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Arizona Science Center
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
22 reviews for Arizona Science Center
I am a big fan of hands on science-y things. I used to volunteer at San Jose's Tech Museum of innovation (check it out!) every week for 2 years and I was never bored. So when yelp told me there was a hands on science place in Arizona, I had to go.
Pros -
1. It's big! It has 4 floors and about 4-5 galleries.
2. It's very interactive. Somehow, they manage to make sure each exhibit has a button you can press or a panel you can lift.
3. Kid friendly. Bring your kids. But not the bratty ones. Those can stay at home.
4. Variety. It had a gallery on construction, a Lego gallery, one of the sun, and some psych related stuff! =)
Cons -
1. Parking. It's either expensive meters or the parking garage (go for the garage and get your ticket validated)
2. It's not expensive, but it's not super cheap. I think it was $12/adult, which is alriiight.
Overall, it's a good place to explore, but once is good enough for me.
We went for Adults' Night Out. They have it every First Friday from 5:30-9. It's free and there are no kids. Woo hoo! It was fun getting to play with everything without having to be the nice mature adult and let the kids at it first. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try this out when there was alcohol and apps, but we still had a great time. The weather area was pretty cool and they have a Lego play area right now for that small exhibit . The dancing metal shavings were awesome. I want one of those things! The lecture is free, but the planetarium is not.
There's a light rail stop a couple of blocks west of the Science Center if your riding t west if you don't want to drive here and look for parking.
Wow , this place has just revamped many of their exhibits and boy are they fun. It is time to get busy and learn science principles at the same time. From the new exhibit Digital world, to Forces of Nature and the Planetarium , the Science Center is packed with hands on displays for kids of all ages to explore. You have to try the bed of nails!! Really a bed of nails.
I just spent the evening a free teacher's workshop to learn more about what the museum has to offer and it seems like they have more than ever to explore. Teachers if you go to the workshop you can get a free teacher's membership for the year! Sweet Deal.
The Planetarium just upgraded to a special screen that is state of the art and is found only in 4 other places in the world. You can observe galaxies, planets, learn about the position of stars in the night sky .It was very impressive. They also have an Imax theater with several choices of movies. And for you Trekkies out there , they just opened up a Trekkie exhibit. Live Long and Prosper!
A recurring theme of my childhood was "DON'T TOUCH THAT!" "PUT THAT DOWN RIGHT NOW" and "SO HELP ME, I WILL RIP OFF YOUR LITTLE ARMS AND LEGS". Ok, that last one might not be totally related, but clearly, I'm scarred. For some reason as soon as you tell me not to touch something, I'm all "TOUCHY TOUCHY TOUCHY!" and that does not work in most museums! They get really pissy if you reach for the Mona Lisa.
So the Arizona Science Center is PERFECT for those who share my tactile proclivities. YOU CAN TOUCH EVERYTHING! For those who are germ phobic, plenty of hand sanitizing stations to keep you clean.
We spent about 4 hours, you could go longer with older children, but if you have toddlers that might be your max. You can leave and come back with the wristband, in spring or fall it would be perfect to go in the AM, have a picnic, and then come back for additional visits.
The Planetarium and the IMAX, as well special exhibits like the Star Trek the Exhibition. We paid extra for the IMAX and Star Trek, but decided we didn't have time for the Planetarium. That is on my must go back for list. The Star Trek exhibit was good - but I'm a geek, so I wouldn't recommend it for a non-Trekkie. I thought it was well worth it. The IMAX was also great - my mom loved it since it was about Santorini, Greece, and she's been there.
But the highlight for me were the hands on exhibits. All of them were great - and I actually learned some stuff! I could go on and on about each of them, but I really think if you like cool stuff, touching things (THINGS, NOT PEOPLE) and have a sense of adventure and wonder, you would really enjoy a day here.
Note: Until April 2010 you can get up to 4 free admissions with the Culture Pass, I think those are only good for the general admission, I doubt it includes the special parts, but still a great deal!
Great for kids due to the interactive qualities of the exhibits. My niece and nephew really enjoyed the Gross Human Body exhibit (or something like that). As an adult, I really liked the IMAX movie regarding the rivers of the Grand Canyon. I tried watching 3-D once when I was younger, and I was not able to experience the depth perception then. Guess the new toric contact lenses have greatly improved my eyesight!
I recently received a calendar of upcoming events, and while I was not able to partake in the center's previous events due to the child-friendliness of said events, I am looking forward to the Adults' Night Out and Science Cafe features.
I took my five year old here this Sunday. Our favorite room was the music room. She was too small for the flight simulator on the first floor but we both wanted to try that.
