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Phoenix Art Museum
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Wed. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Thu-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
60 reviews for Phoenix Art Museum
Provided the Belle Jardin wrought iron arch for a wedding at the Phoenix Art Museum in March of 2008 - it was absolutely gorgeous! What a perfect venue for a wedding! Photos can be viewed on Arc de Belle's website at http://www.ArchRentals...
Tonica Swan
Artistic Arch & Chuppah Rentals
by Arc de Belle
(623) 703-0999
The Phoenix Art Museum is an impressive array of arts and exhibits, and one of the few GOOD cultural centers in Phoenix.
Admission prices are cheap and the exhibits there, (which are always interesting), gives you the best bang for your buck.
The location at McDowell & Central give it a center-point location, and it's very accessible via light rail, bus, or automobile.
The exhibits presented here, (the temporary ones) are always interesting, and I've yet to be disappointed by one. The fixed exhibits which call the Phoenix Art Museum home are also excellent. The only exhibit here that I didn't like were the dresses / fashion, but I suppose that's a matter of personal taste.
I found that the employees here are for the most part kind of lifeless, which wasn't very inviting, but I'm able to get past that. On the contrary, the gift shop doesn't rip you off! That's a rarity in itself.
In conclusion, The Phoenix Art Museum has realized it's potential, and won a spot in my heart. The employees here aren't the most compassionate individuals, but if you're focused into the excellent exhibits presented here, it won't phase you.
Oh golly this is a sorry tale of woe. We live in one of the largest cities in the world. Really. Think about it. Over 4 million people in the metro area. You gotta go to China for that to be a ho-hum cow town. Or in China maybe they say ho hum pig town. Whatever.
Anyway 4 million plus people in this metro area, and do we have an actual municipal art museum. No. We have this. This strange green (color, not attribute pertaining to environmental friendliness) sideways obelisk looking joint, designed by famous New York Architects that you have never heard of. Really. They tell you that. New York Architects.
The building has no relation to the street, except that the street is over yonder and the buildings are over here. No flow, no fit, no possibility that the rare pedestrian might say hey I want to be in THERE. No chance for a driver to say Gosh thats inspiring. Nothing good from the likely perspective of the people who might see it. Maybe if you were standing surfing on the roof of an uptown bound Light Railcar (dont try this on your own kids!), maybe then you would have a sense of figure ground relationship (look it up). Maybe. All I can say is, from the outside, not so good.
Worse though. They (perhaps its the same "they who say". I dont know actually) have installed something truly jaw dropping on the exterior, on the odd green exterior, some sort of screen light show thing going on on the south side of the building. Clearly it cost a lot of scratch. Maybe it is comforting to people who still think 60 inch plasma screens are the ne plus ultra of a luxe life. Maybe it was designed by a big city fancy schmancy famous Las Vegas light designer. All I know is it looks silly and sad and wasteful and stupid. And on the strange green exterior...not even an acceptable interesting green, nope this is a cheap ghastly green that looks like one of those painted rock gardens from the 1970s, the green one that the creepy family down the block had. All in all, from the outside, this is a bad and sad building.
But its what is on the INSIDE that counts right? I mean, after all we have had corporate headquarters and important manufacturing facilities and rich people here for ages, so there certainly must be some great art right? The Pipers, they gave some great art, didnt they? The Pulliams...they must have too right? How about Kemper Marley, or a more contemporary owner of the same liquor business-Cindy McCain? Or..Oh! Dial Corp! They must have given over some good stuff? Phelps Dodge? Anyone? Anything? All the money the rich republicans have made out of this plantation state and they none of them ponied up any art at all? All them rich folks in them fancy pants manshens in PV? Not one? Nope, nobody except Bimson.
Part of the problem is that in the absence of either strong civic leadership or strong civic demand, the Art Museum and its board is dragged from fad to fad and from new fangled idea to new fangled idea, without any continuity. Teets joined the board? He likes Clocks lets buy Clocks. Ooops now its Jozoff. No more clocks. Hide the clocks. Find something else. Something new. Hurry.
Its all fads and greatest hits and no decent scholarship, curation or pedagogy.
Its all we have and thats a real shame.
Even though they do have one lovely and bloody Frida Kahlo. Commissioned and then secretly donated by Clare Booth Luce who fainted when she saw it for the first time. Philistine. Kinda perfect though if you think about it.
One star plus one star for Frida. Two Stars.
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As if you need to review the center of all that is art and culture in Phoenix...
However, since you're curious, here are three reasons why the Phoenix Art Museum is a must see on in the Valley.
