Heard Museum Reviews

Beautifully curated with some rare and inspiring works, a museum shop that sells real art rather than the usual tat, and the place has a lovely friendly feel to it. definitely worth a visit

This museum is a wonderful tribute to Native Americans - the artifacts are beautiful! We have visited several times but a highlight is the first weekend in March when they hold their annual Indian Fair & Market. The parking lot is filled with vendors but we chose to spend most of our day watching the various Native American dances. Light rail has a stop right by the museum, so we opted to take that instead of trying to find parking. Highly recommend!!

beautiful, interesting, extraordinary art and history. we were just looking for something interesting to do on a vacation trip to Phoenix and this seemed a good fit because of my daughter's great love and respect of the Native American history and culture. Learned so much, very moved by the beauty of the exhibit

Wonderful museum dedicated to Native American history, culture and art. All the exhibits and displays were incredible with information about many of the Native American tribes that inhabited the Southwest and what made each of them unique.

Loved visiting the museum while learning the history of this family. The art and gifts were very interesting. Will be returning.

The Heard Museum really represents the culture and art of Phoenix. Beautiful permanent exhibits showcase the best of Native American Art as well as inform and educate. Installations and special shows of modern and contemporary art are always exemplary, enlightening and special.

The gift shop has the best jewelry, pottery, rugs and more and are trusted for quality and authenticity. Just visiting the shop is a treat in itself. The cafe or coffee shop and bookstore are worth a stop too.

The Annual Indian Fair and Marketplace, the premier Hoop Dance Contest and the Hispanic Market bring together the best artists in the country and are a treat if you don't mind the energy of a crowd.

Such an interesting place. We did the tour and did learn a lot but were disappointed that there was very little information about the history or impact of living in the US on the native peoples. We spent a lot of time in a huge exhibition of quirky photos which were interesting in themselves but not what we were expecting to see. So I can’t really recommend it on those grounds alone.
One upside - there’s a cafe that (a) stays open past 3 and (b) serves decent tea. Both a novelty!

I had never been to the Heard, so it was kind of a “bucket list” visit for me. I was not disappointed. The museum has a wonderful collection of Native American/American Indian objects with a few Alaska Native artists as well. In addition to pottery, jewelry and textiles, their collection includes a large-ish gallery of fine art. There is a very good cross-section of artists and time periods. Upstairs was a comprehensive exhibition about Indian boarding schools. It was top notch and included video interviews with scholars. While I was wandering through the exhibition, a group came through led by a woman who had attended the Phoenix Indian School. What an opportunity—to participate in a tour led by someone who had attended the school!

I look forward to returning if I am in the greater Phoenix area again.

Also, my friend and I had lunch at the Courtyard Cafe. Our Sonoran salads were very good. My friend ordered the fry bread for dessert. It was a far cry from fry bread I have eaten at tourist restaurants on or near reservations years ago. (They we’re typically very heavy and greasy.) This fry bread was light, served with honey. Very nice!

The museum shop is also wonderful. They have a very nice selection of good quality Navajo rugs, jewelry and kachinas. Some pottery—although not a lot—and some very high end collectible jewelry and other items. Members get a 10% discount; during our visit there was a sale so members got an additional 10% off!

I visited the Heard Museum in November 2019. It is a very interesting museum on American Indian culture. The first section of the museum that I visited contained photos by David Hockney and American Indian baskets. The core part of the museum covered artificats from different American Indian tribes. I saw Navajo jewelry, a Hopi doll collection (400 dolls) donated by Senator Barry Goldwater, a artistic fence and many other things. On the second floor was the Indian Boarding Schools exhibit which covered the history of boarding schools. The Jacobson Wing, a major part of the museum, was closed for renovations. I went in the gift shop were replicas of the dolls were selling for between $200 and $500. I enjoyed my visit to the Heard Museum. There is free parking and a small discount for seniors.

Whether you are a newcomer to culture, arts and history of SW indigenous peoples or already know a lot about one or more, you will either learn something about these peoples - who are still in the SW - or you will see some fine examples of their handiwork - especially baskets and pottery but also some of their more modern art. The exhibited collections are not as extensive as I expected based on the Heard's reputation but they do encompass an excellent range of representatives from most of the SW cultures, ranging from utilitarian to high art. A better range of art can be found at several of the shops on Main Street in old town Scottsdale. The Heard compound is a nice little oasis on its own. Our docent tour was very good but we overheard another who to us seemed a bit too free with his own negative opinions about some of the art. You can reasonably get much of the good in 2 hours but if you like to immerse yourself in accompanying text, you can easily spend 4 hours here. The cafe is nicely situated but if you want to break up your visit, there also is an excellent vegetarian restaurant at about 15 min walk or 5 min drive from museum. Re-entry to museum is free.

Currently undergoing some remodelling, so will be even better when done but we enjoyed this museum very much. Lunch in their restaurant also excellent.
Only downside for us was the shop. Yes, all authentic items but NOTHING we could afford to buy as a souvenir, just (gorgeous) art pieces.

Great display and materials from many different areas,,jewelry, paint, ceramics, stone, leather etc.....

So many artifacts and I learned so much about indigenous people in the US! Beautiful jewelries, dolls, pictures, weaving, so much more.

We were very lucky that our visit to Phoenix coincided with the Indian Fair and Market. There were an incredible amount of artists and vendors on site, as well as live performances and demonstrations. There was so much to see and do outside we only had time to see a small part of the museum. I would love to come back the next time I am in the area.

We were privileged to have the guide, Cozette Mathew’s, share her wealth of knowledge with us on our tour.
We look forward to many more return visits.

The greatly curated collection of Native American artwork is breathtaking. Not only is it an art museum, but it is also a history museum and there is so much to take in and learn. The boarding school exhibit was tough to digest.
The museum is serene yet very large so plan about 2 hours. I can go on and on but I do want to give away too much. I loved the museum and will return.

The real surprise is was the info about the Indian schools - where the US Government tried to destroy/eliminate their culture by taking the children away and placing them in one of 335 schools. I didn't realize this happened nor that some of these schools are still operating. This blew me away.

The Heard is probably the best museum of American Indian art and culture in the US. It is especially good for those interested in gorgeous weaving, pottery, and other art but also has a very good section of exhibits on Southwestern Indian cultures.

The museum is in a lovely compound with verandas and sculpture garden areas where kids can run around outside. There is a cafe and a small restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and a very good specialized bookstore. The museum shop is filled with very high quality art, crafts and jewelry made by artists from the Southwestern tribes. Do NOT expect inexpensive souvenirs. This is a place for buying really nice pottery, silver, or textiles - investments.

The exhibit about the Indian boarding schools is remarkable and also educational in terms of what the US government policies were for so many years - separating children from their families in a policy of forced “assimilation”.

The displays at the Heard were well thought out and detailed, and very informative. Their display on Indian silversmithing was superb and fascinating, showing how blacksmithing turned to silversmithing, and the upskilling of their beautiful work from 1880 to the present artists.
A different display on Indian "boarding schools" was informative but despite discussion and exposure of some of the atrocities, still barely hinted at the total deaths and abuses perpetrated on those children. It did point out that after 70 years of such atrocities there were changes in philosophy, and showed there were adults today who were educated in the sixties and seventies of this last century who gained from it, but it almost felt as if that was trying to paper over the awfulness of the first era.
Oh, and the attached bookshop and craft shop had first-rate material, FAR better than Old Town

A lovely afternoon viewing new and ancient works of art from Native Americans, including different tribes from the Southwest. Helpful information on local history.

On our last day in Phoenix we visited the Heard museum. This museum has a large collection of hand woven baskets and sizable collection of Native American turquoise and dolls.

Enjoyed the current and permanent collections. Staff were friendly and helpful. Suggested alternatives for lunch after the cafeteria had closed. We enjoyed Mary Coyle Ol’Fashion Ice Cream across the street.
Be sure to visit both!

Visited with my two teenagers and we were blown away with the amount of information about Native Americans. They should write a school curriculum unit. You can spend 1-2 hours here.

Got the opportunity to take a guided tour of the Heard Museum while touring Arizona this spring with my students from Wisconsin. What an amazing collection of artifacts and information!!! Ms Kristin was an AMAZING tour guide and stayed with us probably longer than she was scheduled. The exhibit on the Native American schools was so detailed and an awesome way to tie into the books my students read in ELA class. Can't wait to go back to visit again, I'm sure there is more that we didn't get to see!

The collection is beautiful and inclusive of many tribes in the American Southwest. It did not, however, feel deeply inhabited by those people. I would still recommend seeing it, but also visit the reservations and sites of significance to the individual tribes.

We visited this museum and it was much more than we expected. There are 800 year old artifacts and contemporary crafts beautifully exhibited. We spent 2.5 hours viewing the exhibits and could have stayed longer. We had a good lunch in the cafe. The gift shop was my last stop where I found something to buy 😊. I definitely recommend this museum.

This is a great venue to visit, hold an event, and the catering was well presented and delicious! We enjoyed the networking space prior to the formal presentation. Afterward, Mr. Grann did a book signing and the venue was perfect for all phases of the night - before, during and after!

My adult daughter and I had a very enjoyable experience here. The parking is close by and free. Building is handicapped accessible and Airconditioned. The exhibits are very well thought out and informative. You can read all you want or just browse it is a great combination of both. There is a restaurant (delicious food and reasonably priced), a book store with reasonably priced souvenirs and books, and a gorgeous Jewerly gift shop. They do give free tours daily and they are very informative. The docents are amazing so please ask them questions!!

Buy your ticket online to save a few dollars. This is an expansive museum, with different levels and types of exhibits. I enjoyed the 'At home' exhibits on the first floor and the Indian School exhibit on the second floor. Other exhibits I visited briefly, as I only had a morning to visit. The gift shop is very, very good and reasonable. A definite 'must do' to understand more fully the people of Arizona and the landscape.

Really interesting museum of Native American art, mostly contemporary. Great exhibits too on special historical boarding schools for Native Americans and some other stuff. Very enjoyable few hours on a very hot day. The cafe is a real gem. I ordered cold Three Sisters Soup and it was one of the most delicious soups I've ever had in my life.

My father and I visited the museum because we both love Native American Art and Artifacts. This was the perfect place! The museum is beautiful, we took our time to visit, stopped at the museum shop which is full of items for purchase. We also had a bite to eat at the cafe which again was great. I can't wait to go back.

I am a supporter and patron of several museums and art museums in the US, particularly in PA, NY, and FL. I found the Heard Museum to be an outstanding jewel of a museum. It isn't a huge museum, maybe could use some more space to expand its first floor exhibit areas WHICH ARE F U L L, and G R E A T!! The docent tour I was on was OUTSTANDING; top notch! The second floor Indian Schools exhibit was eye-opening; a good, great, exhibit to show real history. I was both grateful to see it, sad that this happened, happy to support the Heard Museum and its collection and its work. I highly recommend the Heard Museum if you're in the area; do the docent tour if at possible - well worth it!!

I was really impressed with the depth of information covered regarding natives within Arizona and surrounding territories. Very rarely do I go to a museum and spend the estimated time there. 2 1/2 hours later, I still felt I had much more to see as they were closing. A great mixture of things to read and videos to illustrate things further. I only wish they had more interactive displays or more things you could touch. Overall a great experience though!

Be sure to take one of the guided tours of the "Home" area. Having a guide made the exhibit much more meaningful.I did not take a guided tour of the "Away" boarding school area and found the descriptions very detailed and informative. The doll exhibit was amazing.

First Friday evening of the month is free admission. Spent a good 2 hours there, enjoyed a variety of exhibits and music. On the second floor is an exhibit on the “Indian Schools” and the children’s experience, unbelievable how we continue to repeat history.

Looking forward to a return visit to explore more exhibits.

Small boutique museum of Native American art treasures. Loved the special textile exhibit in particular. A wonderful cafe and bookstore in the courtyard

A must see if visiting or live in Phoenix area. Excellent presentation of the Southwest Native culture and customs. We were sorry that 2 of the buldings were not open due to preparing for new exhibits which will open on October 19th through April of next year. They are following the Covid guidelines so you must wear mask at all times which in the building. This is truly an amazing museum.

Truly a must-see if you are looking for authentic Native American artwork that spans the ages. The Heard Museum does an incredible job of including all art forms through the ages. We were lucky enough to see "Remembering the Future: 100 Years of Inspiring Art, " an incredible collection of progressive Native artwork.

I would highly recommend a visit to this museum and look forward to the chance to visit again and stay connected.

