Arizona Science Center Review

Lots of things broken in the museum but it was decent overall.

Very disappointed. Dirty and dated. A lot of things were broken and many things cost extra. The entrance fee is over priced. I do not recommend this museum. My 8 year old daughter thought is was terrible . The galaxy experienced is Xmas lights and Saran Wrap. A man walked around and picked up broken pieces and Saran Wrap. We ended up at the Heard museum and my daughter stated even though it s smaller it s much more interesting, I guess people don t know what a good science museum is. I preferred the art museum. The science center ethically should not be charging those prices. They must know the state of the Science Center does not have a decent standard as others across the country. Ethically I feel they are taking advantage of families. Very disappointing. Also we found out the last hour at the art museum is free. Good to know as all people should have access to art regardless of income. We travel on a regular basis across the country so we are knowledgeable about many museums and cultural opportunities.

Small, old, and not maintained. Half the exhibits are not functioning or broken. Not worth the $. (8/4/19).

I was underwhelmed by this science centre in comparison to Seattle or Toronto. It is small, and there are not a lot of exhibits. Overall it was ok but could have seen it all in under an hour.

Overpriced, you have to pay extra for several attractions. Many broken exhibits, dirty and worn out. Many of the exhibits are donated so I have no idea where all the money goes. Outdated.

I absolutely LOVE this place!!! My boyfriend and I went to visit a few months ago after reading all the amazing reviews. We had so much fun! There's so many things do and so much science. I can't wait to go again.

PATHETIC!!! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!
I wish I could change this to 0 stars. This was an awful experience for my boyfriend and I yesterday. Most of the science stations had broken material that was sticky and not clean. We tried doing one of the "brain" activities and it was broken. Then went to the 2nd floor to do a fun activity and it had a sign saying "out of order". Then we went to the "amazing" Pompeii exhibit and it was highly disappointing. Nothing too special and definitely NOT worth the extra $12 each person. It was a very tacky and cheap display. Then at last the top story, the 4th floor. They had a cheap weather display where you were sprayed with water signifying rain and there were poor sound effects to make you feel like you were in a storm. It was very poorly done and pathetic. Please don't waste your money and go to the Phoenix Science Center.

This Pompeii exhibit was fun and was not over 100 or 50 dollars it was around 20 or 10 dollars. It was kinda boring and I personally thought they could've did better with the pricing.

What a great place to get lost in learning! The next time you have a few hours and want to join in a fun, family activity, check out the AZ Science Center! This place has something for everyone of all ages. You can have fun at the courtyard water tables, lay on a bed of nails, learn all about the human body or dive deeper into the world of recycling. Make sure to wear great walking shoes and get ready to have some fun!

Going to the science center as a kid was AMAZING! Going back with my kids not so much, honestly seems neglected in some areas.... On our visit today half of the "push/activation" buttons did not work. And there where several signs saying "something wasn't feeling too well (out of order)"

Yes I get that things brake down and need service or repair. But to charge full price for a ticket then everything should be working... In my opinion. They need to do a better job keeping things going, And making sure the guest have a better experience.

Roughly $80 for 3 people in my eyes I felt was waisted.

Great place for kids, not so great for adults. While the simulations are colorful and interactive, many of them are dirty, worn down, and stained with years of wear and tear. Several exhibits were inoperable, and the videos at many stations were obviously from the early 2000s, if not 1990s. For the general admission price of $18 per adult, it leaves one to wonder about where all the money and donations go. It could be a fun environment for kids, not a great place for adults alone.

We went to see the Pompeii exhibit, all adults, it was over $200.00 for 6 of us. We had to pay general admission, then admission for the exhibit. We didn't need the general admission because that was for children! It was packed with unruly little ones running around, screaming and basically Unsupervised! The staff didn't act like they knew what to do. I doubt we will be back. They need to be more logical and organized about the charges, maybe the museum wouldn't worry about closing the doors.
I must say the Pompeii exhibit was interesting , however, ruined by the caios!

Great family fun that will keep you busy the whole day.

