Content
The Phoenix New Times may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in English from Arizona State University. In her role, Jennifer writes and publishes profiles of both local and regional musicians, previews upcoming performances and provides guides on the best of Phoenix’s entertainment scene.
How much time should I spend in Phoenix?
There was an influx of refugees due to low-cost housing in the Sunnyslope area in the 1990s, resulting in 43 different languages being spoken in local schools by 2000. The Phoenix Symphony Hall opened in 1972; other major structures which saw construction downtown during this decade were the First National Bank Plaza, the Valley Center (the tallest building in Arizona), and the Arizona Bank building. In 1965 the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum opened at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, west of downtown. It largely took place on the city's north side, a region that was nearly all Caucasian.
A first-timer’s guide to Phoenix, Arizona
Tickets for the museum plus the “The Magical Flute” exhibition are $27 for adults, just the museum is $20, and just “The Magical Flute” is $10 (tickets for children are discounted). Much of the museum is organized geographically, allowing guests to experience the music of various cultures as they move through the galleries. The exterior of the Musical Instrument Museum in north Phoenix. At night, the vibe gets rowdier as a 20-something crowd comes out to party. Cost is $14 adults, $12 seniors, and $11 students, military, and children ages 6 to 17.The Mill Avenue bridges across Tempe Town Lake.Martin Ely/CC BY 2.0/Flickr Created in partnership with Himeji, Japan, one of Phoenix’s sister cities, the Japanese Friendship Garden features a lake with a waterfall, traditional Japanese structures, secluded walking paths, plenty of koi, and a gift shop stocked with Asian goods.
Arts and culture
A town that had just over 65,000 residents in 1940 became America's fifth most populous city by 2020, with a population of nearly 1.6 million, and millions more in nearby suburbs. During World War II, Phoenix's economy shifted to that of a distribution center, transforming into an "embryonic industrial city" with the mass production of military supplies. After statehood, Phoenix's growth started to accelerate; eight years later, its population reached 29,053. The arrival of the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway in 1895 connected Phoenix to Prescott, Flagstaff, and other communities in the northern part of the territory.
Musical Instrument Museum
In October 1870, valley residents met to select a new townsite for the valley's growing population. Lord Darrell Duppa was one of the original settlers in Swilling's party, and he suggested the name "Phoenix", as it described a city born from the ruins of a former civilization. He formed the Swilling Irrigation and Canal Company that year, mexican resturant toronto dug a large canal that drew in river water, and erected several crop fields in a location that is now within the eastern portion of central Phoenix near its airport. The fort established a camp on the south side of the Salt River by 1866, which was the first settlement in the valley after the decline of the Hohokam.
This year, make your gift count –Invest in local news that matters.
Many annual events in and near Phoenix celebrate the city's heritage and its diversity. Other popular sites in the city are Japanese Friendship Garden, Historic Heritage Square, Phoenix Mountains Park, Pueblo Grande Museum, Tovrea Castle, Camelback Mountain, Hole in the Rock, Mystery Castle, St. Mary's Basilica, Taliesin West, and the Wrigley Mansion. Since opening in 1962, it has developed an international reputation for its efforts on animal conservation, including breeding and reintroducing endangered species into the wild. The Phoenix Zoo is the largest privately owned nonprofit zoo in the United States. These architectural studios embrace the desert climate, and are unconventional in their approach to the practice of design.
- Cotton, cattle, citrus, climate, and copper were known locally as the "Five C’s" anchoring Phoenix’s economy.
- The arrival of the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway in 1895 connected Phoenix to Prescott, Flagstaff, and other communities in the northern part of the territory.
- Maybe dinner and drinks on a downtown date night?
- In the 1970s the downtown area experienced a resurgence, with a level of construction activity not seen again until the urban real estate boom of the 2000s.
25 Things to Conquer on Your Phoenix Bucket List
Whether you’re in town for a special event, a business trip, or just a desert getaway, there is plenty to do and see around metro Phoenix. Why is Kyrsten Sinema threatening Chandler residents with a data center they don’t want? Maybe dinner and drinks on a downtown date night? Surrounded by mountain ranges, the Greater Phoenix area encompasses more than 500 square miles… The Visit Phoenix Marketplace brings together the city's best attractions, tours, tickets and…
This is a mental health center and is the only medical facility run by the state government. Another major state government facility is the Arizona State Hospital, operated by the Arizona Department of Health Services. As the capital of Arizona, Phoenix houses the state legislature, along with numerous state government agencies, many of which are in the State Capitol district immediately west of downtown. The Phoenix Zoo is the largest privately owned non-profit zoo in the United States and is internationally known for its programs devoted to saving endangered species.