This was the highlight of our short 3 day trip. If you don’t have a lot of time make sure to include this museum. A wonderful collection of Native American art and exhibits, including The Substance of Stars, Native Hawaiian surfing and art, and “Away From Home”, Stories of Indian Boarding Schools, difficult history to be told again and again. Also important art from Native American veterans. Please allow yourself plenty of time to experience it all. We ended with a late lunch in the courtyard which was very nice.

Museum focusing on Native American exhibits. My visit was very unique, as I had never before been to or even heard of a full museum which specializes in this area. The exhibit on boarding schools was moving and effective. The buildings themselves are also gorgeous.

My mother, cousin and I visited the Heard yesterday as I'd been told it is a must see for native American enthusiasts, which my cousin is.
The bottom level has tribal histories, customs, has displays of clothing, weaving, pottery, baskets, dolls, jewelry making and more which were explained and brought to live by one of the tour guides. These are free and last roughly 40 minutes. It is worth your time to take one.
Also on the bottom level is an art gallery of painting and other artistic works from native American artists which are very beautiful.
Upstairs most of the displays are dedicated to the plight of the peoples due to Manifest Destiny and the European influence on all Indian nations. You can learn about tribal relocations, forced integration, family separations, punishments for non-compliance and all of that part of history.
This museum is worth your time in my opinion, can be seen in under 2 hours and is pretty affordable as four of us paid $72.

I was blown away by the wing devoted to the boarding school experience. It’s a part of our history I only learned about after watching 1923 on Paramount. I actually felt the presentations downplayed the negative aspects of this operation that focused on removing the American Indian culture from Indian children. The children were ruthlessly separated from their parents and there was abuse, including “outings”, which allowed anyone to take children for a day of work or who knows what without any background checks. I was very moved by the museum’s presentation regardless. I highly recommend you visit the museum for this exhibition alone. Very well done, even if I think it doesn’t emphasize enough the negative aspects of this assimilation operation.

Glad we saw the education of American Indians last because it was not only powerful but extremely sad. The whole thing was wonderful.

First, it is in a beautiful building. Second, the art is expertly arranged to provide the visitor a wonderful visit. So the Heard is a must visit if you are at all interested in American Indian culture, especially if you are interested in one of a kind stuff like hand woven baskets. Gift shop with many high end items including rugs and turquoise. Parking lot next to building.

We enjoyed everything about the museum, inside and out. The tours are informational and the exhibits are substantial. The onsite restaurant is good and the museum shop is quite vast and full of wonderful Native American treasures.

An absolute must if you are in the Phoenix area. A wonderfully curated museum that celebrates all things Native American and at the same time does not shy away from the atrocities.
They have a delightful courtyard restaurant where you can make reservations to avoid the wait and a superb gift shop with authentic Native American art, rugs, jewelry..Spent hours here..

We stop here annually coming through PHX to Sedona. The Indian School exhibit is a must see. Their permanent exhibit of tribal material cultures and the docent guides are very informative. Whatever is the special exhibit is always a treat: material goods, crafts of Yosemite peoples this year. Sorry to miss Indian market.

This collection of western indigenous art is amazing. I suggest taking the tour with a docent to learn about the different cultures. Our tour was fascinating.

The boarding school part and the home of native is good , I am not a big fan of contemporary art so I feel so so with that .

Amazing objects on display, plus a sad history of the white man's attempt to change the Indians to the white man's way of life...very gut wrenching.
Our only comment..... they could do with more seating.....shuffling around trying to see and read everything is very tiring. You will be hard pushed to find any seats.

It was a rainy Saturday in Phoenix, so we visited the Heard museum. We were a little disappointed with this museum. The first floor was more of an art exhibit than a museum. There were too many artifacts (pottery, small figurines) and not enough about the history of the Sonoran Desert People who settled here thousands of years before. I think first floor could be redesigned to provide more information on how these people lived for thousands of years, as opposed to numerous modern artifacts. Additionally, the temporary art exhibit (forget the name) was lackluster.

The second floor was amazing. I never learned in school about the boarding schools for Native American Children. Horrifying and disturbing, but an important part of our history that we cannot and should not forget. The exhibits here were well designed, powerful, and involved several different mediums. I learned a lot.

All in all, I think its worth visiting if you have a few hours to spend in Phoenix.

The most amazing presentation of Native American Indian history in one place. It's impossible to take all that presented for your viewing/listening pleasure. And, its in depth special programs are an extra treat to be included, if possible.

My friend and I stumbled upon the Heard Museum by accident but we’re completely floored by how incredible this museum is. The exhibits were well thought out, the floor plan was easy to follow, and even the museum cafe had great food. The Indian boarding school exhibit was en enlightening yet slightly disturbing experience which we learned so much from. They was the museum set up the exhibit and displayed the information was phenomenal. It was a true learning experience for us. We came out of that exhibit moved by it. Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning the culture, history and art of native Americans

This is a really, really nice museum to visit. You have the opportunity to learn a lot and to hear from native people. The museum itself is beautiful and they even have a family room for the younger ones. A place to add to the list of things to see in the region.

"Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories" is the updated installation of the long-running Boarding School exhibition. It's moving and very disturbing. The US government's theory was that it's much cheaper to send Indians through boarding school than to kill them. (Seriously. The cost of killing an Indian was estimated to be one million dollars.) Native Americans were taken from their parents -- by force, if necessary -- and shipped hundreds or thousands of miles away to be "Americanized" by chopping off their hair, making them wear whites' clothing and eat the food, forbidding native languages and only allowing English, etc. etc.

There's a bright side: Toward the end of the exhibit, in the mid-20th century, the schools started to accept and encourage Native culture. There's a huge photo of the school in Santa Fe, which was recently completely rebuilt to embrace the cultures.

This is a small part of the museum but very worthwhile. I think it's been open for less than a year since the old exhibition was renovated.

What a great learning experience, this was the start of us learning more about the native Indians of this area. I would urge you to take the guided tour, even if you go around again on your own. There are so many subtleties and things you would miss just wandering around. All of the exhibits were well laid out and fascinating. Would go back.

This is one of the most interesting museums I’ve been to. There is so much accessible variety, theatre documentaries and so on. Highly recommend.

We visited this hidden gem and found that we should have planned for much more time. We loved it all. We will go back someday and try to see it all.

Great museum, beautifully laid out and new. Many artifacts. Gift shop has authentic items, not cheap souvenir things. We spent 3 hours in the museum. Definitely worth a trip to learn about American Indian culture and people

Wow! This is a great museum. The displays are beautiful and interesting. We learned a lot. We had a lovely lunch at the restaurant. The service was good and the food was fresh and quite tasty. A must see while in Phoenix!

The festival brings in the best art from all over the Southwest. So many booths you cants see them all without a break. Sit down in the grass and watch the dancing and singing. A full day’s activity if you want it.

In spirit of full disclosure I am Native American; so I have a definite bias. This is an excellent museum. Plan on a full-day visit. Do the free tours offered through out the day then go back to more closely view the exhibits and video screenings. The cafe/food is very good; really! Include lunch in your visit. The gift shop offers very nice things, albeit quite pricey. Transportation--the museum is at a light rail stop north of downtown. It's very accessible. Day passes on the rail are $4. This is a must-do visit in Phoenix.

What a great museum. We got there with about an hour to spare before closing but still managed to explore and see and learn a great deal. Beautiful, interesting exhibits. Would recommend - will definitely go back when we have more time.

This is a smallish museum, easy to see everything in a half day. If you are interested in Native American it is a must see, Big bonus, the food at the on-site cafe is excellent.

Thank you for sharing an educational format and understanding of native americans. So many differe--nt tribes and helpful format of learning. Certainly the second floor is thought provoking and poignant. You could spend an hour or several hours and still need to understand more. The gift store could highlight artists with more information about them--what is their story and family history as well.

This was one of my choices for a short visit to Phoenix. I know very little about Indian culture and the struggles of the past. I have a new appreciation of both their art and their history. I spent time in the boarding school exhibit which I found disturbing, the way they were treated with no regard to their culture or family life. The art was very varied with both modern and traditional examples. The stores were great with a price range for everyone. This is well worth a visit. I am so glad I took time to visit.

The Heard is a wonderful museum that is both historic and modern, most of which appears to be intended to uplift the history and culture of native peoples. Many of the exhibits, particularly the boarding school exhibit, were sobering and thought-provoking. If I could recommend one thing, it would be to take advantage of the free docent-led tours held throughout the day. Our docent was able to add some color and context to the exhibits, providing a greater level of personal enrichment than we would have received had we decided to go it alone. We gave ourselves 2.5 hours and we still ran out of time! We didn't even have the chance to browse the gift shop and bookstore. The Heard is a local gem and one worth visiting every time you're in the area.

What on honor to experience the ambiance the museum provides including the lovely cafe. I found the travel to the museum very easy both buses and the light rail stop here with the entrance on the side easy to find. Once inside the gate you walk around to the archway and pass a store and I stopped in the restaurant that was very inviting before I toured the museum. The choices offered made my decision very difficult but I decided on the turkey green apple Brie sandwich and a side salad and prickly pear lemonade. The sandwich was a delicious blend with a dressing that had a hint of a bite. The salad was fresh and the dressing also a perfect pairing with this sandwich and the lemonade I could not get enough of it was very refreshing. Topping this meal off I had fry bread dessert and it was a perfect end to a perfect day. Highly recommend you stop and enjoy a meal here.

If you want to see it all plan to stay all day. We only got the first floor partially done and we were ther a few hours. The displays are great and the history is beautiful.

The featured exhibit is always great. Plan to take the docent tour of the featured exhibit and also plan to see the collections that are resident. Walk among the exhibits and hear those stories you can imagine in your mind. Don't forget a great museum store. Indian Festival in March is a bonus.

Visited with two 60+ friends. We visited the two main exhibits and several smaller ones. We were somewhat disappointed in the boarding school exhibit, we felt it was too politically correct and did not give enough of an understanding of the problems with the experience. Don't miss the collectible room in the gift shop, like another museum. Definitely worth the time.

I was surprised by the amount of information can be found here on different native groups from the area. My favorite part of the museum was learning about Hopi kachinas and what the katsina dolls represent. I feel bad that a good portion of the historical objects/works are around 100 years old, but it is awesome to see so many new beautiful works being made and brought to the museum. There's a lot to see and learn about here and it's presented very well.

Also I completely understand the prices in the museum shop being so high, it's deserved. But the way it was named I expected it to be was more of a gift shop than a place for wealthy collectors.

Very well planned small museum. The grounds are beautiful and the exhibits are educational and well laid out. If you like Native American culture of the southwest or want to know more about it, this is the place to go. The museum has a coffee shop and small cafe as well as a bookstore and visitors store. Great place to take children as the museum does not take a long time to go through.

If you are interested in the Indian History of the Arizona and New Mexico tribes this is the best museum for it. If you go, try to get into the tour group (they give tours at noon, 2 and 3 I think). The tour takes and hour and you will really enjoy it, then go back to back through the museum and you will really appreciate how these Native tribes lived and the beautiufl pots, baskets and jewelery they made. Hightly recommend

TA does some strange things with reviews! I had written up the review some time ago, and it showed up on my "phoenix feed" as a review, but it does not come up when I look for it on TA sites for the city! Since my wife and I really like this venue, I am re-loading what I thought I entered when we visited the museum. Bottom line: if you are wondering what first to do in Phoenix, wonder no more! OK, the Living Desert is great first choice if you are an avid gardener!

This is a "must do" museum if you are in the area. It is a wonderful stop on so many different levels: incredible collection, beautiful buildings, great grounds with sculptures, central location, easy parking, good staff support, and great displays. When it comes to the history of the collection, there are few stories to match this one. The family did an outstanding job of collecting on their own, and they inspired others to assist them.

Their taste in acquiring Native American art was first rate! The displays really show off the works and they have selected the "best of the best" to show. The main hall collection is just plain beautiful! There is nothing in the hall that would not be a crown jewel in any other museum. The Barry Goldwater Doll Collection (the senator donated all of his life long collection to the Heard) is really a labor of love on his part. His choices were excellent and the breath of his collection is amazing!

The story of the treatment of the young Indians taken from their families and sent to the "Indian Schools" is fully told and documented on the second floor. It is a moving and tragic story that may not be "suitable" for all. If you are taking youngsters through, you may want to "preview" the material for your children. It is tough to take!