I guess since I'm from Missouri it caught me off guard when the admissions was very expensive to me. ( almost I believe 40$ for 6 people ) I did enjoy some parts of the center. Most of the station looked gross to touch and majority were broken. Which I couldn't understand why because admissions fee could pay for most things my daughter enjoyed so that all that matters.

My niece loved this place!
She really loved Victoria and exploring the whole place!!!

Main entrance closed for a private party. Had to wait and wait for someone to come and let us in as we were unable to use stairs. One very rude employee, no one answered our multiple phone calls. Many displays were broken. A disappointing experience. We have no desire to return and will go to other museums instead.

We purchased a family pass and come here a lot. Just tried the cafe beansprout inside the science center and this quaint little place was absolutely enjoyable. It happened to be my birthday on this day and the crew made it a point to make it special, the cashier Brent was polite and funny. The food is fair priced and well prepared. The food is served on paper plates which was perfect for the kids. I would recommend this place for a nice lunch, you won t be disappointed.

This place is ... meh. Brought my 6yo and grandma and even with military and senior discount still paid $45 for entry just to have to come in and pay for all the exhibits additionally. There were lots of interesting and interactive things for him to do but even at 6, a lot of it was over his head. There were a few things that he got really interested in but all in all, for the price I paid, I don t think it s worth it. I d rather pay a little more at entry and have everything included than have to pay an extra fee for just about everything inside.

An attraction that taught science in a fun and interactive way. We came here years ago when our kids were small and had a great time. Our kids are adults now and this vacation we had no kids to bring so this visit was just the two of us. We thoroughly enjoyed all the exhibits from top to bottom. Since we purchased tickets to the planetarium show later in the afternoon we decided to start at the top floor and work our way down, ending the day at the bottom level which was the largest floor. The top floor had exhibits about the environment and education on recycling, solar power, and alternative energy sources. The exhibits weren t just informative, but fun. The kids that were there flipped switches and rode bikes to see who could generate the most energy. Without kids we were able to spend our time reading all the information. The next two floors had info on weather (with a demo on what it s like to be in the midst of a storm) climate, and a new dinosaur exhibit. Our favorite floor was the bottom floor with an amazing interactive look at the body. We probably could have spent the whole day here. We finished the day at the Volcano show in the planetarium. It was good but short. I d definitely recommend this center for visitors of all ages and give yourself at least 4 hours to go through it all. We intend to come back again.

I'm not sure what happened to this place, but if you're planning on going just for the permanent exhibits I have only one word to describe it: Sad. Many of the stations are in a state of noticeable disrepair, and the majority of them are totally unchanged since I went as an elementary school student...in 1997. I understand that the permanent exhibits are mostly geared towards younger kids, but man, if you're an adult that wants a bit of stimulation, you should expect to drop about $50 per person to see the traveling exhibits, or even just the planetarium. It's honestly kind of a bummer seeing the AZ Science Center become such a cash grab for so little actual content, I suggest skipping it unless there's a specific traveling exhibit you want to see. As it is, it's really just an overpriced convention center.

We had such a good time ! It doesn t just show things like regular museums but keep the kids attentions with different activities. I found the place creative and fun. I saw some comments ppl had complained for the price :( I mean 60 dollar for the whole family 4 floors full of activities and place to learn !!!! If you don t think it worth it you are that kind of person who s never gonna be happy with anything we arrived early and almost ran out of time ! A lot of things waiting and the price absolutely reasonable!!!!!!

Where is all the money they charge people going? Everything is old and broken. I use to come here when I was little about 13 years ago and it was the exact same thing when I brought my daughter. All together depressing overpriced and noisy. I think me and my daughter would have expanded our brains more eating paint chips.

Visited the Pompeii Exhibit. Exhibit was good, but pretty small for the price, especially considering it required regular admission as well.

What was shocking is how little of the regular exhibits are left. I visited many times as a kid, and I can't believe how downhill everything has gone. Few of the exhibits are interactive, there are numerous broken or missing exhibits, and what is available is in a very beaten up or out of date state- the "Modern World" still refers to CD players and other tech that was on the way out when I visited as a kid.

What a disappointment to see something I really enjoyed as a kid end up in this sorry state. Not worth a visit at all.