First: The museum staff brings in one fabulous exhibit after another. From masterpieces on loan from some of the top museums in the world, to the Chicano movement art on the streets, there is never a dull moment on the walls.
Second: PAM, as some people call her, is one of the most interesting spaces in the heart of Phoenix.
Third: Not many people know there's a great restaurant inside the museum if you're looking for something classy in the middle of the day.
The best part about the museum is that it is light rail convenient for those of you in town on business or for a convention. Just head toward the McDowell station, deboard the train, and head to the intersection of McDowell and Central Avenue. The museum is on the northeast corner.
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Since EVERYONE knows there's no culture in Arizona, my husband and I decided to waste an afternoon at the Phoenix Art Museum. And it's really too bad their collections of American, Asian, Contemporary, and European art are non-existent, for example.
All sarcasm aside, not an easy feat for me, I really enjoy this museum. Not having visited since the Yelp pARTy, I was anxious to come back. Granted, I did miss the free food and drink, but it was still a great way to spend an afternoon. I love the newly designed interior and I hope Kusama's "fireflies" exhibit stays forever. I seriously wish I could camp out here. I also really enjoyed Klett & Wolfe's "Charting the Canyon," exhibition. If you are a fan of the Grand Canyon, this is a must see. The two have layered their images with 19th century drawings and mid-century photos of the same locales. Crazy inspirational, thought-provoking, creativity here.
With the hot weather ready to pounce, the Phoenix Art Museum is a great way to spend the day. Just don't bother to look for a fish taco on your way.
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Today we ventured to the Phoenix Art Museum to see the Tony Foster: Searching for a Bigger Subject exhibit.
Generally speaking, I am not a fan of watercolors as they tend to have muted colors. But that is definitely not the case with Tony Foster.
His paintings were alive with color, and because his medium is watercolor, there seemed to be a sort of deference to the majesty of the Grand Canyon.
As I stood in front of his creations, I felt as if each canvas were a blog post of sorts. Besides the articulate capturing of the scene before him, Foster also includes a little story on the bottom of each painting, as well as a few artifacts, and even various colored soils, sorted in small vials, affixed to the painting.
Each painting was a story in paint, text, objects, and soil.
Tony also, in his texts, did a wonderful job bringing you into the scene as he describes encounters with rattlesnakes, tarantulas, birds pooping on his canvas, California condors peering down at him like he might be their next lunch, frigid 28 degree temperatures, passerby's bringing him cookies, sudden rainstorms threatening to ruin his paintings, and much more.
All in all, it was a wonderful escape into the mind of Tony Foster, replete with a view from his very own pupils.
We thoroughly enjoyed his work, and would recommend it highly.
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Five Good Things and Five Bad Things About The Phoenix Art Museum: Or Ten Things You Can Say About The Phoenix Art Museum and Sound Pretentious.
Good Things
1: Yayoi Kusama' piece "You Who Are Getting Obliterated In The Dancing Swarm Of Fireflies". If you were lucky enough to be in any city were the Ecstasy exhibit toured a few years back, this will definitely bring back memories of that experience. This was the one piece that I felt really made the visit to this place. It's probably the most engaging piece they have at this museum. It's like Cornelia Parker's "Anti-Mass" on acid (a piece which is also housed in this museum and worth checking out).
2: The samurai armor and weapons section. Overall, I thought the Asian Art exhibit at the museum was kinda "meh". It's the usual pottery and calligraphy fare, but this was something I was not expecting and was pleasantly surprised.
3: The Khalo, Riveras, O'Keefes, Picasso, Keith Harring, and Candida Hofer. These are really the finest pieces of non-classical art that are housed here. Be sure to check them out.
4: The museum has a couple of lookout spots with great views of the city hidden away at various corners.
5: The architecture and design of the building alone are works of art. Everything from the fountain outside to the spaces created inside that really allow you to engage in the art form.
Bad Things
1: For me, the art here is kinda hit or miss. I feel like a few of the pieces are really good and engaging, where some of others are just average to dull.
2: Waaaaaaaay too much Western Art. I know it's a part of our state's history, but really? I could go to some gallery in Old Town that pedals this stuff to tourists and old money in Scottsdale whose idea of fine art is a place mat set from the Louvre.
3: The last couple of traveling exhibits that came through here are so-so. Generally, all art museums are like this. Not everything they decide to show is going to please everyone, and I can accept that.
4: There really aren't a whole lot of sculptures or installations here. I don't think the museum should limit itself to a majority of paintings and photography. Something different would probably break up some of the monotony you start to feel after 30 mins.
