Arizona Science Center, Phoenix

Our 1200 camera was stolen with our many pictures taken including our first trail ride through the desert. We were vacationing in the area and will not likely return. We noticed the camera was stolen within three minutes. The younger staff was helpful but had no clear direction from the supervisor that day. The supervisor was more concerned about a leak in the roof than helping us. We also noticed that it would be very easy for anyone to enter without paying---no one was checking wristbands. The science center itself was ok but not worth it if you have to worry about theft in what you would think is a safe area. Definitely not worth it since they obviously have no protocol when this happens.

I went to the Arizona Science Center recently after about ten years, and I found that it has changed a lot. There are oodles of new exhibits as well as some that I remember. If you’ve never been there it’s a pretty good way to spend a Saturday with your family or anyone at all. The exhibits are all hands on, and in my recent experience I found almost all of them very fun to experiment with and learn about. It is a lovely place to take your family. It is located on Washington and Fifth Street next to Heritage Square and the Museum of History. There is a parking garage next door which is very convenient but you must remember to get your parking validated otherwise you’ll end up paying way more then you should. The Arizona Science Center is open every day from 10 to 5 except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is affordable but you need to pay extra to go to the planetarium which I thought was a little disappointing. The museum itself was an experience in its own. There were many exhibits in about four or five different themed sections. My favorite exhibit was “Forces of Nature”; it was unique, awesome, and a bit scared at some points. The exhibit had a simulated experience in numerous extreme weather conditions. Such as a tornado, a hurricane, a wildfire, eruptions and several others, “Mother nature at its best” as the narrator put it. It also gave a few examples of disasters we get here in Arizona, which I thought was neat to throw in. It seemed like they tried to make it as real as they could without hurting anyone, I think they succeeded. The simulation had many different components to help give the audience a realistic experience including rain, light heat, wind, lightening strikes and even a rumble feature under your feet to simulate an earthquake. There is a projector that shows what you are experiencing on four different screens and a narrator to give a few facts about each one. Overall my experience at the Arizona Science Center was fun, exciting and I learned a lot about how some disasters are formed and many other facts about the weather. If you have a free day with the family I would highly recommend a visit to the science center. It is fun, affordable, and very informative.

We went to the Arizona Science Centre today for the Star Trek Experience and were quite disappointed that none of the artifacts worked ... like the buttons on any of the Next Generation consoles etc. There was lots of reading and we read over 3 times Einstein’s theory of relativity in different areas ... sigh! We were also disappointed that we couldn't take pictures especially because there we nothing to purchase Star Trek related ... No posters, pins, T-Shirts ... no memorabilia what-so-ever!!! ... The employees in the outside gift shop said that the ASC broke its contract with Paramount and hence Paramount took all the gifts back ... Why this wasn't told to the general public is beyond me ... we would have saved ourselves $40.00 and gone elsewhere for the day! Best we'll give is about a 3 out of 10. No interactivity, the voice tour was a waste of $6.00 because only 10% of the exhibit had numbers. This is our disappointing. At least let people take pictures ... we have absolutely no memorabilia of the event ... Pout!!!

I recommend this center for younger children. However, be advised if for whatever reason Science center has to shut down the theater after you paid admission on their online website, they will not refund you. I took my boys to see the Titanic Exhibit and they had to shut down the theater for technical difficulties and would not refund me. I even asked the manager if I could get credit for another show, another time, and she said no. I was only allowed to come back another time during this exhibit to see this show. I explained to her I lived in Buckeye, which is an hour away, and with gas prices and the exhibit ending in 2 days, that wasn't possible. She said next time don't buy admission online through our website, we will not refund you. They don't take responsability if the theater shuts down. I was also asked to calm down I was overreacting. I used hard working money to see a show I never got to see. I lost money on 3 tickets. I will not be going back.

Big building filled with nothing. If you want to see something you have to pay extra.