To be honest, we were both bored after an hour. I think she was too young and the few things we thought were cool were small exhibits and not the hugely promoted events.
I saw a ten year old and a young teenager and they were having a blast though. Maybe when she is older, she will be able to appreciate it more.
What the hell happened to beer and wine and free appetizers at Adults' Night Out?!! Although I didn't always partake, it was nice to know it was there if I needed it.
Adults' Night Out is offered the first Friday night of each month after closing. It's free to visit the exhibits and attend a lecture. There's also an IMAX showing or Planetarium presentation that you pay extra for. And the best part-it's child free!!!!!
This last week was the first time my husband and visited the new Dorrance Planetarium. It's state-of-the-art and a great show. Neal was our presenter, and I have to say, he is absolutely hilarious. Although we did watch a recorded film on black holes, part of the presentation was history and stories related to various constellations. Neal catered the lecture somewhat to the fact it was Adults' Night, and there was some more adult material. I felt like I was at a comedy show with special effects.
Now, if only they can do something about the beverage situation.
I've been here a few times and went again last night for Adults' Night Out. I thought the weather exhibit was pretty cool, except for the rain part. I mean, it was Friday night and MY HAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good thing I picked up The New Times to cover my head with.
I also went for Body World about a year an a half ago.
I love the set-up of the museum. It's easy to navigate. The people who work there *really* dig their jobs. I ran into the projectionist after the exhibit at the Rose and Crown. He seemed pretty happy!
I live so close, I should get a membership, but I'm afraid of commitment.
I enjoy the science museum. Interactive fun is always the best way to learn, but i always feel as if their can be more exhibits and better use of space. Maybe its the architecture but it just feels as if the place is bare. What they do have is interesting and really may depend on the specific exhibits that are showcased on how much you enjoy it.
The AZ Science center is great for kids which is why Adult's Night Out is twice as good!
I checked out the science center at last nights first Friday of the month "adults only night". Not only was admission free but they validated out parking making it free as well. We were able to check out all of the exhibits with little or no wait and with adults only it was much less hectic than on a regular day.
Did the general admission pass at the Arizona Science Center + the Black Holes show at Dorrance Planetarium with my little brother earlier this afternoon. General admission exhibitions were pretty neat - four floors filled with interactive learning exercises for kids, although I must admit I did learn a few things myself. He's almost 8 and he enjoyed maybe 60-70% of them. Some weren't working, and the rest were 'kind of lame' (for younger kids).
The black hole show in the planetarium was very cool. First half was basically a documentary narrated by John de Lancie (Q from Star Trek) with really interesting facts and amazing graphics. Second half was hosted by one of the local astronomers - very funny guy - who basically broke down the night sky and all the constellations for us, and threw in quite a few fascinating myths and legends of various cultures. Worth checking out.
Oh, also learned a new word I've just got to share: "spaghettification". Technically, it describes how you would be stretched like spaghetti should you ever find yourself passing within a black hole's event horizon (not recommended). But I've been secretly brainstorming other uses for it all day.
i think the arizona science center is pretty cool.
i've only been here a few times...and unless something really really cool is going on..i will not make it a point to come back often. but it's cool factor is high enough to give it 4 stars instead of just give it 3.
this place is seriously allot better with a beer in your hand. trust me.
The first time I took my son to the Science Center, he enjoyed it so much that I decided it was more than worth it to buy us a membership. It has proven to be a great decision, because there is almost always something that's fun for us to go see to kill an afternoon. There's usually an exhibit worth peeking at, or a new IMAX movie.
The static part of the museum is really nothing major. It's fun the first time around, but then once you've seen it all, there's not much to go back for besides the play room and the dancing magnets (http://www.youtube.com... which by the way have totally hijacked that song at the start, in my mind. It cracks me up and I could watch it for ages).
Today we saw the Titanic and Dinosaur exhibits. The Titanic was really pretty interesting. Tons of actual artifacts and recreations of various rooms. The weirdest thing to me though was the recreation of an iceberg. Anyone here not know what ice looks like? Anyway, it was fun and something pretty neat to see. And did you know that all the items that are down there have actually had their chemical makeup changed by the pressure and lack of oxygen down there? And that they'll fall apart or even explode if simply brought up to surface? Well I didn't, so I consider the afternoon a success, having learned something new.
Two of the more interesting bits of the exhibit: the "boarding passes" that we were given with names of real passengers (of course I was in first class). At the end of the exhibit, there is a wall with the names of all passengers and whether or not the survived. My son survived, the traveling companions listed on my pass survived, but alas, I succumbed to the cold waters of the Atlantic that night. Also, there was a lady all dressed up "in character", sitting on a bench reading a book. I think I want that job even more than I want Gabi's job.