5: The museum's store kinda sucks. I like a museum store to have tons of books, dvd's, or other hard-to-find art-related items that I can really only get at a museum store. I felt like this place was decently stocked with their books but everything else is just kinda kitschy shirts and an overload of Frida Khalo memorabilia.
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Well, let's just get this out of the way: the Phoenix Art Museum has one of the most poorly-lighted and poorly-presented interior spaces of any major art museum in the United States. It's very surprising because this is a relatively new complex that makes little use of diffused natural daylight and instead relies on miles of crudely directed tracklights.
Many sculptures are hidden behind plexiglass vitrines that reflect so much glare that it's almost like you are being challenged to see the works of art before you. A good number of paintings, too, are hidden behind glass that is anything but anti-glare. The galleries, for the most part, are relatively dark. When a window does appear, your pupils will be forced to negotiate between light and dark. Throughout, there is no sense of lighting balance and it's a monumental error. All of the art on display suffers under this veil.
Wow, so much negativity on my part. Yeah, but PAM is still worth a visit. True, there is more than a little devotion to the kitsch of western art and an entire gallery to Philip Curtis, but there are some good pieces to be found if you look around. The museum's strength is 20th/21st century modern art and these galleries, that include solid examples by well-known artists, are a bit more liberating than others.
In spite of the poor space, there is potential to make it more friendly for the visitor and I'm sure that, over time, PAM will find ways to show off its collection to better effect.
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This place is tops. I've been a member for two years and will always be a member. I LOVE THIS MUSEUM! I once saw a show about women who fell in love with the Eiffel Tower and some other buildings or objects, and I totally understand because I am in love with this museum.
It has a fabulous, diverse, and respectable collection. The architecture itself makes the building worth visiting - I'd come to see it even if it was a bank, or welfare office or something. They have a GREAT Kahlo, a not so great Rothko, some wonderful work by Calder, a couple of fabulous Tamayos, you don't want to miss the Philip Curtis collection, it's super fun, their asian arts collection is really interesting, and oh, they've got some O'Keeffe's that are worth seeing...oh, and I almost forgot - there is this really cool piece of installation art where you go into this dark mirrored room and there are all of these little LED's hanging from the ceiling - you feel like you are in outer space. It is wonderful.
GO TO THE MUSEUM. NOW.
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Returned on 8/15/09. Still as cool as always. There were a lot of the same exhibits, guessing it's the museum's collection. However, there were some new and exciting additions. In particular, the low rider on display as part of the post-chicano movement art scene. The new items for this series were every cool and were stepped in graffiti culture. There is also a new collection of watercolors that is amazing because of the scale of the paintings.
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10/27/2008
Went for the first time last week. Pretty much an awesome place. The 'Blob' exhibit and the… Read more »
Also a BIG fan of the Yayoi Kusama piece "You Who Are Getting Obliterated In The Dancing Swarm Of Fireflies". It is a great piece that everyone should check out. My husband and I were pleasently surprised by this museum....it represents a number of art forms, is nicely presented.....only missing a star because the flow from one wing to another could be better. There is also a great cafe....Arcadia Farms...that has very tasty food and a few nice wines to chose from. Our tour guide also recommended the membership which allows for discounts at the cafe and gift shop. We were also told that the library has free tickets to get you into the museum. Definitely recommend the tour as all the guides or docents as they are called are very knowledgeable (18 mth course)...and helpful! : )
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I'm not an artsy person at all. Therefore, I just can't understand some of the displays and the fascination with it. I could very well have made some of these things!! Hmmm...
The entrance is very zen like and gorgeous. Many exhibits to see. Plan on spending a full day here unless you plan to skip exhibits. The only complaint was the layout. The map was little help and we ended up asking for directions most of the time.
Also, Copper Square and Chase Field is a quick drive from this place.
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Comment from Mark P. of
Phoenix Art Museum
7/24/2009
Thanks for the feedback Sandy. We have just re-designed our…
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"Go inside!"
Looks of bewilderment. "You can walk inside," the lady explains. "See..." then shows us into the dark room.
We were in the Modern Art wing of the PAM, peering around a nondescript corner, and stumbled upon what we thought was a hidden, doorway-sized piece of art. In contrast to the white walls of the museum, it looked like this was simply pitch blackness with some color-shifting lights that appeared to have some spatial dimension to them--maybe a foot or two deep? We were intrigued, and naturally curious, so we were standing there inching closer to the piece with our hands out trying to gauge the depth. We were just about to shrug and turn back around when another patron saved us from missing out on a great experience. "Go inside!" she said; and we were so glad we did!
