interesting. After all, let's face it, Tempe isn't that interesting. Yet, through dioramas, photographs, and filmed recreations, the museum does an excellent job of relating the story of Tempe and the various battles over land, water, and development the city has faced. OK, the movies are a little forced. You know the kind of films where people talk about current events as if they were talking to complete imbeciles. It would be like if today I said, "Hey Joe, you hear about the war in Iraq?" But maybe I'm the only one that kind of stuff really bothers. And aside from those moments, I was really interested in the exhibits here. It really does a good job at explaining how Tempe changed and became what it is today. Most local museums I find trying, but this one put forth a really good effort. For the free admission, it can't hurt to spend half-an-hour to learn a little about the local history.

This museum is really interesting for adults and super fun for kids. We spent two and a half hours here, which is a long time to hold the attention of my three kids, especially with how small it is! It was very interactive and they had a very large play area for kids with lots of cool things to do, including a farm truck with crates, play food, and a place to "plant" and "harvest" the food, some dress up clothes, and a small stage with curtains and theatre seating so the kids could put on a show. A highlight is the music area that showcases the history of local musicians, it is also very interactive. And to top it all off, it's completely free! We all had a blast.

Saw the Dry River Yacht Club band there...didnt even know there was an ampitheater next door, great stage room and i belive it was a free concert...I couldnt find the bar and a glass of wine would have made it perfect.

Small and interesting place. A lot of very interesting video material let us know more stories. Funny.

People don't know what they are missing if they haven't visited this museum. Not only does it have a good selection of exhibits with interactive elements but it also has a ton of events for adults on evenings, weekends and summer programs for kids/families. All free!

I like the displays they have here, things I never knew about my home town. I have always been to the library but it was about time that I came here. Hopefully I can start volunteering here, looks fun!

So a friend dragged me here to see the Tempe Sound exhibit that shows guitars that various hometown heroes and favorite sons in the Tempe local music scene played. Featured are artists like Hans Olson, Walt Richardson, Gin Blossoms, The Refreshments, etc. There's even a life size evil-looking mannequin of a St. Madness member that I saw a number of rugrats run up to and then run screaming away from. LOL. There was also a synthetic drum set up so you can put on headphones and pound away to your heart's content - which was probably the most popular part of the exhibit with the kids. Afterwards I took a quick look at the regular exhibits. There are a few interactive things you can do on a computer like take a photo of yourself and turn it into a mosaic made from photos of all the folks that did the same thing before you. There's also a virtual "Greetings From Tempe" postcard you can make with your photo and send it to yourself by email. Also going on at the same time was a lego exhibition by Cactus Brick featuring a giant train set, giant castle, and pretty much every space vehicle in the Star Wars series. Right at the entrance there's all sorts of stuff for sale mostly related to either Tempe or the museum exhibits. That day we went there was also a concert event called LOUD IV - featuring the Salt River Brass Quartet, The Stu Siefer Combo, and Bad Cactus Brass Band. There were also a few food trucks: Bang Bang Dumplings, Sweet Magnolias Smokehouse BBQ and Paletas Betty. Didn't try the other trucks but I just HAD to have a Strawberry Cream paleta. Salt River Brass Quartet played first and played a wide range of material - jazz, classical and even pop pieces like their rendition of Pharrell Williams' "Happy" as well as Muse's "Supermassive Black Hole." Stu Siefer's Combo played more straight ahead traditional jazz standards. We didn't stay past that but a good time was had by all. I'll definitely come back for another event like this. Plenty of parking and it's free. Even though it usually closes at 5pm the museum building stayed open longer for the event.

I didn't get to check out many of the displays, but there is a nice play area for kids in the back. It's not huge, but it's a free air conditioned place to play that's not McDonalds! The staff were very nice. Lots of dress up clothes for the kids, a produce truck to drive, a "stage" for putting on plays, and a mini arena for playing with big soft blocks. You can easily spend an hour here with a preschooler. If they get bored, take them to the play area in the library that is just across the plaza. My son enjoyed the model trains and the antique fire truck.