We had such a great time this weekend! Lots of exploration and hours of science-focused fun!

My family and I did not care for this museum. In defense of the museum, we didn't explore the IMAX or planetarium. The worst part is that the museum is full of potential. There are a number of great interactive exhibits but very little education or organization. If you were on a tour led by a knowledgeable docent, it would likely be terrific. My first complaint is the time to get in. The lines were terrible for no apparent reason. A little organization could have improved things greatly. They have interesting exhibits but no explanations. Unclogging the Rube-Goldberg water machines would have been great. A table that elevates you on a bed of nails is cool. Organization in getting on it and an explanation of why would be so much cooler.

All told, it's a very hands on museum with a few fun exhibits. I would rate it fairly highly as a playground. A little explanation and organization though could make it much better.

Lots of information for sure a lot Iof effort and thought put I to this interactive museum so it was hard to give it so few stars but it's way over priced, you have to pay extra everything is not included with general admission and it's $2 cheaper if you pay for your tickets on the website before arriving so I tried and the website was down. I shared this information with the young man at the counter selling me my tickets and he said yeah it's like that sometimes. I wouldn't pay to come back here honestly

I loved coming here as a child! However, i was very disappointed in the state of the center when we took our 2 year old today. Lots of outdated exhibits with dirty and missing toys, and a lot of it wasn t working. Lets just say we were all a little let down.

A great place to take your kid for some fun and have a learning experience.

The science e center is a great ever changing and evolving entertainment and educational activity for all ages. It is geared towards children but they bring many great activities for adults too. Parking can be a bit rough down town especially with sports games for the diamondbacks, suns, concerts, etc at the main venues there but don't be detured!

Went with my 6th graders class and most of the displays are broken and the staff is rude. Not worth the 2 hour trip.

The new guided experiences are a great way to experience the science while staying safe during the current pandemic.

In the top 5 best art galleries in the world if you ask me

We went to the Pompeii exhibit and it was a blast... Hehe. We loved it though! We also walked though the building and saw all the science stuff. I had tons of fun, but my wife isn't as geeky as I am so she just was there for the ride. All in all we both really enjoyed it.

This place is a bit of a scam.

Many of the exhibitions are either uninteresting, broken, or run down. You get in and you have to pay extra for other stuff.

There are some exhibits that are plainly lying to people, like the ball that moves with brainwaves.

The cafeteria food was absolutely gross.

There's a full room that's just plain ole tools, not even old ones or advanced ones but just plain regular tools. I could've taken my kids to home Depot for that.

The exhibition that really took the cake was a shower, a plain ole shower with tile. Are kids from the jungle coming here that they need to see what a shower looks like?!

Lastly, many of the exhibitions are just looping low resolution videos on a grainy old TVs. I can find more informative and entertaining content and play it for my kids off YouTube.

The only reason we stayed is because we had promised the kids a good time. All they did was run around and ask us what a few of the things were but that was it. They just went from one exhibit to another over and over losing interest very quickly.

It's ok but there's better places if you're looking for a family outing. There is no parking on site. The two garages listed on the site had confusing price signage. Had to park two blocks away because the nearby garages had $12hr signage, only to find out that they validate parking inside, despite stating they don't over the automated phone. I remember having fun times here when I was younger. Upon revisiting I noticed nothing has changed in 20 years. A large number of interactive projects/displays were not functional. Everything seems really outdated and worn besides the auditorium exhibits. I have been to other state science centers and this one is definitely lackluster for the price.

I had a really good time. There were a lot of interactive things and is definitely a place I recommend you take the family too. I went on a Groupon but the regular non member prices seem a bit expensive. The shark exhibit would've been cooler with a shark tank. I'd go back though.

Glad we had reciprocal membership from another Museum. It was okay for free. I would say at least 60% of the activities were either completely broken or run down. We encountered so many that just didn't work. There are some highlights such as the gastric stomach that will get a giggle out of almost any child (or adult), the chair lifts, or the top floor solarium chairs. This was our first visit here so not sure if it's typical for things to be out of service, but I really didn't expect that.

we attended the Pompeii exhibit, what an amazing and humbling presentation of artifacts. The presentation was very well put together. we checked out the rest of the facility which is geared towards the kids. the planetarium looks like a great exhibit to check out as well

Our girls love science and try to take them here as much as possible. It's a really neat place and highly recommend it for families.