This was not on our "bucket list" (because we had never known of it until we were in our hotel), but we have added it as a "must see" museum for anyone going to the city. To miss it is to have wasted your trip to PHX.

This is a top notch Native American museum full of beautiful pristine artifacts! You will need at least 2 hours to see it, and all the art galleries within. Afterwards, there is a coffee stop and ice cream on property as well as a restaurant. We ate at the restaurant. The service was good, and the food was great! The portions were generous! Good service unti we needed the check because we had to get with our group; that was very slow!
Otherwise, I recommend it,

The boarding school stories and history is very sad. And big lessons can be learned.
The museum does not have much old and original artifacts. Not much information about rich history and amazing old cultures of native Americans it before the whites. You won’t learn much about that.
The cafe food was good but no original or authentic items on the menu.

The Heard Museum was incredible. I learned so much about what happened to the Native Americans all over our country hundreds of years ago. This kind of information should be in the history books for all children to learn. The museum was clean, and the people that work there were friendly and helpful.

We visit the Heard museum on every trip and it always delivers. This year, the expansive Indian school museum is complete and provides a look at the atrocities visited on native Americans in the name of education. It is enlightening and disturbing at the same time. Anyone interested in history must see this permanent exhibit.

Also at the museum, David Hockney’s Yosemite and Masters of Native Basketry highlights not only his work, but some extraordinary examples of basket weaving by Native American women that won awards for their intricate design and construction in the 1920s and forward.

We were looking for somewhere to get out of the heat and a friend we were visiting suggested the Heard museum. It was absolutely fantastic. The artwork was amazing. The attention to detail at the exhibits was also so well done. We watched several of the movies and really enjoyed those too. We learned a lot about different tribes and their history. Perfect stop

We read a review somewhere that said this was a "2-hour experience" - well, forget that! We looked around, then did a tour with Gladys, and looked around some more! The layout is soothing, with all of the curved walls that mimic the hills of the desert; the exhibits are incredible - the sculpture and statue area is a treat, and the doll exhibit we saw showcased incredible art. It was more like four hours, and it was a feast for the eyes and mind. Very enjoyable!

We always try to visit the local museums for support and to see what new exhibits might be in place. We particularly liked the He’e Nalu, Indeterminate Substance, and Grand Procession. The pieces are thoughtfully chosen and laid out so as not to be crowded. They have two docent lead tours that we found to be very informative not only about content but also for the general layout of the museum. This museum is well worth a visit if you are so inclined!

The museum was easy to get to using the light rail transit system. The stories about the native Americans and their lives were well displayed and well told. As a side note; we ate in the small cafe, the food was quite good.

For American Indian Art this visit is a must see. It is world famous. Great exhibits and excellent gift shop. I really enjoyed my visit and would recommend it to everyone.

On our Girlfriends trip to Arizona, we visited the Heard Museum and learned about all the people of Arizona. Lovely, modern museum with great displays. We enjoyed a guided tour and then lunch in their café.

This nationally famous museum is remarkable in so many ways. This is the second time I'd visited. A friend and I focused on the boarding school exhibit, which was incredible. Deeply moving, very complex, full of fascinating information. We both learned a lot. Very strongly recommended.

Gift shop is easily one of the top museum gift shops I've visited anywhere in the world. It includes modest but authentic gifts and some literally museum quality work that you can purchase.

Absolutely great use of time.

A required stop for anyone visiting Phoenix to get an overview of the indigenous people of Southwest U.S. Art and cultural samples are on display in the permanent exhibits while the grounds provide recognition of Native Americans in the military.

Be sure to visit the special exhibits that change from year to year. These are usually artistic events.

For historical perspective, be sure to go upstairs for an excellent overview about the role of boarding schools in Native American history and culture.

Located in downtown Phoenix which is not charming but the museum is. The exhibits were beautiful and informative . The graphic displays of where individual tribes reside or were removed from helped me understand the areas I had just traveled through . Restaurant is also very good.

We spent several hours here on a Monday morning-afternoon and could have spent more. It is so detailed and extensive.
Although I knew of the American Indian schools established by the Federal government in the late Nineteenth Century.
However, I did not realize how extensive and brutal they were. This is a shameful past of our Anglo-Saxon culture that needs to be more publicized. The devastation of the Native American people is unbelievable and the Heard Museum does an excellent job of documenting this.

Great collection presented in well appointed spaces guides you through the local Native American history and rich culture. Incredible collection of artifacts and rather comprehensive narrative. Arguably the best collection of its kind in Western USA.

The Heard is a beautiful beautiful museum. The guides were excellent. The Indigenous art was so interesting. The modern art was incredible and a section devoted to removing indigenous children from them homes was overwhelmingly painful….but important to experience. The cafe had some some of the best foods in the Scottsdale area and the prices were very reasonable. This a remarkable museum to visit.

The American Indian stories and artifacts here are outstanding. Situated in an impressive building with an expanse of a circular lawn and walkway at the entrance. Well organized exhibits portray the life and destruction of the Native American Indians over the years.
The silver jewelry is a work of art! (And numerous beautiful pieces in the gift shop as well!) Stay for a meal at the cafe in the courtyard.
But, most insightful was the upstairs exhibition about the forced boarding school experiences of the Indian teenage children. How heartbreaking and surprising these testimonials were! And yet, other grown victims say they benefited from the schools. You decide yourself after seeing this yourself. I never knew this has been going on, beginning in the 1800’s, all they way to the present day.
Hint: Buy your admission ticket in advance on line to get a discount!

If you like Navajo Rugs, and I do, in fact I own one, you'll see plenty of them here, but the selection is small as compared to that which was offered by the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation years ago. (I used to work there.) That collection was moved out of New York City in defiance of George Heye's will to the Smithsonian. It SHOULD have been taken by the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. In any event, I have not seen Heye's collection at the Smithsonian but I bet there's more there than there is at the Herd Museum.

This is a terrific small museum. Pleasant and smart. Beautiful courtyard. Varied exhibits. Something for all ages. Don't bypass the gift shop. They have a number of high quality souvenirs and art at a reasonable price point.

This is *the* museum to visit for Native American culture and art. We went on a guided 60-minute tour, which provided an excellent overview of all of the wonderful exhibits the Heard museum has to offer (thank you, Carol!!). Excellently curated. Serene, informative, More modern than ancient works, all very impressive. My favorite is the display along the wall next to the "Art and Sole" gallery, a line of interesting clay and glass art in the form of an ocotillo fence. Substance of the Stars was interesting, and Away From Home was well-done and a very sad testament to the horrors visited upon Native American children in boarding schools.

Definitely make a reservation at the Courtyard Cafe. The prickly pear lemonade was as pretty as it is tasty. The Garden Grilled Cheese was the messiest and most delicious sandwich I've had in decades, more veg than cheese. Turkey and Brie was also delicious.

Adequate and free parking.

Make this a stop when you visit Phoenix.

Spent four hours here. Spectacular museum and library devoted to native populations. Every aspect is comprehensively covered in galleries-chronologically from the B.C. Era to present. The scholars commentary on video displays as well as numerous oral, video, and written history by native Americans is stunning and revelatory. The treatment of the native population throughout United States history is redefined. Covid protocols in place so the theater media are unavailable.

Allot plenty of time for your visit so you can completely bask in the beauty of the works on display. Would highly recommend for anyone wanting to become more familiar with Native American art and culture.

This museum concentrates on indigenous arts and crafts. There was a special section looking at the government's policy to educate indigenous children in boarding schools, away from families.
The displays showed very detailed information on the different tribal designs. Upon arrival at the museum, bags are taken and put in lockers. No food or drink is allowed in the museum. There are water fountains throughout and there is a café and a shop in the forecourt.

Very disappointed in the docents they allow to represent the museum. They're ALL white, dressed to the nines in turquoise jewelry, bolo ties, and native patterns but incredibly insensitive with the material and stories inside the museum. The docent (Carol) my family and I had the displeasure of touring with was very outspoken about supporting a "certain nation", which is INSANE considering what the native people went through with colonialism and genocide. Believe what you want but when you're giving a tour in a gallery about native children being taken away from their families and think it's okay to talk about how excited you are to go to that "certain nation" after 'everything is done and clean'.... completely unprofessional and disappointing. I doubt anything will change. It's clear what type of people they want inside the museum.

Many tribes represented here - if you're in the area you really need to experience this attraction. The hoop dancing is a seasonal event but the museum has so much inside to explore that you won't be disappointed. Be sure to call first, due to covid-19. Good indoor activity for the summertime.

This is an amazing collection of artifacts and art - don't miss it. Housed in a beautiful mansion a few blocks from Phoenix Art Museum. Nice cafe there too. Baskets, pots, clothing, weapons, household implements, photos - huge number of objects of exceptional quality. Includes a worldwide collection of native art donated by the son of Fred Harvey (from the railroad days). Also incluses a very moving story of the taking of Indian children from their parents to "educate" them in separate schools and "solve" the "Indian Problem" - it was an awful experience.

We visited on a day when they were having a festival with art, crafts, jewelry, and performances. It was really interesting, and the merchandise was beautiful. Inside, we spent a long time looking at the display on the residential boarding schools, which was very eye-opening for my 19-year-old.

Wonderful experience for kids and/or adults. I chaperoned a group of primary school children in Arizona who were very interested in the art and relics from our native history.

Being a social studies teacher, many people told me that I would definitely learn something here and they were correct. I really loved the atmosphere of the museum and enjoyed the guided tour we were apart of. The staff is very nice and knowledgeable, and the tour guide and I had a wonderful conversation talking about the history of the different tribes that inhabited the state. In our conversation I mentioned that I teach about the Native American boarding schools and he then proceeded to take us to a section of the museum dedicated to that subject. I was amazed at the details and artifacts they had on display. I learned so much, and took so many pictures, that when I go to teach this lesson next time I will have much more material to give to my students. If you are a history or art lover then this is the place to visit. They also have a souvenir shop, bookstore, and restaurant on the promises. All in all some of the best money I spent in Phoenix was spent at this place and I would definitely go back again if I ever got the chance.

This is a museum of Native American art and culture. So there is some contemporary work but also more historical work. We took our time and just did the downstairs galleries. We were blown away by it all, but I especially loved the special jewelry and basket exhibits that will only be shown for a short time. We ate lunch at the cafe which was quite good. Leave time for the museum store because it has outstanding work. If I hadn't bought something at Garland's in Sedona, then I surely would have bought a bracelet here. The Native American works at the shop blew me away, just like the museum, and it was huge.

The Heard is a one of a kind phenomenon place to visit. The grounds, the buildings, and the exhibits are all not to be missed. Nice lunch spot, coffee shop, book store and museum shop as well.
Featuring the best of the best Indian art from all over the US.

Lots of rich cultural history contained there. The guided tour was excellent and the Away from Home talk and exhibit was top notch.

Below expectations. We were hoping to see more ancient artifacts. This museum is more about Indian life after 1900. Including The sad facts about their move to reservation and destruction of their culture and identity. There is also a lot of art mostly modern.

This museum was moving. This is part of the real history of the nations land that everyone should know about and be taught in schools. It’s a small museum that highlights different natives and their art, traditions, and locations. We have lost so much information by the white washing that occurred. Thank you to all the kind and knowledgeable people who work here and to those who have donated or contributed to create this museum. This should be a national landmark and there should be museums like this is every state to honour the tribes who lived here with no boarders or property lines (or taxes!) There’s a wonderful cafe here and one can be here 2-3 hours watching all the mini movies and reading all the info.

This museum is located in what appears to be the 'arts' district of Phoenix - near other art and performing arts venues on the western edge of downtown, I think. They have a large parking lot adjacent and behind the building.

We arrived a bit early and explored a sculpture garden / memorial out front related to Native American veterans, which was interesting.

The complex is designed around an inner courtyard, so you need to access that to get to the museum, gift shop, or cafe.

All the exhibits here are related to Native American culture. Some are older artisan items like belt buckles and silverwork. There is also an extensive gallery of art (paintings and sculptures) either by or depicting Native American themes. There are rotating exhibits on things like concina work. They also featured a gallery related to highlighting the wide variety of different Native American sub-cultures. In addition, they house the collection of Kachina figures amassed by former Senator Barry Goldwater. They have a large variety on display and we were told they had an even larger set stored in the basement that they rotate up periodically.

There is also a small outdoor sculpture garden within the museum.

Finally, the upstairs was devoted to another rotating exhibit about 'Indian Schools' and their impact on the tribes and children who attended. It was a sad exhibit but worth seeing - a reminder of what large government bureaucracies inevitably lead to.