The dinosaur exhibit was... well kinda lame. Big dinosaur robot things that sort of jiggled and swayed around. We were naughty and touched one, and it kind of gave me the creeps.
My kid's review: "The Science Center is good for families, but after you go there once, you don't really know what else to do besides go to whatever special they're having. The Titanic was really good. Science Center gets 4 stars. Titanic gets 5 stars"
The Arizona Science Center offers a series of programs called adult's night out which are held the first Friday of every month. These lectures cover focused overviews on topics ranging from Genetics and Nanotechnology to Native American medicinal utilization of native plants found in the Southwest.
There is always interesting science or engineering content but the value and interest of the talks is essentially the somewhat direct non-mass-media poisoned or dumbed down views of the individual speakers themselves. While I would attend the talks regardless I have found additional value in the evening because of the extended hours that the science center offers which allows you to catch an IMAX film and see the latest flavor of exhibit (Body Worlds, Titanic, etc.) after the lecture.
I would have loved to have given the Science Center 4 stars but I am constantly annoyed by the science center's staff inability to get one of the three microphones set up correct for the speakers ahead of time causing a speaker to waste 5-10 minutes every month.
Beer and wine are available for purchase during the event. The adult's night out lectures are free, normal planetarium, IMAX, and special exhibit prices still apply.
Arizona Science Center Web Site:
http://www.azscience.org
Adult's Night Out:
http://www.azscience.o...
I will not tell a lie. I went for Adult's night because libations were to be served. Well they lied, their was not any "ADULT" type drinks. I wanted to see the Planetarium show but we missed it. Thats the only thing I would come back for period. The best thing was the "Weather Demo" it cooled me off and made me hot at the same time almost like an x love and the worst part is you will never get the time you spend here back. I'd say if you have a toddler they would enjoy the AZ Science Center that is all.
My friends and I went from drinking at The Roosevelt to coming to a really interesting, non-alarmist but still blunt and realistic lecture on the current state of Arizona's water resources here at the Arizona Science Center for their "Adults' Night Out" lecture series. I had no idea they even had something like this, since the only time I came here before was for the BodyWorlds exhibit (along with half of the state).
The Adults' Night Out lecture series is free and afterwards you can stay for the IMAX film or a presentation at the planetarium (at an extra charge). They also will kick off a free series of monthly events relating to global climate change, as well as having monthly science cafes where a social scientist and a physical scientist will give their viewpoints on a particular topic while taking in viewpoints from all the attendees as well.
I think all this is pretty cool, and I'll admit that I'm a geek. Although a dormant geek because I never equated Arizona (and Phoenix in particular) with anything geeky before. It's like the reawakening of the "3-2-1 Contact" addict inside me.
Since these lectures are at 7, it's easy to go to one and then hit First Friday, if you wanted to (we opted for waffles and drinks instead). Although I'd recommend not drinking beforehand. Just sayin'.
Now if only their planetarium did "Dark Side of the Moon." That would be cool beans, man.
I gave this 1 more star than it really deserves because I could sit and stare at the dancing magnet shavings for hours as well. =) My bf had to tear me away or else we wouldn't have time to see the rest of the museum!
I'm from the CA Bay Area and we have pretty darn impressive museums in SF, so what made me want to see one in Phoenix? One word: Forensics. They had a "CSI" type of exhibit, and although I'm not a fan of the show, I thought it'd be cool to go since I'm so enthusiastic about forensic science. I was quite disappointed perhaps because they had everything that I already knew (life cycle of a blow fly), stages of decay, etc. But also because it was quite small in size. For the kids it was pretty awesome with all the maggots and bugs, and if you're a fan of the show, maybe. *It's gone now though. i didn't join Yelp until recently*
I must say that they utilized as much space as they could with 3 stories. My bf and I had a blast at the different exhibits, especially the Physics themed one with pulleys and puzzles. Other than that, I think I wouldn't go back unless they had some cool new exhibit.
Given its location, I think the residents of Phoenix might enjoy one visit to the Science Center just to see what it's about...
For tourists, I'd suggest going to a different museum.
PROS: Fun exhibits, good for kids/teens
CONS: Small, once you go, you've seen it all, not worth going again unless something spectacular is happening.
I saw the Titanic Exhibit here on a Saturday morning. It was a fantastic experience which I highly recommend for everyone. But as we walked through it, and especially as I saw all the wide-eyed kids captivated by what they were seeing, it saddened me that a huge number of Phoenician families simply can't afford the tickets. $20 for adults, $15 for kids as young as 3. Do they really need to charge 15 bucks for a 3 or 4 year old to see this with parents? Come on. The exhibit took us about 90 minutes to complete. I'm docking two stars just because of the price, which is shameful for a so-called nonprofit to be charging the public.