More televisions than a meathead's sports bar. The coffee bar was closed before the "museum" closed. The Center is downtown, so parking is terrible AND costs money. The layout is more complicated than an Ikea. Exit signs are confusing if you don't want to set off alarms; The Pompei exhibit ended with 3 ways to leave, but the only signs pointing to the exit was the emergency exit. I love science, museums and am very passionate about learning, but I was not fond of this place.

We had such a great time!! Wonderful place to take the kids for a field trip!

Really only good if you have kids... Most of the interactive exhibits were broken because of this. The general admission doesnt get you very far.

Attended Mesmerica. Worst event I have ever endured! Overpriced and the electronic music wasn't even music..no melody just 3 notes over and over.

A

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All of the reviews that say, "Children's Museum... For kids under 10... Broken exhibits... Kids running wild" are spot on. Most of the exhibits are cheap and cheesy. Some of them do not even explain the scientific reasons for their existence. Even though it was free for general admission this weekend, and only $5 per person for the special exhibit, it was still a waste of my time.

Great place for kids and adults, Planetarium is amazing.. can t see everything in a single day.

It is geared twards a younger crowd.there were constant field trips of elementry school kids coming and going.and not as mans exhibits as i assumed there would be.they also charge seperate for the planetarium and any extra exhibits on display...over all it was still worth the experience and not a bad way to spend a hot day

My son loves going here especially to see the revolving exhibit, planetarium, and imax featuring science based movies. Parking is validated and I paid $5 last time. Groupon discounts available and the library offers culture passes giving free admission to many places including the science center.

I liked it there are many interesting things to look at, but I did think it was kind of small.

Just moved here from St Louis Missouri and was disappointed when I found out it wasn't free. The one back hone is free. With much better selection

We prepaid and preregistered days ahead of time to take 2 girl scouts to the mummy exhibit on the last weekend it was in Phoenix. The museum had offered a special for girls scouts which included a patch for their vest and a scavenger hunt. We drove up from Tucson (over 100 miles) and arrived shortly before the time we had preregistered for. Upon checking in at the front they told us the event was sold out, that there were no more patches and there would not be a scavenger hunt and then asked if we wanted a refund!! How can they sell us tickets and then say the event was sold out?? This left the girls disappointed and us very frustrated and disgusted. Isn't this the whole point of preregistering for an event - to secure a part in the activity as well as to give the company a head count on how many have signed up (and PAID) for the event? I will not be returning anytime soon.

I didn't have a chance to pack myself a lunch but I did my kids. And I'm so grateful I did. This sandwich and salad costs me $9

Packaged salad. And cheap sandwich that was not good.

I am grateful because I used the Musuems For All discount and my kids are having a blast. But sadly if I wasn't able to I would never in my life be able to afford to bring my two children plus myself. Its crazy expensive. For the three of us would be a whole weeks pay to eat and play. Geeze. So I am very thankful for this program.

Just make sure I bring lunch next time. Can not afford this and could of used my EBT to grab a cold sandwich.

Expensive and impossible to enjoy as a single visitor due to hordes of screaming kids.

The Phoenix Art Museum is visually beautiful. The second Sunday of each month is free to visitors. There are special events that cost a minimum amount of money. We entered to 25,000 paper butterflies scattered along the walls and ceilings. Amazing! Especially nice staff who will direct and answer questions for you. Three floors of changing and permanent exhibits. The room of fireflies is intriguing. The store is fun to wander through. Some street parking and lot parking available. It didn t disappoint.

So disappointed. The Arizona Science Center sure is run down now. Half of the interactives don't even work, and that is what the science center is all about. We usually stay all day, but since nothing worked right or at all we left in an hour and a half. I feel so bad for those who paid for a yearly membership. We won't be back for years, if at all : (

This is one of my favorite places to go downtown, there is so much to do and see. The exhibits are always fantastic and the shows at the planetarium are amazing.