This is worth a visit if you are in the Phoenix area.

This museum is a must see. The exhibits are well shown. They are displayed in a beautiful story line with first person stories and experiences. There are many artifacts each labelled with a story or where they came from. It was a wonderful experience to learn about the American Indian people. The grounds are beautifully done. And if you want you can take a break in the courtyard and have a coffee or some food and then go to another part of the museum. If you could choose 1 museum to see in Phoenix put this at the top of your list.

I had not been to this museum in years! So much of it has been beautifully updated and it's well-curated. No matter what your interest, there is a good representation on display. We spent about two or three hours looking at the exhibits. After that, I felt info-fatigued. Time for a nice lunch in the cafe! (There is a beautiful courtyard, but it was too chilly to eat outside.) Definitely a must-do for out-of-town visitors.

We come every time we are in Phoenix. This is a must see for anyone who loves native American art and culture or wants to learn more. Highly recommend!

So many Indian artifacts & pieces of art......... and too little time!

I must say that the numerous galleries and all the beautiful treasures within them were more than a bit overwhelming until we were able to join a tour led by a docent. Jack Rubino, you are a source of amazing knowledge and display an obvious enthusiasm for this museum. Your tour was exactly what we needed! After Jack's tour, we visited several of the galleries for the second time that morning and everything was better understood and more enjoyable to see.

Don't miss the Indian School exhibit on the second floor. Very somber, initially, but the end of the exhibit displays a more positive view of it.

There's a book store and a museum shop onsite. Be sure to visit both. The Museum Shop displays actual artwork, jewelry, etc. created by Native Americans.....yes, a bit pricy, but so worth the costs.

This a museum that you don't want to miss if you're traveling to Phoenix!

A beautiful historic building that is in pristine condition. A welcoming staff and well trained docent sharing so much history about their collection. Don't miss the exhibit on the native children's boarding schools. It is very moving and beautifully curated. Treat yourself to lunch in their cafe,the soup is fantastic!

My husband and I were looking forward to visiting the Heard Museum, as it had been a long time since we’d been there. Our visit was ruined, though, by officious staff members who insisted my closed water bottle be locked in a locker (seriously!) and my mask be pulled up to cover my entire nose (I am older and fully vaccinated). Visitors are forced to march along arrows on the floor. We know we’re at the tail end of a pandemic, but why make things so unpleasant? I won’t be bringing any more out of state visitors here, or visiting myself.

Superb Native American art. Exhibit on residential schools and it dark contribution to American history is very well done

On line tickets were easy to obtain, enjoyed the exhibits, history of various tribes, Indian school history since their beginnings, Indian culture, art in many media, well worth the visit, plan to go again, nice gift shop/and book store again with many interesting items

We finally made our way to the Heard Museum. Took our daughter and her husband. It's very interesting to see the Indian School exhibit, the live music, and the dancing demonstrations. Don't miss the No Horse drawings upstairs; catch the details. There are more new than old artifacts in the overall museum and might have been improved with more photography and pre-20 & 19th century items. Well worth the trip, though.

This is one of the best museums out there, perfectly scaled, with quantity and quality of exhibits and history of the Native American culture. I stumbled upon this 10 years ago on a business trip and brought my now 14 year old son with me this trip. He loved it (granted, he likes museums so maybe not the most typical boy child but he's typical in a lot of ways) and we spent almost the entire day there. We at lunch as well, the food is worth the price of admission. They used old world ingredients to showcase what the original indigenous peoples may have cooked with. The gift shop has true art verified as created by Native People - its a bit high end I was hoping to find a smaller piece but most of it was out of my price range. I had bought a small artifact last time that I suppose now is too lowbrow for the shop now.

This museum provides information on the arts and culture of tribal nations of Arizona. Free public tours with museum admission led by very knowledgeable docents. So interesting to learn about the similarities and differences between these nations. Many, many baskets displayed as well as a very large Katsina display make one appreciate the artistry and skill of the makers. Pottery and jewelry displays as well. Most sobering was a special display describing attempts by the U.S. government to "socialize" Native Americans by removing their children from families and sending them to Indian Schools. In the context of today it seems unthinkable and cruel. Museum Shop offers fine art; boutique bookstore offers books and gifts for one and all. We did not eat at the cafe. A cantina offers quick snacks and drinks. It was impossible for us to see and take it all in in one afternoon. I would definitely return. My only complaint is the lack of seating areas, as someone else has mentioned. The "museum shuffle" does take a toll.

The first exhibit on the local indigenous peoples and their attachment to the land is a good historical introduction with superb examples of the art. The display on the impact of boarding schools is moving, complete and oddly hopeful.

My husband and and I found this to be an amazing collection of Indian art, history, culture. The guides were most informative and, with several tours offered, there were many opportunities for learning. The display on how and why Indian children were taken from their families was very well (factually) presented. Heartbreaking. The building and grounds are beautiful, shopping excellent, and the cafe and staff warm and welcoming. No, we didn’t want to leave.

Comprehensive collection of Indian Art and Artifacts. We found the layout very confusing and could have used a guided tour. Interesting collections. Worth a visit.

Wonderful museum depicting native Indian culture, their living and eating habits. It also showcases how the Indians were forced to convert in the garb of creating a civilised society, which effectively demolished the grand old tradition and a rich heritage. The exhibits are well displayed and speaks volumes of native Indians. It is a great learning experience.

We had a great time at this museum and I would highly recommend it. We started by taking a tour with a docent, who was able to bring a lot of the items in the showcases to life by providing historical context and background details. We then wandered around on our own and particularly enjoyed Color Riot, which is a display of Navajo textiles, Grand Procession with some really interesting hand-made figurines, and Away From Home, a very moving exhibit about Indian Boarding Schools; I'm glad that some of those children's stories are able to be told here. We spent nearly 4 hours here and were glad that there is a cafe on-site to get a cold drink.

Excellent museum. Knowledgeable docents provide short overview tours of the entire museum. The exhibits are fascinating and have good information displays. The outdoor courtyard is lovely with tables and chairs both for the on-site restaurant and for anyone to enjoy. Museum is accessible with elevators to the second floor. The gift shop is amazing - probably the best place in Arizona to buy certified Native American crafts.

This is a must-do if you have a few hours free and you're in downtown Phoenix. The exhibits of indigenous peoples' migration, clothing, living structures, jewelry, and functional articles are expertly curated. Get a tour with a docent and learn even more! And don't bypass the gift shop or the cafe. Oh my!

The children's portion is a fantastic opportunity for children to learn about Native American art forms. The exhibit about boarding schools for Indian children is a must see for every person from this continent.

We got there just in time to join a tour and the guide was fantastic. They give you a good overview of the museum and you can go back and visit on your own. So glad we came.

We'd planned to spend a few hours at the Heard Museum, but ended up being there the better part of the day. Even so, I still don't think we covered everything. The exhibits are beautifully done. We took one of the free tours, and the person who lead our group was terrific, informatic and fun.

Now, the Heard misses the five star mark only because of the gift shop. I normally love a good gift shop. Don't get me wrong--this one is really beautiful and everything there is authentic and displayed in the best possible way. Our tour guide said that it had recently been redone and it shows.

However, this gift shop is so highly "curated" that there are no moderately priced items at all. I believe that artists deserve a fair price for their work, but I also believe that a gift shop should offer items in a range of prices to accommodate all visitors. I can picture the museum decision makers mulling over the very exquisite things they wanted to stock (and how they wanted to avoid dreck, shudder!)--and not even thinking about price. No one wants dreck! But let's also respect that not all visitors are wealthy.

As usual the Heard Museum was beautiful. All of the history was very interesting. The museum was spotless. Covid-19 has really placed a damper on everything. They did a great job.

The Heard Museum was a delightful learning experience, seeing many forms of Native American arts, past and present, and learning about the lives and practices of different native cultures. The Indian School museum tour was informative and well displayed.

Excellent, well curated museum. The galleries featured Southwestern Indian clothing, jewelry and art. In addition there were several traveling exhibitions including one that featured the history of Hawaiian surfing and another featuring an artist of native American heritage that utilizes recycled items to tell her story and view of past and current challenges of native American people.

My favorite exhibit was one that featured the history of the Indian Schools in the US.

The food at the museum restaurant was delicious, The museum store is outstanding with a very large selection of Southwestern jewelry and art.

My wife and I were able to attend the Art Fair this year, and we were impressed by the number and quality of artists -- some of whom are the best in the field. On the downside, there were no convenient places to sit down, water was hard to find, and food service was insufficient for the size of the crowd.

This is one of the best Native American museum I have ever visited. the people are so helpful and friendly.

I guess I was disappointed at so much “stuff” but had I not been on a docent tour I would not have lasted that long. Though the tour was a constant ad for the museum store (it truly is a fabulous one) I felt that the museum left much to be desired in the ability to learn on your own. As others have said, the exhibit regarding putting American Indians in boarding school was sobering. The Goldwater photos are evidently one of the few of his displays in color. Love that Kodachrome! If you can - visit the smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in DC.

The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona offers an authentic enriching experience for all ages with its award winning exhibitions on land that is acknowledged as Native. Thought-provoking collections showcase how Indigenous voices are reclaiming historical Native Truths through various artistic mediums as well as celebrating current achievements of diverse artists. The fusion of tradition and innovation continues in the Heard Museum's Courtyard Café. The menu features locally sourced, ingredients that complements the museum's mission allowing visitors to experience a multi-sensory cultural exploration and savor the rich culinary heritage of the region. A day out at the Heard Museum unforgettably educates and celebrates the intersection of art, tradition, and sustainability of indigenous cultures while connecting visitors to the heritage of the land.

C.Brand of WriteBrandOnline

We visited this museum on a Thursday morning and it was pretty empty. The exhibits were well organized and packed with interesting facts. The display cases were easy to look into and well lit. I also like the mix between the modern and ancient display pieces. It was easy to navigate through the museum.

This is a bit of a different review of the Heard Museum, 2301 N Central Ave, Phoenix. For the last 20 years, the Heard Museum has been very popular for us, and we have been members, off and on, for all of our time in Phoenix. We have attended cultural events there, just enjoyed the museum and have shopped there, in their wonderful gift store. This time, however, we attended a business dinner event there, and it was a new, and very pleasant experience for us both. While we had both stopped into the little restaurant/coffee shop on several visits, this was a full-blown business dinner, and it was done very well. We were most impressed.

The Steele Auditorium provided a great meeting/dinner venue. The evening began with a small reception, just off of the courtyard area, (the courtyard was going to be used, but the weather dictated otherwise) and moved to the dining room, which had been transformed elegantly. Our dinner started with two wines: the Raeburn Russian River Valley Chardonnay, and the Seven Hills Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - both new to me.

We had 12-Spice Blackened Chicken and Beef Rib, with Winter Vegetables and a small salad. Each of the main courses was very tasty, and well-prepared. This was served in a buffet arrangement, and everything was hot.

Service, throughout the entire evening was flawless, and it was a wonderful meeting and dinner.

For the meeting aspect, the Heard Museum provided all of the AV equipment, and everything worked perfectly.

On this February evening, I saw the Heard Museum in a different light, and a different role. I did not even know that they were an event venue - even after 20 years, I learned something new, and predicated on this experience, and event, my wife has booked them for another business meeting/dinner.

This is a fantastic museum to those who are interested in Native American art, culture, and history. There is so much to see on display. It seemed to go on forever. I find in some museums have too much information or not enough. This museum had a very healthy amount of information. Most of the items on display have been donated by family members or other estates. These items can be anyway between 20 years to over 2000 years old.

They have cafes and other cantinas that you will be able to grab something to consume. The gift shop has many Native American jewelry and art that can be purchase at reasonable prices.

This is something that you should put 2-3 hours into, because of the size of the museum.

This is one of the best indigenous museums I have been too. The art and I use this term broadly, is one of the best I have ever seen. The indian school section is so moving.

Only had an hour to spend here, wish I had more. Wonderful collection of artifacts from the local Native American tribes. It has not only art and artifacts, but a very rich historical narrative of the local trobes.

We spent most of our time in the Home exhibit, the so called Indian Schools. It was a very moving exhibit.

The perfect sized museum with a coffee spot and 2 gift stores. Lots of exhibits of Native American artists and the information was very interesting on the way of the land and the Native tribes that inhabited the area and beyond. I was especially interested in the Kachina dolls and the Jewlery! Impressive! It's a must see, and very easy to park and navigate inside.