The piece is by Yayoi Kusama called "You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies," and it is a walk-through exhibit. It's hard to tell if you're not expecting it. I mean, the museum staff gets uptight if you even stand too close to anything. So, we had no idea you could go inside...especially a pitch black room. But, as I mentioned, we were saved from a potential misfortune by a good Samaritan, and we walked inside.
Inside the room it is very, very dark. And there are lights everywhere! In fact, they hang from the ceiling on strings, so you're actually bumping into the strings of lights as you move around. There are mirrors on every wall, and on the ceiling and floor, so the lights go on forever and ever. And they change colors. Then they're the same color; then they shift in brightness...there are many, many variations, changing the mood with every shift. And it feels like you're floating in space. And...the whole thing is just amazing.
We were so moved by the piece, that I can recommend visiting the Phoenix Art Museum just for the Kusama piece alone.
Oh, and when we were finished walking through the piece, we walked all the way around to the entrance again to save the next patron from missing out. And sure enough, we saw someone turn the corner, pause for a minute, and start to back out. The same mistake we were about to make....
"Go inside," we said.
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Checked out the Phoenix Art Museum's Walkabout world music and food event on Sunday. It was a great way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The music was good and there was great food sampling from several restaurants - Breadfruit, India Palace, Cafe Lalibela, Tradiciones, Wild Thaiger, etc.
After we were sated on jerk chicken and strawberry tamales, we ducked into the museum to see the illustrations of the Rubáiyát. Elihu Vedder illustrated this 12th century Persian poem and took a very classically Christian approach. Interesting exhibit but a bit tiresome for the eyes. Since we were there, we checked out severa other exhibits, including photography from Linda Connor.
I feel more cultured and, if the Art Museum has more food events like Sunday, I'll be a repeat customer.
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This is one of my favorite places in the valley - there's always something new here, and it's big enough that I don't often get to walk the entire thing in one visit.
If you visit often, I recommend a membership. $75 gets you in for free, but the $200 level gets you invited to all 4 private exhibition event evenings. The $100 level gets you invited to two.
They host frequent lectures and all kinds of interesting events. You can always find something going on, on their calendar.
Some of the permanent collection I am very fond of... Seeing the same exhibitions a bunch of times is kind of like visiting an old friend. There is always something new to appreciate. The rotating and visiting exhibits are always well presented, as well.
Arcadia Farms is a fantastic place to eat, the healthy slow food really fits. I mean, what do they serve at the Met in NY? They have a shitty cafeteria. We have Arcadia Farm bitches! OK so the Met has a huge Egyptian temple and Dutch masters paintings, but we have this weird reflective black plastic concave/convex thing and a dark room full of hanging LED's and mirrors.
There is more culture in Phoenix than the out of date yogurt in your fridge!
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Very impressed, first time there and they had some extraordinary Art especially the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies by Yayoi Kusama ... that was worth the price of entry alone.
Nice to have Arcadia Farms there too.
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I love this museum. So much so, that I became a member. They have a great variety of work, the dosiers are very knowledgeable, and they constantly put on amazing exhibits. Of course the Phoenix Art Museum pales in comparison to Chicago or New York, but very few museum can exceed those two cities anyway. If you are looking for something to do and feel like learning something or looking at something beautiful, you should check this place out. It is worth it.
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PAM - you are - sexy, sleek, sophisticated and still a work in progress - your collections are young and show in the smallness of them and in the lopsidedness of the collection itself...However, you are good time! And really that is all that matters. The collections are interesting, the docents are knowledgeable and have a way of engaging patrons so you feel asking any question under the sun...no matter how art ignorant it may sound. It was a great way to spend a few hours of the day and I walked away feeling enthused about art and yearning to go back. Enjoy!
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I made arrangements for my fellow faculty members to have an in-service at the PAM, specifically to see "Elihu Vedder's Drawings for the Rubaiyat," their current special exhibit. Have I been to better art museums in this country? Sure, but I really do appreciate the great traveling shows the PAM curators get to come here, and I have enjoyed many in the years I have lived here.
The Vedder exhibit was great, and I highly recommend it to fans of Vedder and of Omar Khayyam, the scientist, philosopher, and poet whose words Vedder interprets in his amazing drawings. In a nutshell, the Rubaiyat expresses Khayyam's frustration with the infighting of theologians and philosophers, and dissatisfaction with the "answers" they give for the meaning of life. He feels this life is fleeting, so we should live for the pleasant moments, drinking, eating, and loving while we can. PAM has secured this collection from the Smithsonian, and if you are unfamiliar with the Rubaiyat, or with Vedder, I would suggest going on a tour. We all learned a lot, and were blown away by the art, even if our docent made a mistake or two. This special exhibit runs through Feb. 8, 2009.