Check out lasers and liquor, they put on a light show in the planetarium and they sell adult beverages as well.

The museum used to be really cool when it first opened. Now there is so much that is dated and broken. It s very disappointing.

I brought my little boy here for the 1st time today and he had so much fun. Especially when he had so much fun drawing with chalk on the 4th floor terrace with Miss Brennah who was so sweet to him. Thank you so much Miss Brennah for making my Angel's day

Kind of a disappointment, lots of broken displays. The imax was cool though!

This is both kid and adult friendly. Lots of interactive things to do. My family had a great time with everything.

I went today and it was ok. Is good to spend a few hours. There were many broken things, that I would expect to be fixed and working for the price.
I just found that the tickets online are cheaper than what I paid in there, check before you go.

My daughter does enjoy coming here. The only problem we encounter is parents not watching their children. It would be a more pleasant environment if it was supervised better.

This place does not have a lot to offer for the entry fee price.
We opted to do a day pass which was about $80 US for one adult and one child.
You would think that would get you into everything but it doesn't. That got me into the science center, the featured exhibit as well as two shows. There were at least two more shows we would have had to pay much more for to see.
We saw the mummies exhibit which was alright. If you've never seen one, maybe you'd like it more. Not a whole lot to see.
The planetarium show was fairly typical. It could have been vastly improved by removing the soft spoken employee and replacing him with a decent audio track. It was tedious and I regret not listening to my instincts and leaving right then. I did after at least 35 boring minutes went by.
The Volcano show was really fantastic and about the only thing I will want to remember.
As for the science center itself, it's not that it wasn't well done, it's just that there just isn't enough of it to justify the price.
I was worried when we didn't get there until almost 1 p.m. as they close at 5 p.m. and I was really questioning the wisdom of paying extra for the two shows and mummies exhibit.
Even after wasting the better part of an hour on the planetarium, 20 minutes in the mummies exhibit as well a good chunk of time in the Volvano show we still found we had time to spare, and even left about 20 minutes early after going back to a couple things for a second time.
I wouldn't say don't waste your time. If you want value for your money, in my opinion you will not feel satisfied after leaving here.
For all the cash they are taking in they could at least hire some people to put on little shows and demonstrations.
I saw nothing of the sort, the picture in the ad I saw showed someone in a lab coat doing something with dry ice or something. That's the kind of thing I expected.
Instead it took several minutes even just to find ANYONE working there to inquire about where the theater was. The first one didn't know! And the second one...DIDNT KNOW!!

Edit: Forgot to mention that more than a few things on display didn't work or were missing integral parts to use them.

Great place for kids as well as adults to explore and understand scientific facts rather in a fun way. Kids can get some hands on too. Overall great experience. Definitely would love to visit again.

There are so many ways to learn and have fun at the same time! There are activities for all ages. The children had a fun time and the family membership is a great deal! We'd like to go back and see a show at the planetarium next time.

Awesome educational & interactive experience for the whole family. Watch Groupon for discounts on admission & family memberships which are a fantastic investment to have on hand during the long hot summers! They do a great job of keeping things fresh by showcasing new exhibits. Eat before hand or pack a lunch as the cafe lines are long and generally short on seating.

This place, first of all, is meant for a young audience. These science facts are basic, but still and fun environment to learn in. The outside ball water thingy is great. There's many other attractions to enjoy. The price is fairly well unlike other places I went to this place had a lot for a small price. This is an alright place, not different than other science museums. If you want a quality science education experience go to school or watch Youtube.

Attended this weekend with my whole family. Everyone had fun from my parents to my little nieces. Some really cute pic options at this place too.

Definitely a place for kids, but comparing it to something like The Exploratorium in San Francisco, it comes up a bit short. There are some exhibits that are well-designed and fun, but a lot of them aren't particularly imaginative. The building is HUGE and flexible enough that it would be easy to make incremental improvements without having to close the place down. Now we didn't visit the IMAX theater on the premises, so perhaps I'm missing a little of the WOW factor a screening would have left with me.