The museum is a destination for anyone who wants to see Native American art in all its forms. The collection is exemplary, and temporary exhibitions are informative and memorable. The gift shop is also worthy of study. Excellent restaurant with modern Southwestern cuisine.

We were passing through Phoenix on the way to other AZ destinations. With a short bit of time to spend in town, my husband and I decided to give Heard museum a try. We were quite impressed with this unique organization and its reflection of the lives, customs and artistic expressions of Native Americans from this region. The exhibits (HOME and Indian Boarding Schools in particular were enlightening and deeply moving. We took a free highlights tour and then felt compelled to go back and consider several of the exhibits on a more detailed level. The Courtyard Cafe was a lovely spot for lunch - fresh ingredients, great service, and rather large portions at fair prices. The lemonade is fresh squeezed and very refreshing too. I'd say this was much more than we ever expected and are very happy we decided to spend our time in Phoenix at this museum. To our surprise we spent about 4 hours here!

Definitely a five star review. I was so surprise that I enjoyed this place! Lots of love went into all the exhibits. There are some very emotional exhibits too! I was so touched! And the docents were so informative and cheerful! A must see if you’re in Phoenix!

Excellent museum portraying Native American culture. We could have spent a couple more hours exploring all the exhibits but the museum closed at 4:00.

Other reviewers have said how good the artefacts are here and I would agree however this is also a lovely building with nice outside sitting areas and a restaurant and coffee shop so you can eat and drink outside. There are lovely statues and fountains to enjoy too.

The exhibition on Indian boarding schools is upsetting and sobering and a story very well told. Not to be missed.

This museum can be accessed easily by Light Rail and it only cost $2 for seniors.

My spouse and I visited the Heard Museum and really loved it and learned a lot about the Native American History and Arizona where we just moved to. Great Collections of Artefacts and and we recommend everyone staying in Phoenix to Visit the Heard Museum .

We are regular visitors to this fabulous museum. We became members several years ago when we knew we were moving to northern Arizona. It is our top recommendation to friends who vacation in Phoenix as well.

The permanent exhibit covers the art and history of Southwestern native cultures. The beautiful displays are engaging and very informative. There is a must-see exhibit that provides an overview of the history and impact of the Indian boarding schools on the children and families of native tribes across the country. Every American should know about the cultural genocide perpetrated by our government against the peoples who were here before European colonists landed.

Be sure to have lunch at the museum’s cafe. Really yummy food with a native touch! And hang on to your wallet if you visit the museum store—it’s one of the best of its kind anywhere.

I enjoy visiting the Heard Museum. Primarily dedicated to the American Indian. Informative and interesting exhibits. Special exhibits, especially the focus on Frida Kahlo was exceptional.

excellent exhibits on native american culture especially baskets and pottery. Take an included tour. We spent several hours there.

The museum itself is always interesting. The Gift Shop has such quality items that I will stop in 'just because I am in town'.

Every time I visit Phoenix, the Heard is a must see. Such an amazing museum with wonderful exhibits. Be sure to stop at the cafe for a snack or lunch. Delicious

I spent four hours in this magnificent museum. The docent led tour was quite worthwhile and was short and sweet at 45 minutes or so. That is free with admission. There are so many different galleries, and each displays very different aspects of Native American artwork and heritage. In addition, there is a lovely cafe and gift shop on the premises. Free parking. Recommended.

We have wanted to visit since moving to Phoenix in March 2019. We went Friday evening. This was a First Friday so the museum was open to 10pm.
And, First Friday was - surprise! FREE admission. I was told normal admission is 25$ so this was a treat. The special event was David Hockney art and history for 5$ special event fee. So very worth it.
The special event was a sizeable display of David Hockney works of Yosemite. All Hockney works were sketched on an iPad and printed to paper.
The Heard museum is home to an impressive collection of Native American art works. We will have to plan a return visit as we ran out of time to visit the 2nd level.
Also, check out their nice gift shop with items that are much more reasonably priced than other museums we visited.

We come here once a year and always fall back in love with this museum. The displays are gorgeous and informative. This time we got to see the Indian dolls; absolutely incredible. The cafe is good, the shops are even better.

We toured the museum. The artifacts and exhibits were very colorful, interesting and enlightening. We ate lunch at the onsite cafe. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was pleasant.

There is no better place to immerse yourself in the local art and culture than the Heard Museum. Be certain to join a docent tour with the incredibly knowledgeable and educated guides. Make time for lunch. You will be enriched from a visit to the Heard.

Great Gift Shop

We were back to the Heard Museum at 2301 N Central Ave, in Phoenix, to visit their excellent gift shop. We needed special, Arizona-centric gifts for four friends, and knew that Kachina dolls would be ideal, as they reflect on the Native American culture of this region, and each carries special significance. I had done my research before hand, but an email from the museum that they had a members-only sale, ending in a few days, prompted this visit, at this time.

We parked easily in the lot, just off of Central Ave, and strolled the lovely grounds, to the Heard Museum Gift Shop. This was our first visit, during COVID times, so we were not quite sure what to expect. Along the way, I noticed some new statuary on the grounds, which was interesting. We entered, and a young lady, wearing a mask, asked if she could help us.

Now, this was not going to be an easy task, as my research had yielded only so much info - I needed someone, who knew Kachina dolls. I outlined my request, and she smiled (at least her eyes above the mask smiled), and said, “You need to speak to James. As soon as he has finished with another patron, I’ll send him your way.” She was true to her word.

When James approached, I outlined my needs:
Kachinas for four individuals, with unique roles in one business, and described those roles. Also, as some of the characters differed depending on the Nation/Tribe, some latitude here - so even more choices and options.
Pricing between $250 and $350 per Kachina. As the prices for the pieces ranged from about $50, to some “collectable pieces” up to $20,000, this did narrow the field down a bit.
All shipped to one location in Tennessee, but packaged individually, within the shipping box, with the recipient’s name clearly shown on each of the individual packages.

We discussed the roles, and I gave him my thoughts on which character would work. He made a few more suggestions, and we talked about each. Within minutes, he had about three examples of each of the four characters, plus a couple more suggestions in front of us. He completely understood my needs and desires. He explained in detail, the attributes of each character. He was making this easier, than I had expected.

We soon had the choices made, and the details taken care of. One of the dolls came in slightly under budget, two right in the middle, and one slightly over, but with my member discount that day, all were well within budget, including packaging, and shipping. It was all easier, than expected, and all due to the knowledge of James.

I had hoped to include a book on the significance of the Kachina dolls, and a description of each character, but even in the Heard Museum Book Store, they were out - shipments had been very slow. James did a printout for each of the dolls, with a full description of each, plus a bio piece on the artist, who had created each - all by different artists. While I would have also liked to include that book (should have just bought 10 copies for the future, when I last sent Kachina dolls as a gift), that literature was going to be sufficient.

Where I had expected to spend an hour just trying to convey my needs, we were done in 20 minutes, and most of that time was spent with me, trying to make decisions on exactly which character, and by which artist, was most appropriate. James knew his Kachinas, and immediately understood my needs. I think that it took longer to fill in the shipping paperwork?

Once more, the Heard Museum came through, and I cannot recommend their Gift Shop too highly. As a side note, the staff in the separate (across the breezeway) Book Store, was also great, and searched the storage area for four copies of the book that I wanted.

We are proud to be members of the Heard Museum, and so very happy to have such an asset in our community. Now, we just need to find time to spend a day in the actual museum, as we have only attended a few private events, and visited the Gift Shop, or the Book Store.

Regarding COVID precautions, everyone working in both the Gift Shop, and the Book Store was wearing their masks, and properly. There were hand sanitizing stations aplenty, and we were instructed to sanitize our hands, before handling any of the artwork. We had no issues being able to socially distance, at any time, and in either place.

Interested in Arizona history? This is the place to see historic items you likely will not see anywhere else.

We've been to museums highlighting Native Americans throughout the West. Few if any have the numbers of items that the Heard has. Most of the museums we've been to are mostly historical (i.e., highlighting the histories of the artifacts and the Native Americans who created them). The Heard does both. It has historical artifacts and artwork. And modern items made recently by Native Americans.

We were impressed by the displays. Got brain tired looking at all of them. Didn't have as much descriptive information as we would have liked. After a while a pot is just a pot unless you have some additional context and background.

But well worth the visit.

Docents were well-informed and professional. Beautiful building and grounds. The cafe is also excellent!

Plan to spend about three hours here to make the most of your visit.

This is an amazing museum for Native American culture, artifacts, and design. The Boarding School exhibit is not to be missed. I was there from 1:30 to 4:00 and I wished I had a few more hours to explore and read and hear and see everything. I liked the audio narration on my phone to help me navigate the museum.

The Heard Museum was a wonderful surprise. I’ve visited many Western art museums and the Heard Museum is far and away the most outstanding! Their collection is extensive ranging from paintings to sculptures to Native American pottery and basketry to an old gun collection. It is all beautifully displayed with good signage. And, it is FREE!

This is a priceless gem in the desert that highlghts native peoples in Arizona. I highly recommend the tour for familys with children 10+ in age who can understand the historical significance of the area. Guides are used school groups and can really make the history live for kids.

Great collection presented in well appointed spaces guides you through the local Native American history and rich culture. Incredible collection of artifacts and rather comprehensive narrative. Arguably the best collection of its kind in Western USA.

Interesting museum on the origins, art, objects of daily life of the Indians in the area there is also an apartment on the repression and westernization of the native people

Excellent museum giving insight into the history and culture of the First people of the Southwest with historical, political, and art exhibitions. Every hour, they offer an informative 45 minute tour either on history or current highlights. The restaurant on the museum grounds is also worth a visit.

We visited the museum mid morning and found it very each to get their from our hotel. We used the tram (and the park and ride) and the stop is right outside the museum.

Once inside there’s so much to see and very much more to learn. The style of the museum is very engaging and you can quite easily spend half a day here.

Also serves as a nice respite from the heat!

I was at the Heard from 11am until 4pm and I had time to visit the whole collection. It was well worth the visit. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Phoenix Midtown. It was a nice place to stay and an easy walk to the museum. Even closer to the museum is a great place to eat, Oven + Vine.

Fantastic museum of Southwest native Americans, covering history, culture, education, crafts, etc. Excellent presentation on the Indian boarding schools and the Anglo-intent to convert the Indians culture and religion.

The mission of the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, is to be "the world's preeminent museum for the presentation, interpretation and advancement of American Indian art, emphasizing its intersection with broader artistic and cultural themes." Located at 2301 North Central Avenue, it was founded in 1929 by Dwight B. and Maie Bartlett Hear to house their personal collection of art, which included considerable archaeological material from the local La Ciudad Indian ruin. Since then, the museum has grown in size and stature to where it now is recognized internationally for the quality of its collections, its educational programming and its festivals. It collaborates with American Indian artists and tribal communities on providing visitors with a distinctive perspective about the art of Native Americans, especially those from the Southwest. Currently, the Heard Museum collection consists of over 40,000 items, including a library and archives with over 34,000 volumes. The museum has over 130,000 square feet of gallery, classroom and performance space. Some notable exhibits include: Home: Native Peoples in the Southwest; the Mareen Allen Nichols Collection consisting of 260 pieces of contemporary jewelry; the Barry Goldwater Collection of 437 historic Hopi Kachina dolls; and an exhibition on the 19th century boarding school experiences of thousands of Native American children who were bused from their reservations to government schools to erase their culture and "civilize" them.

We enjoyed a brief gallery tour led by a docent who walked us through the current temporary Hockney exhibit as well as several others. Do not miss the exhibit on Indian boarding schools upstairs. We had no idea about the shameful treatment of native Americans that continued well into the 20th century. If you have limited time, this exhibit should be done first. We were also amazed at the intricate weaving of beadwork on the dolls.

The permanent collections at this Museum are really interesting especially the Indian boarding schools exhibit. However the highlight is the temporary Hockney Yosemite exhibition - fantastic IPad paintings are very beautiful impressionistic landscapes.

This lovely museum deserves all of the positive attention! It's dedicated to American Indian artwork and does a great job of faithfully representing the artwork and the cultural themes that the artwork represents. I learned a lot from the American Indian Boarding School Stories exhibit (a really dark part of American history), and enjoyed the exhibits on Southwest Silver. The permanent exhibits do a fantastic job of covering the history and current lives of the Native American communities in this region, both as thriving communities and as people who have suffered massively under American genocidal mania.