PAM also has outreach programs to local schools as well as provides group tours and lectures. It's a wonderful addition to our city, and one that should be better appreciated that it often seems to be.
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Wow! I was pretty blown away. The quaint Asian exhibit is a nice intro, but the modern art is what really takes the cake. Like Guy said, the Yayoi Kusama piece "You Who Are Getting Obliterated In The Dancing Swarm Of Fireflies" is worth going for on its own merits. I won't give any surprises that this great museum holds in store for you, you'll have to discover the magic yourself.
Come here on a Tuesday, it's FREE!! And I wouldn't bother much with the audioguide, but it's free too...so it doesn't really hurt. Bring some headphones if you don't want to hold it up to your ear all the time.
I'd recommend anyone visiting the Phoenix area to check this place out. Go go go!
Oh my gosh, the fireflies! I *am* an art historian, but rarely have moments with art that were as awe-inspiring as my time with/in the Yayoi Kusama piece. I think my husband was pretty convinced that I would want to buy the "firefly" shirt in the gift shop, but I passed on that in favor of a signed Klett & Wolfe book. Which is a perfect way to transition into saying that the current photography show, "Charting the Canyon" is wonderful -- it's whimsical and interesting and definitely worth the visit. Also, I'm really glad that gallery exists, because without it there simply wouldn't be enough photography exhibited in the space. All in all, a wonderful museum, and worth the time...and a gift shop that sells autographed books is always a plus -- not enough museums do this when showing living artists!
I had to wait a few days to write my review of the Phoenix Art Museum because I thought I would be able to process everything I saw during a recent visit. I was wrong. I think I need to go back again and again because there is so much to take in... it was my first visit but it certainly won't be my last.
They have so many amazing exhibits and the 4 stories hold so many diverse pieces, i was literally in awe during my tour. Shout out to Mark P and a huge thank you for walking me through your second home! I don't even know where to begin, but a few of my favorite areas were the sculpture garden (it's manicured perfectly), the fashion design collection (I learned about the real meaning of 'couture') and the contemporary art collection (specifically 'Mass' made of burnt wood, wire, and string as well as the mirrored, sound proof, LED lighted room (talk about getting lost in time). There is so much more that I'll have to go back to see more of and the exhibits are constantly changing...
Phoenix Art Museum also offers a ton of events and activities including films, workshops, demonstrations, and discussions. There is also a really great area for the kids and teens as well as an Arcadia Farms on the premises. Next year they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary, so I'm sure there will be plenty more unique festivities around that as well... don't wait to go though, go now! I had no idea what I was missing out on until I went - you should too!
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Honestly, I saw some things here which I cannot describe. It's not that I don't *want* to describe them (what good is secret art, right?), and it's not like I don't have a decent command of the language. Heck, it even occurs to me that I've been hitting more than my fair share of museums of late. That said...I literally saw things here that were as visually arresting, as challenging to the senses, as anything I've seen in many moons. Things that made you question your perspective from both a literal and figurative sense, and I came away impressed. Phoenix, you have a great museum right in your backyard. And if you weren't positive of that already, they're busy lining things up all the time to make that a forgone conclusion.
I'm not just talking about some of the amazing pop art I saw (a weakness of mine, admittedly), the haute couture fashions designs that were pretty amazing up close (with stylized photos of the intricate stitching to boot). I saw some things here that were as amazing as they were immersive, and if I lived closer, you can be certain that I'd darken the door lots. If you do nothing else here, do try to find the spatial light installation: what I can only attempt to describe as spatially placed color evolving pendant lights in an otherwise pitch black space, encased in mirrors. You won't know where you are, exactly, but you'll scarcely wanna leave.
They're bringing in the King Tut exhibit one day soon, but don't wait until that hits to stop by. You find something here to make your senses, even your sense of self, tingle.
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Yes, the Phoenix Art Museum has both fantastic visiting exhibits as well as wonderful permanent collections--but did you know they also put on an amazing wedding?
