There are many "must see" tourist attractions in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix is rich in natural history and offers many museums and outdoor areas to explore. Some excellent tourist attractions in Phoenix include Mystery Castle, Arizona Captiol Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art and Desert Botanical Gardens.
Desert Botanical Gardens are well-maintained gardens of desert plants that number almost 20,000. This is one of the best attractions in Phoenix for plant enthusiasts. Cactaceae and Aloaceae are prevalent here and South American cacti from Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Argentina are featured. Desert Botanical Gardens often have educational programs relating to the conservation and study of plants.
The Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art is one of the best attractions in Phoenix for learning about the art and culture of Native Americans. The Heard Museum in North Scottsdale emphasizes works from Native cultures from the Southwestern United States and has over 35,000 cultural and artistic items on display in their permanent gallery. The exhibits include live performances and demonstrations.
The Phoenix Art Museum is a not-for-profit private museum with more than 17,000 pieces of art from around the world. It is one of the best attractions in Phoenix for art lovers. The Museum has American, Latin American, Asian, European and Western Art as well as modern and contemporary art. It also includes fashion design and has an interactive children's art gallery called "ArtWorks."
The Arizona Capitol Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Phoenix for history buffs. The copper-roofed Capitol Building dates back to 1878. It's said that the copper roof signifies the economical importance of copper in Arizona. A Winged Victory statue sits on top of the roof. The Arizona Capitol Museum is housed in the former State Capitol Building and features the governor's office and senate and house chambers the way they looked in 1912, which was the year Arizona officially became a state.
Mystery Castle is one of the most-loved attractions in Phoenix. It's a creative and interesting three-story castle made in 1945 by a father for his daughter. Mystery Castle is constructed of items such as petroglyphs, adobe, rocks and even car parts. One of the beds has a railcar bed frame. Built on a gold mine, the Castle has 18 rooms and 13 fireplaces.