Well laid out and easy to navigate, the Heard Museum was a pleasant way to spend a morning while in Phoenix.

The Heard Museum has a wonderful collection of Indigenous artifacts and a stunning art collection. From the statue gallery out front to the rotating exhibits, everything is well curated. I hadn't planned a trip to the museum prior to my Phoenix trip but I was pleasantly surprised with museum and staff. I'll start with the staff first, I arrived at a not-busy time so I was able to get a ticket quickly. I walked to the museum so I had a backpack which is not allowed. They had lockers available for me and graciously had one open and waiting for me as soon as I walked up. Once inside the museum a gentleman talked to me a bit about how the museum flowed and suggested I take the tour that was starting in 5 minutes. Great suggestion, the docent was very knowledgeable and walked us through the Home part of the exhibits.

I learned a lot about the local tribes, way of life. I enjoyed the Art exhibits throughout. I was educated and appalled at the Boarding School exhibit. The traveling exhibit during my visit was about Native Hawaiian surfing and art.

Things I generally add to reviews:
Parking lot was decent size. I think on a busy weekend, it might get crowded
Restaurant onsite was good. It was too hot for coffee so I skipped the coffee shop
Museum shop is a stunning collection of art and jewelry. Definitely worth a stop.
Bonus: They have a well developed app that you can use as you walk through the exhibits to get more information. I was pleasantly surprised at the content within the app.

This is a jewel that is very conveniently located. The property is wonderful with a nice courtyard to enjoy coffee and a large gift shop. Many nice pieces in the museum with a nice flow. Allow 2-3 hours to thoroughly read and view most of the items, but could be done in an hour if you simply want to get a glimpse.

Comparable to the Museum in Washington DC. Worth a visit. The museum gift shop has plenty of Indian jewelry, artwork and expensive blankets for sale.

We really enjoyed and were educated at the Heard. This is one of those special places in Phoenix. There are permanent exhibits of Southwest native art and a great tribute to those who endured Indian School life. In addition, there are always seasonal or traveling exhibits. A great experience. And stay for lunch in the sun drenched courtyard.

The Heard Museum is perhaps the best Native American collection outside the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. It displays both traditional and contemporary Native American art fully contextualized. The core exhibit on the “home” of each tribe in Arizona and New Mexico grounds the collection in these indigenous cultures which then reach out towards the modern world without necessarily assimilating into it. The exhibit on the residential schools for Native Americans is particularly powerful and sheds light on that experience in interesting ways. The use of military uniforms in some schools and military forms of life explains Native peoples outsized participation in the US military. The residential school stories of the people who lived through them are fascinating. Many tell the tale of cultural destruction that we commonly think of, but one fellow felt that it was constructive, gave him a good education and job skills and he actually held on to his pride in his culture. In fact 130 of the remaining 183 schools are now run by Native Americans. A very good 3 1/2 hours.

The museum is noted for its extensive and impressive collection of Native American art and artifacts, but we didn't realize how extensive and impressive until we saw it. The focus on Native Americans of North American distinguishes the Heard from the newer Smithsonian Museum of American Indians in Washington, DC, but it was still interesting to see how the museum established links with Central and South America, as well as to Africa. A special exhibit on the American Indian schools (e.g., Carlisle) and the separation of children was detailed and brutally forthright. A must see.

We were there for almost 5 hours including 1 hour for lunch. We also used our BofA credit card taking advantage of "Museums on Us" which was extended for the holidays (yay!)

The best and most informative exhibit was "Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories". It was sad to learn about. They (government, Christians, non-native, etc.) did the same thing to the Hawaiians and Eskimos.

Maria Hupfield's exhibit was a bit odd. Not sure I understood why many of her work was considered "art". But everyone has different tastes.

David Hockney's exhibit was mildly interesting. Barry Goldwater's exhibit was more interesting.

If you plan to have lunch, be sure to get to the Courtyard Cafe early or be prepared to wait 30+ minutes on a busy day. We went there after the Boarding School exhibit (about 12:30 PM) and was told the wait would be 1.5 hours! We visited other exhibits while we waited. The food was great and the staff was friendly despite the chaos of being so busy.

Spectacular collection of AZ historical items.
You won'tever be sorry you visited the Heard Museum!..

Much of the museum was under construction. the "knowledgeable" guide was in love the sound of his own voice and did not tell the group anything we could not read on the exhibits. For a "museum" that is supposedly great - everything was so recent - no artifacts or exhibits older than 100 years - for cultures that have been in existence for over 1000 years - this was simply a major disappointment. parking was easy and the museum grounds were nice though..... I would not go again and would not recommend this to anyone wanting to learn

This is an amazing museum with extensive Native American artefacts. The collections cover practical but decorative pottery, meaningful ceramics, amazing textiles and clothing and the marriage garments for the young folk, fringed suede skirts, life skills dolls.

Fascinating video shorts about current lives. There are more galleries outside from the main courtyard.

One building covers Away from Home, the very poignant long term episode where children were made to leave their cultural homelife to attend boarding schools, learn English and where non-tradtional clothes. Siblings were separated too. The families had to comply otherwise their resources were cut.

The kochina dolls is believed to be the most comprehensive collection there is. As far as I could tell though, it was tougher on the girls. As they were given them as life learning skills to make them better people.

There are regular tour guides held throughout the day, led by a Docent, an experienced and informed guide, some focus usefully on particular sections, I found mine to be most informative.

It's a lovely museum but .... ludicrously COLD in the Native American gallery! I took a scarf with me as the Aircon can be quite cold but even a Texan I spoke with also thought the Aircon was fierce. My teeth were chattering if I lingered slightly longer looking at something. At one point I was so cold I had to leave and go and have a warming bowl of Mexican broth in the nice courtyard restaurant, despite it being 45°/111°F day outside. And then continue on. Spent about 6 hours all told.

The shop has some classy items, not cheap though, but no sales tax is charged here.

A lovely visit. But be advised, take a coat! Bit ridiculous when it's 111° F outside to have to lug a coat around. Noticeably, no one was or can, linger in the Native American gallery for long. Please have some thought for your visitors, and turn down the Aircon significantly! :) .

treasure trove Native American art. pots, textiles, paintings, and more. Special exhibits well presented and comprehensive in scope. Docents passionate and knowledgable. The gift shop is a museum in itself. Plan on spending at least a few hours. And do not miss the exhibits upstairs.

Must see if you are in the area. Excellent displays-would have stayed longer but we had young children with us.

This is one of my favorite museums for the honest, clear way it portrays western Indian culture. It’s presently under renovation, so be sure to take a tour which lasted about an hour so you don’t miss anything.
The recent exhibit on Navaho colored rugs is spectacular as was the male guide who told us about the Germantown, PA dyes used to color the wool. The exhibit on Indian schools gets more refined and updated each time I’ve visited.
There’s a kids hands-on art section that makes the specialness of the stories more real.

The gift shop is large and offers some of the finest woven baskets and pottery and rugs by Indian artists. For many years, I would buy a “man in the maze “ handmade basket, but this trip there were none.
There is free parking in the back.

This is the best, even better than the Smithsonian. Great on a brief visit, but best if seen for a couple of hours everyday for a week. Great Native tour guides. This has some of the oldest jewelry, rugs, baskets, pottery and kachinas of any place, as well as modern and many 20th and 19th century. Focus is Southwest. Love the current exhibit on "Home." Also, upstairs are some amazing old photos by Barry Goldwater of the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. Their collection is huge, so worth a repeat visit every 4-6 months.

Great place !! Lots of Arizona History. A must for everyone...I went to research some Native American pictures that I have. Unfortunately for me I did not do my homework as the Library (research area) is closed on Saturdays.

Really enjoyed the museum. (Our tour guide seemed in a hurry, always starting to talk before the group was all together.) I was very interested in learning about the Boarding Schools.

The best experience to view and purchase Native American art is in front of the artist. Once you go and see the huge amount of art and the personal interaction, you will want to do it again. The best of both worlds, by relaxing at the outdoor arena and watch the dancers. Just a great day overall.

Wonderful museum and very well done. We were disappointed that we when we walked in at 2:15, they didn't mention to us that they were closing at 4pm as we would have liked to stay longer. (Admittedly, also our fault for not asking but 4pm does seem on the earlier side.) There was a fantastic display of gorgeous art and all of us (three generations) really enjoyed our visit. The museum feels very well funded and take care of.

What a wonderful place! Each exhibition was very well curated. The Basha basket collection and the Maria Martinez exhibitions are top-notch and informative. But our big surprise was the docent for a quick 45 minute overview of the collection: simply excellent, had challenging questions for us to consider, welcoming, culturally relevant, and very informed. Bravo!

I enjoyed visiting the museum. It was a very interesting place to see. Great exhibitions & art. I left with a better understanding of AZ history.

I have mixed feelings about this museum. It certainly does have wonderful American Indian artifacts, but the displays are often very old-fashioned and I walked away thinking that I really hadn't learned very much about Native Americans...just seen a lot of their "stuff". The building itself is rather pleasant. The highlight for me was the display about the Indian schools where Indian children were often forced to attend to de-Indianize them...and I followed up this visit with one to the Steele Indian School Park where one such school existed until surprisingly recent. Many rave about the Heard Museum. I think it was "good".

This place was a real surprise, nice architecture, beautifully displayed/housed native America goods from clothes, baskets, paintings, and general artifacts in excellent condition. Very well laid out with a nice bookstore AND gift shop (a bit pricey) Most enjoyable visit and stands out above and beyond most I've seen (I'm a fan of native American indian works - I've been to a half dozen wonderful museums...)

The permanent exhibit Home: Native People in the Southwest was very informative and well done, as was the exhibit on boarding schools which Native Americans were forced to go to. There are also rotating art exhibits of varying quality, but the history alone made it a worthwhile visit, even though the museum is expensive. Great cafe too.

Much of the extensive collection cannot be displayed at one time because of space limitations. Locals have the opportunity to go from time to time to see different displays and items. Whenever we have company from out of town, the Heard Museum is one of the four must-see places in the Phoenix area we take them.

Always a wonderful experience, I return once every few years whenever company comes to town. Had a great visit on Jan.1 = they were open! My only tidbit is that our docent talked SO softly, we could only hear about 50% of what she said, sadly, because she was well-informed and interesting. The Cafe is WONDERFUL!

We enjoyed visiting this lovely building which is well laid out with interesting exhibits. We particularly enjoyed seeing the Hopi dolls and speaking to the assistants about the history of the area. The boarding school exhibit upstairs is very thought provoking. There is a small cafe and a larger restaurant which is advertised as one of the best museum restaurants in the US. We were able to park in the museum car park.

The Heard is a specialized anthropology museum dealing with the history, culture and art of the native peoples of the Southwest (and a few other places). They have wonderful standard exhibits of artifacts from many tribes and places, and there are always several special exhibits, such a the incredibly interesting rug exhibit on display now, and special Indian dolls, and sometimes bolo ties, or baskets or other fabrics. They have a number of very knowledgeable docents who give great tours and answer questions, and we learn so much every time we visit. We particularly like the gift shop which has some of the finest examples of Indian rugs, jewelry, pots, baskets, and artwork anywhere. The Heard is a real treasure and should be on everyone's "must visit" list!

A must visit museum. Give yourself at least 2 hrs. Be sure to visit the boarding school exhibition the second floor.

Beautiful museum with understated displays of multiples tribe in the Southwestern region. Pottery, costumes, photography and much more!

I had been here once before but their exhibit of Native Americans from this area that lived here hundreds of years ago and to the present day was phenomenal.

$25 to see a few things that can be seen at no charge at shops, trading posts and area Reservations. So underwhelmed. Rip off.

My wife and I enjoyed a first Friday visit to the Mueseum. The display of Kachina dolls was impressive with so many different presentions of Kachina. The display on the Native American schools and the treatment that was inflicted on the native culture was very informative.

There's a native story about a toad bringing us fire - but the artefact they found for it looks like he's getting stoned out of his mind lmao

In all seriousness this is one of the best displays of Native American culture you'll ever see, and all the displays and stories are gripping and interesting. It may just be the best museum in all of Arizona.

This was an experience I'm glad I didn't miss! Originally we were going golfing, but the weather was cool and we decided to go to the Heard Museum.
It was fascinating, and we spent 3 1/2 hours going through. The exhibit on Surfing was fascinating, since we knew about The Duke from a trip to Hawaii. The doll exhibit was amazing; the detail is truly unbelievable. The gift shop had some beautiful items that were hand crafted. Almost too much to see at one visit! I would definitely go through the Museum again when we next visit Phoenix.