My Husband and I got married there in March--our ceremony was in the sculpture garden and the reception was held in the Grand Ballroom. Their event planners were helpful and always available when I had questions, and the caterers with whom they work all offered delicious options at a variety of price ranges. The Phoenix Art Museum's bar, Artenders, was a little harder to contact and communicate with, but they were honest and accurate in their billing, and they made good drinks. But really, most importantly, the entire evening was simply beautiful, and everyone had a lovely time. The art that surrounded us just made the whole evening--now, I am of course biased--magical. I have had several people tell me (unsolicited) that ours was one of the best weddings they have ever attended.
Phoenix Art Museum: educational place for an afternoon get-away from the heat, and also a beautiful and memorable place to get hitched to your honey!
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My favorite thing about the Phoenix Art Museum is that they manage to showcase southwestern art without it being the total theme of the museum. I am not much of a fan of cowboy painings and whatnot but I can appreciate them when I can also cart around to modern art, sculpture, photography, classic art and the likes.
They also get some great special exhibits! I actually got a chance to work for their audio tour company during Norman Rockwell and China's Forbidden City and it was tons of fun!
I feel like I should find the gift shop more lame than I do. They have terrific magnets, local jewlery, shirts, books, even dishes. It's like one of those nifty calalogs that come in the mail with random things you never knew that you wanted.
The staff is my experience has always been helpful and pleasant.
How can you not love this place?
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Virtually every metropolis houses an all-purpose art museum, not only to help enlighten its citizens, but also to lay claim to major-city status. In many cases, the museum is a venerable institution that upholds a century or more of tradition. The Phoenix Art Museum can compete with all but the most elite art museums, but instead of resting on tradition, it continues to grow and reinvent itself at the same rapid pace as the metropolitan area around it.
Until the mid-'90s, PAM occupied only a portion of its current space. The entire southern half of the complex at Central and McDowell was home to the Phoenix Public Library. As a result of its limited space, PAM was a perfectly pleasant institution, but a visit there seldom lasted more than two hours. In 1995, the Library moved a few blocks south to the new Burton Barr Central Library building, leaving PAM with its old space. The result was an unprecedented opportunity for PAM not only to expand, but also to create a new image and identity in the process.
The next move was an audacious one. In March 1996, with extensive renovation underway to merge the existing museum galleries with the newly acquired library space, PAM was basically reduced to a single functioning gallery. The museum chose to fill that one gallery with a risky exhibit called "Old Glory: The American Flag in Contemporary Art."
"Old Glory" comprised 80 works involving the flag. Most of the art was respectful or at least neutral in its treatment of the flag, but three works in the exhibit inspired controversy because of perceived flag desecration. To be clear, no one at PAM advocated mistreatment of the flag, but the museum wanted to present a variety of points of view in order to stimulate thought and discussion. Of course, those three works out of 80 provoked controversy, and the museum became a center of media attention. See the following New York Times article for more detail:
http://tinyurl.com/57ptvl
Despite protests, the exhibit ran its course and PAM found itself basking in unprecedented attention. Since then, nothing has matched the controversy of "Old Glory." Nevertheless, the museum has been much more visible in the past dozen years. Once the renovations were complete, the museum was able to host touring blockbuster exhibits devoted to Rembrandt and other giants.
At the same time, the museum has not abandoned its roots. The Cowboy Artists of America show occurs predictably every fall, Arizona artist Philip Curtis has a gallery devoted exclusively to his work, and the Thorne miniatures continue to draw visitors, especially children who seem fascinated by these tiny mock-ups of period interior decor. Young visitors also benefit from the recently renovated kids section of the museum.
Like any large museum, PAM occasionally shows its imperfections. The main entrance, although vastly improved after a second round of renovations completed in 2006, can still be chaotic during major exhibitions, and the volunteers who direct traffic there are not always well informed about which shows require a special ticket and which line goes where.
Likewise, the cafe at the PAM, while perfectly adequate, seems less impressive than Arcadia Farms operations at the Heard and Arizona Science Center. The food and beverage situation may become more interesting if a promised wine and espresso bar eventually opens. PAM is always a work in progress, and it's likely to continue to improve upon itself. The PAM of 2008 is not the same museum that existed in 1996, and 12 years from now, the PAM of 2020 should be equally interesting to see.
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Once upon a time, I used to live near the Phoenix Art Museum and would stop by at least twice a month on the free day. Eventually it became a bit dull and felt like I had seen everything, but somehow I still kept returning and held my breath for the changing exhibits to switch out. There's a lot to be said for a free air conditioned place that isn't home and the art museum is an amazing place to visit.
Now that I only visit a few times a year and have free admission at all times, I still love the art museum and appreciate it quite a bit more. All of the docents I've encountered have been knowledgable and I love the remodeling they've done.
