Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden is a wonderful place to take the whole family. Trails loop through Sonoran Desert exhibits featuring the beautiful flora of the American Southwest. Choose different loop trails to see and learn about different plants and people of the desert. Every trail is an outdoor adventure; if you have small children and don't want to walk very far, choose the short Center for Desert Living loop with its Herb Garden exhibit or visit the central Heritage Garden.
The Arizona Science Center will delight people of all ages, whether you're traveling with your small children, a group of teens, or your best friends. Every day the museum puts on demonstrations in its various wings, highlighting information about DNA, paleontology, starfish, and more. The permanent exhibits focus on exciting topics like digital communication, renewable energy, and Earth's weather.
The artists in your family will get a kick out of the Musical Instrument Museum. This gigantic instrument collection shows you instruments from around the world. The museum offers a look at how professionals restore antique instruments, and has an interactive Experience Gallery where you can actually play instruments from around the world. Kids especially love the Experience Gallery! Be sure to check out the museum's concert series so you don't miss any fantastic music.
Walk through history when you visit Phoenix's Heritage Square. The square sits on block 14 of the original city, and showcases some of the best parts of 1800s Phoenix. The Rosson House Museum is the square's biggest attraction; it's a restored historic house dating back to 1895. Take a tour and learn more about life in Phoenix at the turn of the last century. Heritage Square also features events year-round. Plus, you can visit Handcrafted, an immersive historic experience where you can get your hands dirty crafting things inspired by a time before electricity.