Phoenix Art Museum
4.7(4.2K)google
4.4(611)yelp
ArtPerformance
Overview
The Phoenix Art Museum is the largest museum for visual art in the southwest United States. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the museum is 285,000 square feet (26,500 m2). It displays international exhibitions alongside its comprehensive collection of more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design.
Practical Info
MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun12:00 – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-3 hours
Best TimeYear-round. As a cultural palace full of air conditioning and high art, this is the perfect indoor choice for escaping Phoenix's extreme outdoor summer heat and getting an immersive art education
Getting ThereLocated in the core of downtown Phoenix. It's recommended to take the Valley Metro Rail, get off at the Central Ave/McDowell station, and you're at the museum door. In-museum parking is completely free
Travel Tips
- This is the largest comprehensive visual-art museum in the American Southwest, holding over 20,000 top-tier art works spanning the American West, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and avant-garde modern fashion design
- The ultimate must-see treasure in the museum is the super-limited art installation "You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies" (Firefly Infinity Mirror Room) by Japanese national-treasure avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama—extremely magical visual effects
- On Wednesday afternoons (generally after 3 p.m.) and the first weekend of each month, the museum usually offers special-hours ticket discounts or free (Pay-What-You-Wish) admission—extremely good value
Reviews
Positive
- The curatorial level is very high, with everything from traditional Western oil paintings to very bold contemporary installation art. Yayoi Kusama's Mirror Room is so dreamy—walking in feels like falling into a galaxy of stars
- The spatial design is very open and grand, so touring never feels cramped. The museum's art bookstore and café are also very tasteful—perfect for coming here to quietly spend an artsy afternoon on the weekend
Heads up
- Some modernist and postmodernist artworks are obscure and hard to understand; without a professional audio guide, ordinary visitors may feel a bit at a loss looking at them