They're constantly putting on special events, including lectues, movies, book groups, and musical acts. These events are generally free or available at a low cost and are a nice extra touch to an already lovely place.
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Overall, I was pretty impressed with the Phx Art Museum. While the collection is not quite world class, the facility is nice and the art is worth a look. The collection leans heavily towards modern and post modern art and there are always several travelling exhibits on display. Def. worth an afternoon and a nice change of pace from the usual. The sculpture garden is also worth a visit - very peaceful and relaxing.
Also, the museum store is a lot of fun. I always love museum stores b/c you can find unique, thoughtful and/or witty gifts that support the institution.
On site there is an Arcadia Farms cafe. Similar to the one found at the Heard, AF specializes in a broad range of cuisine with a New American flare. I have tried several dishes and all have been quite good. If you are in the museum and hungry, this is a great place for a bite. AF also looks out onto the sculpture garden area, which is a nice touch.
Def. check this place out. Also, FYI...the museum is free every Tuesday from 3 PM to 9 PM and on First Fridays from 6PM to 10 PM.
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Ok, so I had written a review of our Yelp birthday party, but not of the museum itself.
Just got back from the "Selected Shorts" exhibit: short films. After having lunch in Arcadia Farms, a group of 12 of us headed to the film festival (No Festival Required). Seven shorts, all very different. And the exhibit was FREE!!! We didn't even have to pay to get into the museum, since we were having lunch.
Entering the theater was really cool! Stadium seating, which I hadn't expected. When you're a shorty like me, stadium seating is a must unless you want to deal with a crink in yer neck. There was a stage with the screen above it, so even the people in front would have a good view without said crink. No popcorn, but the seats were comfy. Staff was really friendly and it started and ended when they said it would! *gasp*
Definitely going to be back to the museum and most definitely going to catch screenings in the theater.
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The Phoenix Art Museum is a total treasure. You have to go there when you visit because it has so much inside, all interesting and all educational for young and old.
If you love Indian rugs and cochina dolls, the Phoenix has more original and beautiful examples than anyone else. And if you want to buy some, they are available in the Gift Shop for a BIG, BIG price. Real, authenticated Indian rugs are worth a fortune these days.
You can take tours and the tours are wonderful because the tour guides really love their stuff and are glad to share it. You can go over and over again and not be bored, it's that much fun. Plus, it's air conditioned and anyway you can get out of 120 degree heat in the summer is worth it.
Go, you'll be glad you did. Feed your head, will you.
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I still have to take away a star because it's just still so confusing. There was no entrance-fee wackiness this time, but I was still completely lost. Don't get me wrong, I love this museum. It's amazing. It's the perfect place to go if you -want- to get lost and wander for hours. But if you're going for something specific, sometimes it can be a little tricky to get to it.
I went to see Making Waves (contemporary Japanese prints) specifically. I wasn't sure what gallery they were in, so we just started out by wandering around. Found some amazing contemporary Chinese paintings. After more wandering, we still hadn't found Making Waves, so we ended up asking a series of PAM employees/volunteers.
1st employee: "Oh, that exhibit is right in this gallery *points at map*"
We go there... and it's the Chinese paintings. Not Japanese prints.
2nd employee: "I'm pretty sure it's in this gallery, here *points at another gallery on map*"
Nada.
3rd employee: "I'm not sure, maybe it's this way?"
Nope.
4th employee: "Wait... do you mean you want the Firefly exhibit?"
.....no.
Finally, someone got us to Making Waves, which was in one of the few nooks we hadn't already wandered into by accident. Talk about painful.
Anyway, Making Waves was great. We also checked out the previously mentioned Firefly exhibit, which is a permanent (yes!!!) installation called "You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies." It's amazing, disorienting, and totally trippy. Check it out.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/10/2007
O, adventures in the remodeled Phoenix Art Museum!
My friend and I went in the old entrance (the only… Read more »
I love this place. I especially love it on Tuesdays when it's free.
I have been to many lectures, openings and films at the Museum and am always fascinated.
The changing photography exhibit is always fantastic. The fashion room is one of my favorite features. BUT my favorite piece is the firefly installation. I could seriously live in that room. I take everyone I know and everyone is always as mesmerized as I am, and I have seen it many times.
I love the new contemporary wing of the museum. I also love the glass boxes on the sides of the building. One time we were there during a thunderstorm and sat in the glass box and watched the lightening. It was perfect!
The museum always makes me happy.