Price aside, the exhibit is wonderful. It's in Phoenix until May 4, 2008. To avoid standing in line, I recommend buying tickets on-line as we did, though there is a fee for that.
You start off by being handed a somewhat cheesy "ticket" of one actual passenger who traveled on the Titanic, with some basic information about him or her. The exhibit wants to put you in the actual shoes of that person as you walk through, which I thought was effective. Only at the end of the exhibit do you find out whether your passenger survived the sinking or not.
I chuckled at the passenger I was assigned to, who was a prominent Frenchman traveling to Montreal, Quebec for the purpose of designing a bust of the then Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Wilfred Laurier. Of course I felt a personal connection to Monsieur Chevre, as a former Canadian Prime Minister and Montrealer myself. My companion was assigned a 21-year old Englishwoman who had bought a 2nd class ticket, and was traveling with family to New York for her wedding to an American.
The exhibit is designed to be a comprehensive lesson on the Titanic. It sheds light on how artifacts were discovered and retrieved from the ocean, the design and building of the ship, what the interior rooms looked like for 1st class and 3rd class passengers, lifestyle and daily routines on the deck, and finally the collision with an iceberg and sinking of the ship. Over 1500 dead, out of over 2000.
Hundreds of artifacts are on display, from personal items, to fine cutlery, to a door taken from the ship. The one that struck me the most was an old uniform top that still had its owner's faded name, "Broom", on it. Mr Broom was a first class steward who perished with the ship. All of the artifacts bring to life a snapshot of the world as it was in April of 1912. Even if you're not interested in the Titanic itself (and I am not), anyone who enjoys history would enjoy this.
There was a guy dressed up as a passenger there who, to my amazement, either had an incredibly impressive fake Irish accent (and I fancy myself as pretty good at detecting fake accents), or he was actually an Irishman. I decided not to ask him directly because answering me would require him to step out of character. He was somewhat knowledgeable about the ship, as I found out by asking him about the decision to have only 20 lifeboats instead of the 32 that could have saved every passenger on board. The cut was essentially made for the sake of having a nice view from the deck. Nice work, ship designers.
I will say that the analytical lawyer side of me was slightly disappointed by not seeing much that focused on the factors that caused the ship to hit an iceberg and sink. There are exhibits telling the basic story, but I was left wanting just a bit more. Still, by the time we reached the end and excitedly looked up our Frenchman and Englishwoman on the manifest to see if they lived or died, we were delighted to have finally seen this exhibit. We cracked up as we saw one 8 year old girl ironically complain to her mommy that "her" passenger died even though he was "really really rich".
Monsieur Chevre and the young Englishwoman, it turns out, both lived.
Now, I know there are science centers in every major city. But right here in downtown Phoenix, we've got one that's world class. The Arizona Science Center holds more than 40,000 square-feet of gallery space and over 300 hands-on exhibits. Great for the kids, the relatives, even for a unique first date.
Here on limited engagement, the Body Worlds3 exhibit is an amazing collection of 200 authentic human specimens! Not for the faint (and probably not for younger children without a lot of explanation), the display include skeletons, individual organs, transparent body slices, as well as entire bodies.
Sorry, I wasn't impressed with this museum. I do think it's a worthy effort for such an institution and Phoenix should be glad to have it. But after seeing Body Worlds this past weekend, I was disappointed with how disorganized the entry process was, and think it could be run better.
The exhibit itself was great. Very crowded. Tasteful presentation. However, the Arizona Science Center seemed really understaffed and signage on where to line up (for entry to the museum AND entry to the exhibit) was very unclear.
In its defense though, the space is stark, modern and very fitting for a science museum. It's regular collection looked interesting (but did not have time to see it). Great use of space, and I'll go back at some point.
BTW, my parking was validated.
Went to go see the Grand Canyon IMAX show. It was so good! 3D and everything. I keep telling all my friends to go check it out!
The Science Center has a lot of great things to offer. I recently went for one of their "Adult Night Out" presentations -- this is a series of speakers and/or presentations tailored for a more mature crowd. They hold them the first Friday of every month (which coincides nicely with the Artwalk). Their normal displays need to be updated or rotated a bit more often. I've been there several times since last winter -- and they have not changed out the displays once. They get additional points for the BodyWorld exhibition and planetarium (but these are extra charge). I also wish they could offer validation for parking -- as it can get pretty expensive.