I was very impressed by the curation of art. They have contemporary works, like a glass and ceramic representation of a natural fence, along with the traditional jewelry we all love to see. Each piece is of incredible quality, I especially loved the sand painting representing the progression of worlds. The museum shop deserves its reputation for being the best place to buy Native American art. I have been to shops all over the Southwest and this was the best by a long shot, and the staff was so helpful. Got some jewelry I know I’ll love for life.

Despite living in Phoenix for a number of years, I had always heard how great this museum is but never had an opportunity to visit. We went today and it was very impressive. The docents were very informative and the displays were descriptive and we'll thought out. I was moved by the exhibit on Indian Boarding Schools.

A must see when in Phoenix. The Heard Museum is a beautiful building to begin with, and the story it contains is extremely diverse, respectful and important.

There are loads and loads of information and artifacts, so I suggest you arrive early if you want to see everything. I would suggest spending 3 hours if you really want to go through everything. If you don't, you might need to chose something to go for and check anything else you can after that.

The only reason I don't give this museum 5 stars is because it closes earlier than I would expect a museum to close (around 3pm) and so unless you go early there, you will never have enough time for everything.

Absolutely great museum focusing on American native American art. Incredible items on display. Easy to spend a bunch of money of souvenirs. But the quality is excellent for whatevr you purchase.

To really understand Arizona you have to understand the Native American Culture. The Heard has one of the most extensive collections of pottery, baskets, Katsinam, clothing and traditions of every tribe and clan living in Arizona. Not to mention the extensive collection of items collected by the Heard Family from around the world. Plan no less than half a day. Make sure you take the guided tour to get the most out of your visit.

Excellent museum, world famous for American Indian Art. There is no other like it. A must see while visiting the Phoenix area. Great exhibits and wonderful gift shop.

We got a warm greeting and lots of information on our arrival. Rather than trying to see everything (the layout of the museum was a bit confusing), we focused on the Indian School exhibit and the overview of the tribes. Both presented information that was new to us in a clear way.

This museum did not disappoint! I was literally moved to tears--there was just so much Natuve American culture/history wonderfully represented & so many terrific exhibits. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Fantastic museum, gift shop and restaurant. This is a must see while you are in Phoenix! Enjoy native art and cultural exhibits plus interesting travel exhibits.

This museum is beautiful and educational. There is so much to learn amongst the artifacts, displays and audio tour. The courtyard area is sunny and open to enjoy a snack or lunch. From antiquities to modern art you will appreciate the Native American's talents and creativity.
The exhibit about the Indian Schools was sad but informative.
Try to make it when you're in Phoenix, it is worth it!

So many Southwestern Indigenous people are featured with examples of pottery, jewelry, costumes and many other artifacts. Current works of art are also on display. My favorite was the sculpture garden. We were fortunate to visit the day of the Hoop Dance Contest so saw many talented dancers in their bright costumes.

We spent about 1.5 hours going through the galleries. I found the boarding school exhibit very interesting, as I hadn't ever studied much about that. So many amazing pieces of handiwork to view. The galleries are large enough to keep people spread out. Everything is very clean and well presented. We just missed the art fair that had happened the weekend before we arrived. Would have loved to attend that.

Definitely a must-do when visiting the area to learn about the cultures of the native people.

Deceivingly expansive museum and collection on. Defiantly worth a couple hour visit. Every time you round a corner where you think you’ve looked at everything, you discover another gallery/wing.

Highly recommended while in the Phoenix area. The rotating exhibits always keep things fresh and the kachina collection is unparalleled.

Can’t go to Phoenix without visiting the Heard Museum.

Incredible exhibitions featuring indigenous artists in different media,
Thought provoking and educational,
History that I never learned in public school.

I appreciate the respect given to the peoples native to the region now known as Phoenix

We spent almost two hours walking thru this amazing museum. All beautifully displayed with very descriptive signs posted nearby. Also had lunch in the cafe.

The Heard Museum is probably the most educational and interesting museum I have been to. I spent my entire afternoon here, and I’m glad I did. The detailed and immersive descriptions of each tribe’s crafts, timelines, and traditions gave such a rich history of the Southwest tribes. I agree with other reviewers that the layout of the main exhibit could have been more organized so I wasn’t starting backwards half the time, but that did not detract from my experience.

The current Native Hawaiian and Boarding Schools exhibits were so insightful. The Boarding School exhibit even has a QR code and acknowledges that it has more history and explanation than can be in one exhibit which I appreciated. I had lunch in between exhibits at the cafe, and the food was delicious.

I absolutely recommend this to anyone in Phoenix who’s looking for a museum to go to and/or wants to educate themselves on Native American history. I think the price of admission is worth it if you take your time and look at everything this museum has to offer.

A must- see for Phoenix visitors! I took two tours - one of the boarding school exhibit and one of the general collection. Both were very informative and the guides were able to answer all questions thoroughly. The building itself is beautiful, employees are friendly and helpful, and the exhibits have excellent signage. I also enjoyed the variety of exhibits offered.

This museum is beautifully designed and has an amazing display of Native American art and artifacts. It was great way to spend a couple of hours.

From the moment you enter the Heard you are transported to another time in our history. The displays are a testament to the amazing craftsmanship of these tribes.
Beautiful and meaningful. The moving story of the "Indian Boarding Schools" is so much more than pictures and words. If this does not move you, you are not alive.
We were luck enough to visit when several Hopi carvers were there to speak with you about their Kachinas. First museum I have visited in years.. A great choice.. Will be back.

This is certainly the pinnacle of the museums exhibiting Native American art and artifacts. And along with the works of art, education about Indian Boarding Schools, Navajo rugs, Katsinam, and the incredible pottery styles will keep you busy for a day. Do not miss this if you are in the Phoenix area

We know so little about the experiences of the Native Americans that I think almost everyone will learn a lot visiting this museum. I spent most of my time learning about the boarding schools, which were an attempt by the United States to force Native American children to give up their culture and language. This summer, there's a spectacular exhibit of rugs (carpets?) called Color Riot. Visitors should note some main-level walkways are outdoors in the stultifying desert heat. Definitely worth a visit.

I've been here before but it was over ten years ago so I was excited to see what was new. Also to revisit the amazing kachina collection! We walked through on our own rather than take a guided tour. They had some interesting films we watched (a bit dated) about Colorado River Native Americans and the Havasupai reservation at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Very interesting. I also wanted to see the current exhibit on the Indian boarding schools upstairs which was very sad. My friend didn’t like it, but I did. History isn't always happy and fun. There was a lot of good info about the schools and art by the students. Sadly didn't have time to stop at the cafe but the smells were delicious. The lady in the bookstore was very nice and helpful.

Great museum. This museum is on some beautiful grounds and tells the great history of the native indians and their culture. Looking forward to many more visits. We visited with family without kids but TripAdvisor doesn’t have that as an option?

Great place to learn about Arizona's original people. Fantastic displays showing how these people lived.
Many special shows throughout the year.

This is a wonderful example of what a museum should bring to the world. Rather than focus solely on the art and life of the various tribes, the museum also lets visitors know the terrible history of these cultures.

Go not only for the beautiful art but also for a history lesson.

Was going to spend a couple of hours here while I was in town for a conference; I ended up staying four and only saw maybe half of it. It's all about Native American art and culture. The exhibits are beautifully presented and well explained. A major point is the diversity of Native American cultures--something we generally don't realize in no small part because our Euro-American forebears tried their best to obliterate these cultures. But the survived. The gift shop is a gallery of what Native artists are doing today, and an exhibit in its own right. The special exhibit when I visited was "Maria and Modernism", which put Pueblo ceramic artist of the first-half of the 20th c. in the larger context of American modernism, and shows how native artistic traditions continue to evolve through dialog with other artistic traditions. Lunch in the museum cafe, featuring native-themed dishes and using local, native ingredients, was excellent...and reasonable.

Our tour guide was very informative, the exhibits were fascinating, and we learned a lot about native American history! This place is well worth visiting!

Lots of art and culture. Changing exhibits. Too much to take in all at once. Sculptures inside and out. We love the "fence." Cafe with good food. Bookstore with quality items. Museum store with real art.

Beautiful art work! The tour guides are really nice and know so much about the pieces. With admission you can be apart of a short tour of the main area at certain times. Please jump on those guided tours! Mine was so informative and I learned so much. Plus every tour guide does it a little different so you'll learn something new from different people. It's a great time. Don't forget to check out the contemporary art and the different floors. It's big place so it might be easy to miss something. The exhibit on the residential schools was extremely sad but super important history to know and understand.

Our organization hosted a corporate luncheon in the newly updated Steele Auditorium. The price was reasonable and the staff was very accommodating. They had everything we needed on site (AV, catering, tables, chairs etc.)

Museum opens at 10:00. We were the first visitors who entered. Found the information and displays very interesting and educational. Galleries showed dolls or paintings or textiles or jewelry, culture, history and more. There is a cafe, book store, and gift shop. Highly recommend this museum.

Highly recommended to learn about many different tribes that have inhabited this region. There's a lot to see and enjoy the courtyard with the water-feature!

What a great museum! We went with our friends and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
The best exhibit and most interesting to me was the one upstairs on the story of the Native American school system our government imposed on the natives. This was a great collection and very sad.

We were not even aware of this exhibit and it seemed you had to seek it out rather than the museum directing your focus there. It is a part all visitors should see.
Reading the notes the native visitors posted there was especially moving. The grounds were beautiful, loved the open spaces while walking to and from the different exhibits. Definitely something to see while in Phoenix!

Superb. Many outstanding exhibits - learned huge amount from Boarding school exhibit, as well as many other displays. Outstanding gift shop - plus a smaller shop with many books for all ages (don't miss this) and opportunities to eat outside in the patio.

Truly terrific place - 10 stars!

The Heard Museum has some great collections. When we were there, there was a David Hockney exhibit joined with an exhibit of classic Native American baskets, some hundreds of years old somehow. The Hockneys were from his works on iPad, so I was more impressed by the baskets. But the most moving part of the museum was the exhibit on the history of the Indian Boarding Schools, which shown a light on our history of separating children from their parents. It was a sad exhibit but the fortitude of Native Americans came through. Highly recommended.

I was had heard about this museum but had only set aside a few hours to see it. I should have planned for the whole day. There is so much to see and do. I learned a lot but will have to go back again.

The museum has free parking. The complex is quite large and you pass the gift shop, book store, and restaurant on your way to the museum entrance. I had limited time available and was only able to visit the Native American art section and it was terrific. There were blankets, clothing, cooking vessels, and dolls among other things on display. I saw about half of the first floor (there are 2 floors) and I imagine the rest of the place is as impressive. COVID-19: The staff wears face coverings and visitors are expected to do the same. There are arrows on the floor to assist you in social distancing while inside the museum.

Beautiful building and courtyards. Admission price is reasonable (buy tickets on line, in advance; may be purchased same day).
Free parking.
Excellent exhibits of Native American arts of the southwest.
The place has a great ambiance.
A must-see in Phoenix.

This is a remarkable place. When we visited they had Hockney's Yosemite exhibition and an amazing exhibition of basket weaving by American Indians. The Hockney was fine, but the basket weaving was unbelievable. The general exhibition was also superb, focusing on Native American arts and crafts. The quality is staggering, and destroys any preconceptions that one may have of primitive savages. Exquisite beaded dolls, and an extraordinary work involving glass and wood, stand out in my mind.
There is also a very thought provoking exhibition about the "boarding schools" that were set up to remove Native Americans from their own culture. The children were forcibly removed from their families. It is a heartbreaking history, of which I was completely unaware.

Long time Arizona resident, but waited 16 years to visit. Worth the wait. So much to take in, extremely well curated. Beautifully designed, highly recommend

If I am taking the Metyro from Mesa, how do I get to this museum? I just have to go! I have Anthro and American Indian degrees.

Excellent museum, with good balance between texts and objects. etc. the temporary exhibition on the boarding schools was fascinating and very educational! Excellent for children.

While visiting Phoenix on Spring Break, we decided to visit the Heard Museum. We were fortunate to be staying within walking distance.

The museum is located in a lovely Spanish style building with courtyards displaying sculpture and there is also a really nice cafe with patio seating & a nice coffee shop and large gift shop.

We were fortunate to get to see the David Hockney Yosemite Suite exhibit which was included with our general admission. They offer Senior discounts beginning at I believe 64 & also a student discount. My daughter did not have her I.d. with her, but they allowed her to show proof of her school courses on her iPhone instead.