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Art. Everywhere. Even in the architecture. That's what I like about the Phoenix Art Museum. From fashion to photography to sculpture and the revolving door of special exhibits, this museum has an appeal. Sure, you may not encounter the rarest of paintings, but you can come face-to-face with a Monet, O'Keeffe or Warhol. You can step nose-to-nose with an Ansel Adams photograph. You can get inches away from a slurp and slap of oil onto canvas, then slowly back away until the entire image comes into view. To me, that's the beauty of it, along with your own interpretation. Some pieces draw you in while others are, to you, more boring than spilled soy sauce (sart = soy as art).
General Admission is $10. If you have a KAET Passport, you can get a two-for-one. Even better, it costs nothing on Tuesday evenings... AND they are now open FREE for First Fridays, from 6 to 10 p.m. So, there's no excuses to not check out the Phoenix Art Museum on a semi-regular basis. Or, if you like it alot, you can even try to volunteer there.
I'd say there's something about an art museum that is relaxing, almost like a slow, tender lull into dreams. Yet, beneath those dreams are quaking moments of creativity.
Conclusion: Phoenix Art Museum is a terrific way to spend a couple hours.
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PAM is a terrific museum, and it just keeps getting better!
Check out the Sassoon Ivories.
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I love this place. My mom is a member, and I love going here with her. I have seen quite a few of the different exhibits over the years, and they are always great. This place has a great sentimental attachment for me as well. It is like it's one of our family places. We usually eat at the Arcadia Farms after we see everything, and have a discussion about what thought about everything.
I haven't been since they've completed the remodel, so now I am anxious to get back down there and see all the changes!
must say much better than i expected. i love that it is young and unfinished, heavy on the asian, modern and post. and collects where it is strongest. (though could do without the cowboy hat)
I have a membership here and enjoy taking guests from out of town to see the permanent collection. But my favorite time to go is Saturday or Sunday right at 11 with just my ipod for company and a journal to draw or write in. They have several seating areas tucked away into secret corners that give you a chance to sit and reflect or draw. Third floor nook overlooking the outdoor seating at the patio is my favorite. Stand in the corner of the glass windows and look down to the lower level and you feel like you are standing on air.
I love that they have a room for fashion and a huge wing for modern art. Their touring exhibitions can be hit or miss. I wasn't crazy about the Masterpiece Revisited one (it was five paintings done over and over and over and over. Booooring.) BUT, the photography area is always great and they have this amazing room that takes you into outer space. Seriously. I walked in for the first time with Mazzy Star playing on my ipod and just about lost my mind. Had to walk into the middle of the room and sit down on the floor. It's not something you can easily explain, but something you should experience on your own.
Go! What are you waiting for?!
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Took the wife and kids a few weeks back to the Museum and was very pleasantly surprised. Loved the layout, art was gripping, kids had room to roam, and the grounds were clean and uncluttered. After a decade of being in busy NYC museums with sooooo much foot traffic, this trip was a delight. Highly recommended.
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Really.... I want to write a review, but Lauren V said all I wanted to say.
I loved the light and mirror effect room. I wasn't sure I would call it art, but it was cool as all cool.
The charred wood installation piece is fantastic to stare at...velvet rope and all. I can't say I blamed the kid, I would have loved to run through it myself.
They seem to get some of the greatest traveling shows -- the Secrets of the Forbidden Palace, the Rembrandts, there was an impressionist one, Ansel Adams,Curves, the evening dresses, the Himilayan Art, Degas....
It's large enough that you can spend hours there, but broken up into sections so you don't feel you have to do it all.
I hear they show movies there too!
Tuesday afternoon/evening = free!
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I'm a bit conflicted about the Phoenix Art Museum. I was just talking about that to someone doing graduate work at ASU in museum studies - who also seemed to agree with me.
While it's a good museum and the expansion has given it more space and a more sweeping, dramatic entrance, they could have worked out a few more kinks in the layout and flow of the museum. The boundaries between galleries are not exactly clear. You're not entirely sure which gallery you've entered. It still feels disjointed after the expansion, and a few galleries are built like Avondale cul-de-sacs. Perhaps I've been to too many museums on the coasts, and I'm being nitpicky here, but the layout does strike me as rather odd.
Phoenix Art Museum is still a great way to pass the day. The collection is stronger than I expected with an emphasis on American art from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the visiting exhibitions are always impressive. Make sure to check out the photography gallery and the contemporary art gallery with the hanging LED lights / dark room - you'll feel kinda drunk and woozy without the $60 bar tab. Past exhibitions have included Annie Leibovitz and Frank Lloyd Wright. There's a great view of the Central Corridor skyscrapers from the glass wall overlook on the 3rd floor!
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