MY WIFE AND I TOOK OUR SON, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND 10 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER TO THE SCIENCE CENTER WHILE THEY WERE HERE ON A VISIT. THEY WERE TOTALLY DELIGHTED WITH THE EXPERIENCE. THEY HAD BEEN TO THE SCIENCE CENTER IN TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA AND FELT THIS WAS EQUALLY GREAT IN EVERY WAY.
JAMES & JOYCE THOMAS

This is definitely a hands on kind of place! So much to see and do! The kids loved the maze of mirrors and physics demonstrations. Almost all the exhibits were working and in great shape. We planned on spending an hour or so here and ending up staying for almost four hours. I was super impressed that almost all the videos in the exhibits and displays were captioned! It is a little pricey, however they do currently offer a summer pass for half price, which made it a little better for our budget... 4 admissions tickets and two passes to the maze of mirrors for 45$. It really is geared towards kids, but super fun for everyone in the family!

My husband and I spent several hours there this weekend. We really enjoyed the interactive features and information. It's no Science and Industry (Chicago) or LA museum but it's still a fun activity to get out of the heat and spend the better part of the day. Minus a star because there were several exhibits with broken or missing features.

This reviews is due to all the parents who bring their children and let them run around unsupervised like a bunch of wild donkeys. I have seen animals behave in more synchronous ways then the hordes of hooligans running around this place. If you have a small child, you better be on your toes because an older kid will run them over and not give a second thought about it. The facility was lacking in staff who could properly supervise or at least enforce rules. It seemed educational but what is the point when you are being run over by brood whose parents do not give a care in the world about where their genetic filth might be. The parking was $12 for not having our "wrist bands" on, which the employee could not validate even after the fact that I carried tickets/membership details for today's date. I will not return, wish there was a way to receive refund for the money I wasted with membership, it would have been better to flush it down the toilet and I wouldn't have felt so bad.

great place to come if you have little kids. they will have a blast.

Went to see the mummies of the world exhibit, exhibit was short and didn't really have as much as it sounded like it had. Was neat but I was kind of disappointed in the amount of information or lack there of in some displays. What really got me was the price, admission is a double charge, you have to pay general admission to the science center as well as a secondary ticket to see the mummies. It was incredibly expensive for the 45 minutes it took to look at every display and read every information board. But once you've paid $12 to park across the road, you don't exactly want to back out once you get to the admission desk to find out it's another $56 just for 2 adults. If I'm not interested in the rest of the stuff at the science center why should I have to pay for it, looked at a couple things nearby while waiting to get in to the mummies but the excess of kids just messing with displays and not taking them in made it too difficult to look at things anyways.

Admission of $ 18 isn't worth what to see. Two three fun experiments and a lot of things that only work poorly or not at all. Too bad the idea is good but unfortunately the entrance fee is not put into repairs ...

The things that worked were cool but there was a lot of exhibits not working and then the really cool stuff you had to pay extra for. And it seemed like it needed some updating. Not really worth the money and time to be able to go.

It's an okay science museum. We've been to better in Chicago and San Francisco. Biggest complaint is EVERYTHING has an additional charge. The planetarium, the movie, to ride the space bike, to enter the traveling exhibit they advertise so heavily. We've been traveling the country with our four kids and have never had to pay this much for admission and then extra fees for all the things that are the museum's biggest draws. Wish we would have gone to the zoo.

Amazing place! Love the unique pieces. Especially from Pompeii.

Good experience for Kids. Shout out to brother Bobbi for the hospitality

Worst investment ever. Honestly don't bother wish I could get money back. Half the exhibit don't work. Nothing fun or exciting for kids. All the kids were playing tag instead of enjoying the science center... Over priced... Even with GROUPON DEAL... Save your money and go to ZOO nothing beats THE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER it's free and 5 times bigger. Oh and FREE.

I ve been visiting the Science Center for 10 years now and I can say the exhibits haven t changed much if at all.
I did the Groupon which was a fantastic deal so To go once in a while especially to get out the heat is ok.
I m not sure if other states have more in depth science centers but I would agree with most reviews that it s geared for school age which is fine as it s great for field trip.

I would love to see some new attractions, the water area is fantastic when it s working.
Toddler friendly science would be great too.