Why is the Az Sci center the number one place to visit in Phx? You got me! I have no idiea. My wife and myself along with our 11 year old daughter coulod hardly wait to get to the Sci center that morning. We had heard so many good things. So much to see, so much to do and inexpensive to get in as well! Wrong, wrong and WRONG!!! Only $9.00 for adults to get in. Not bad right? Yes we knew we would have to pay extra for the Imax movie. We did not expect it to almost double the price! But wait. Thats not all. Do you want to go to the planetarium also? Thats right! It's extra too! But wait... Most certainly the main exhibit (C.S.I.Bugs when we where there) is included in the price of admission? Wrong again! Well we spent over $80.00 for the three of us to get in but I am sure it will be worth it. Was I ever on a "wrong again" streek that day. First off. For the price you have to pay to get in and do everything, the Az Sci center is very small. Yes we al found a few of the exhibts some what intresting but over all we where all bored to tears. Our 11 year old who is top of her class every year found most of it childish and indeed it was aimed at a much younger set. So if you have kids over say 7 or maybe 8. Stay home. Things would not have been as bad as they where but on top of every thing else. A large number of the exhibits where not working properly or just flat out broken. I started counting after the first floor but lost count by the second floor. Sad really. The only thing that seemed to be 100% was the display board in the lobby showing all the BIG MONEY donations they receive each year. With that kind of money coming in there is no excuse for things to be so bad. We all found the place a bit on the dirty side as well. From the carpets to to exhibits grunge abounds! As for the food court. Well we wont even talk about that..ugh! The high light of the day was the Imax 3D movie. We all really did enjoy that and came out feeling good and said hay lets give it another try. However by the fourth broken exhibit in the not so "Fab Lab" we where making a blue streak for the door. I have been to the Franklin Institute Sci center in Philadelphia. I think that is what the Az Sci Center is trying to be but sadly it does not even come close. Please Az Science Center. Get your act together. You will never be a Franklin Institute if only because of the lack of size alone but you could really be a fun and educational place in Phx if you wanted to be. Right now you are about as fun and educational as the "Come See The Giant Thing" exhibit on the highway between Phx and Tucson. Another over priced tourist trap with very little bang for the buck.

While the museum did offer a few interesting exhibits, it is not conducive for small children. They had one area for preschoolers that was dirty and not well-stocked. I found all the exhibits a bit dirty in fact. There were several school groups there (despite it being summer); it was way too crowded and rambunctious for my 2-year-old daughter to enjoy. It does not compare to other children's museums we have been to throughout the country (Indianapolis, Salt Lake, Seattle).

Went for the 2nd time to the Science Center with the intention of seeing the Body Worlds exhibit. The exhibit was nice, but there were still too many people. I am glad that I was able to go to the Science Center a few months ago - prior to the Body Worlds exhibit. I had gone on a weekend, when they first opened and was able to see and experience all of the other parts of the Science Center without a lot of little kids running around.

The exhibit was much better than I thought it would be. An amazing look inside your body at your muscles and organs. Displays of hearts, livers, stomachs, and other organs - healthy and diseased. My only complaint is how crowded it was. It was very difficult to see many of the exhibits with so many people crowding around. We went at spring break, so it may not always be so crowded. Also, we only wanted to see the Body Works exhibit but had to pay admission to the museum as well.

The Science Museum. Why this is the number one destination in Phoenix for tourists is beyond me. While mildly interesting it is overpriced and way to kidcentric to be a serious science museum. The Featured Exhibit called body worlds three is interesting Macabre display of deceased people that have been plasticized and posed without their skins so we can see their innards. While initially interesting it felt as the display went on unnecessarily exploitive. We have a dead lad that is now forever skateboarding, sans clothing and sans skin. The Planetarium is too big on glitz and wow and not enough on science...still trying to figure out what the star roller coaster portion was supposed to display other than get the audience nauseated. In the end it is over priced and under science. It has some nice displays, but they are few and far between. Lastly I felt the space of the museum was under utilized. The cafe here was also overpriced and awful. Enter at your own peril.