The price of admission allowed us to spend the day, enjoying various docent led tours and exploring the various permanent and changing exhibits.

This museum is a wealth of information on the various Indian peoples of the American Southwest.

I loved it all, but especially the Kachina/Katsina display and the soft sculpture figures/dolls. These were absolutely amazing.

The docents were so wonderful at explaining everything and Joe, emphasized they were not there to lecture, but to discuss.

Our group for the “home tour” was rather large, so we were divided into two groups. There are various tours offered with the price of admission throughout the day.

The displays are done very well and touring the museum was such s pleasure. We were allowed to enter and exit the building to take a lunch break. The cafe was really nice. The portions are rather large, so I recommend sharing. The prickly tea pear was fantastic! We also had the Dream Catcher salad and split a chicken salad sandwich.

The most sobering exhibit was in regards to the Indian Boarding Schools. My 18 old daughter was completely unaware of this time in our country’s history. This exhibit was very well done.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day at The Heard and I highly recommend it.

If you like native American art, this is the place. If you don't eh!! I don't. Has a nice cafe, plenty of parking. Nice gift shop. Lots of dolls, baskets and other handicrafts to look at. I found it boring.

I finally made it to the Heard Museum. Well appointed and curated Native American art museum. All of the exhibits were informative with artifacts and contemporary art. We spent 4 hours there…worth every minute.

Beautiful, modern museum with history and art of the local Native American people. We learned so much and enjoyed the cafe and courtyards. Something here for everyone with all the different themed exhibits.

The Heard is one of the best, if not the best, museums of Native American art and artifacts. But it also exhibits other artists from time to time such as Daivid Hockney

The museum has some very interesting artifacts. Their Kachina doll collection is quite impressive. This is not a museum I would recommend for children under the age of 10.

Impressive displays of Native American rugs, and artifacts. But the layout of the building was a little confusing. We walked in and then had to walk around the corner to find admissions. One of the best things about this museum was the greeter. He was friendly and helpful.
Visiting for the first time I wanted to have a map of the museum, but couldn’t find one in the pamphlet that had an enormous amount of information about Native Americans tribes.
I’m looking forward to visiting again and going on the tour.

Excellent in every way. Very original design in exhibits. Many extras. Even the restaurant is outstanding.

This museum is so well done. I learned so much about the native Americans in the southwest. The displays are beautiful and so educational. Highly recommend it to anyone!

Excellent pieces of artwork from various Native American and many other indigenous people around the globe. The Boarding School exhibit was particularly moving and heart-wrenching. This should be on a “must-see” list if you visit Phoenix.
We’re glad we did!

This was a great space ot be in. The exhibits are very interesting and there is a good display of woven work as well as baskets and pottery. Many other interesting things. A surprise was the display of photos (very good) by Sen. Barry Goldwater - a donor to the museum.

The indian school stories and photos were thought-provoking, to say the least.

There's also a lovely area where you can eat or have coffee.

One of the most impressive museums i have visited
Its a beautiful building with a lovely courtyard with a beautiful restaurant and a lovely shop that sells beautiful authentic pieces crafted by the Native Americans , even if you don’t purchase it is worth seeing all the beautiful items they have
The museum is hugely interesting but definitely try and be there at tour times as this will enhance your experience hugely
The exhibits are very interesting
Don’t miss upstairs which is about the Native American Boarding school experience
We did the tour at 10.30 downstairs for 1 hour , had coffee in the courtyard and returned to do the upstairs tour at 12 , our guide was excellent and very informative

Since its founding in 1929 this incredible museum is a fascinating, intriguing and incredibly educational forum. We visit the Heard multiple times a year. It offers brilliant and fine traditional to modern artworks from outstanding and creative Native Americans. With its twelve galleries, over forty thousand items on exhibition, one can spend hours viewing, perusing and enjoying a vast array of exhibitions – and constantly change the exhibits with new and fascinating pieces from the arts and cultures of our indigenous people. From their presenting and hosting annual world hoop dance competitions, El Mercado de Las Artes, The Indian Fair and Market to the incredible Southwestern architectural design, the facility is an outstanding venue for enjoying what it offers. With its fantastic gift shop, eatery and lounging areas both inside and out, you will experience both the old traditions and the new atmosphere. This is an incredibly beautiful experience which a one-time visit will not satisfy. As my wife and I do, we never tire of visiting Heard.

The surroundings, the building, and the collection, including a special exhibition were all first rate. Don't miss this jewel of a museum when you're in Phoenix!

Worth the stop if you have any appreciation for native american art or culture. Don't miss the second floor exhibit regarding boarding schools though, as it was a thoughtful and moving display. Also, the cantina's berry iced tea is amazing. I had a mix (half black, half berry). The small gift shop can be skipped though - the real treasure is the museum store. Real art. Real artists. I left with treasure.

The museum was a real history lesson for me and my wife. This was my 3rd trip. We found out a lot of things about the history of different tribes and how they contribute to the state of Arizona.

I enjoyed the museum very much. But later found my credit card had been double charged for my solo entry. I had tried to pay on one card terminal but was then told it had not worked so I should try again with another terminal. Only after the fact did I find out that payment had been taken both times. I have disputed it through my card issuer but the museum plans to keep the overcharged amount. No consideration of fact that a single ticket was bought twice by the same card but on separate terminals only a minute or two apart. Why would anyone do this except in error? I am disputing this again with my card issuer. As I don’t like being ripped off, I am not likely to return to the museum.

Excellent museum! We really recommend the tour - tour guides are great and give a perfect introduction to the art and culture of the region. We enjoyed the live performances- both music and dancing/storytelling. The cafe was delicious as well. Great for families!

I visited this museum unexpectedly on my trip to Phoenix. This museum is rich is culture. I learned a lot! We brought my friend’s 4 year old daughter so we left before we got to see all of the exhibits. I will def be back.

Wonderful. I learned so much about Southwest Native culture and customs, and saw some of the most beautiful artwork. The dolls, in particular, were amazing, as well as the woven rugs. An interesting museum for someone like me with limited exposure to this type of art.

They did an amazing job with the displays, very enjoyable. the clothing exhibit was very well done. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the miniature rooms. They were awesome, transported me in time. Many of the exhibits were just not a style that interested me. I'm not into angst. There was a lot of empty space, requiring a lot of walking through, empty space. I understand the need for that, but I felt that for the price, I really didn't see many paintings that interested me, except for a couple of Fr. Imp. paintings. I mean, who doesn't appreciate a Monet?! Loved the Vuillard.

Great mix of art and history and many truly stunning pieces. The layout of the building is a bit challenging and I'm not positive we ended up seeing everything, but what we did see was wonderful. Longtime exhibit on the history of Indian Schools was somber and disturbing, but based on stories I've heard from people who were actually sent to these schools, the amount of physical and sexual abuse was greatly under represented in the exhibit.

Bookstore was fun to walk through and had lots of fantastic pieces, all way over my budget.

Great museum in a beautiful building. Just entering the museum put me in a good mood seeing the clean lines of the building with the curves of the cacti and sculpture in contrast.
The entry courtyard has two black modern flowing (not jets or splashing) fountains. Tables make it a refreshing place for the cafe.

The museum itself feature both modern Indian artists and historical artifacts in almost equal parts. Good to emphasize that modern Indian art carries on the traditional designs and more. Baskets, clothing and pots dating back 1000 years are on display. There is a display section for each tribe and their artifacts. Visitors are left to decipher the design differences on their own. The jewelry on display is all stunningly well crafted and must have taken many many hours of work.

There is a audio tour that is downloadable to a cell phone. It was a good tour that adds a lot to the displays. Even with the tour there are hundreds/thousands of artifacts not described. This museum is truly unique to Arizona and the Southwest. I think it is a must see in Phoenix.

My only fault with the museum is that despite having a section each tribe with some basic history and location of their territory. There was not much description about what makes them different. How is a Hopi different from a Navaho or a Zuni ? What are their different beliefs ? There has to be more than basket patterns.

Very interesting,factual, easy to get through the museum. We spent about 3 hours and still didn’t read everything. Great history

They provide guided tours without any additional cost. Definitely avail that, otherwise it can be a bit boring. The story and the historical aspects are really nice.

What a lovely little museum! We went one afternoon, unfortunately after the cafe was closed. But the exhibits of Native American art were amazing! They have very current works as well as more traditional pieces. The gift store is lovely- we bought several Christmas presents there. I only wish we'd had more time to spend there.

Located just north of Downtown Phoenix in a beautiful building, the Heard has a great collection of Native American artifacts, exhibits, sculptures, textiles and art from North American. There are a few artifacts from other parts of the World. Easy access to the museum from I-10, downtown and light-rail. Two hours should be enough to explore the exhibits.

This is a wonderful and informative museum. Love it! There are a lot of interesting displays. I loved the school museum exhibit. It was sad but informative. Learned things I never realized occurred. Art work is beautiful. There is a fun interactive area as well.

A must see if in Phoenix. Give yourself enough time to spend at least 4hours. I took 2(1) hour tours. This museum is unique to its self......so informative and beautiful.

This museum ranks with the best anywhere. The permanent exhibits on the various Sourhwest Native American cultures are chock full of wonderful artifacts, beautifully displayed. The current Navaho rug exhibit is superb, and the exhibit on Native American boarding schools is comprehensive, sensitive. And well-done. Plan to spend several hours, at least. and leave time for the gift shop. Easily accessible from the light rail, but a big parking lot, too.

A beautiful museum that has an enormous collection of Native American art and artifacts. Well organized - the museum really showcases beautifully so much of the culture. The museum also documents the cultural tragedy that was the system of Native American schools. Being from the east, I was not familiar with this experience of forced cultural assimilation that so many Native American children endured.

The docent tour really made the museum come alive.. probably would not have rated so highly on my own. Don't miss the exhibits on households of the various tribes

This place is a private, not for profit, Indian culture and history museum. Very interesting cultural experience. Go, you will be glad you did.

This is a beautiful museum full of Indian artifacts and artwork. The museum is laid out very nicely and is so colorful. My only complaint was that it had more contemporary items (i.e. less than 50-60 years old) than ancient artifacts. I enjoyed the textiles and art that was included, but I expected more historical items. We also had lunch at the cafe, and although the service was very slow, the food was good. As an aside, if you are interested in Native American artifacts, I think the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK has a better collection.

Hockney exhibit was Wonderful. Such a wonderffull dsiplay of llocal history and artifacts. Display are well done and nicely lit.

If you go out the door from the back of the Sandra Day O'Connor Gallery, you'll be in a two-story courtyard. At the far side are beautiful arches. Also downstairs is a kids/families room for "Heardlings." Upstairs is the heartbreaking but important exhibition about boarding schools that Native Americans were forced to attend, far from their families, until not that long ago.

Very quiet and peaceful place to appreciate what is on display. The artifacts for our American Indian peoples are great. The gift shop has excellent native American items to purchase. This museum is easy to get to with ample parking.

This is a top quality Native American art gallery. If you are looking for a museum about Native American history and culture, go elsewhere. Also, note that most of the art is modern. It is not really a museum of traditional Indian art, it is more a reflection of what the Native Americans have been forced into in order to exist within the America of today.

Having said that, the artwork is superb and complimented by the beauty of the building and quality of merchandise. Together with a nice courtyard cafe (imaginatively called the Courtyard Cafe) you could easily spend the whole day here.

One little gripe though. On entry one gets a visitor “guide”. It is useless. Yes, it gives the layout but doesn’t tell you what is where. I am not remotely interested that a particular gallery is called the Sandra Day O’Connor gallery. I want to know what is in it!

It was an excellent 2.5 hours to know about ALL the tribal nations of the Southwest United States. The local modern artists really added excellence to their work just exactly as good as the artisans of Santa Fe and Taos New Mexico.

Due to the coronavirus and the mandate from Maricopa County you must wear a face mask. If you do not have one they will give you one free as you enter, a stylus to use on elevators and wherever needed, hand sanitizer, plus info on the museum. Arrows on the floor help you know the suggested direction to walk and keep social distancing. Parking continues to be free and is adjacent to the museum.
The Heard Museum has existed for 90 years (1929 - 2019) and received many accolades over the years
I continue to be impressed with the beautiful exhibits. The permanent exhibits of Native American pottery, baskets, hogan, kachinas, dress, etc. including lots of history if you take time to read the presentation. Odd to read the previous comment about no history - it's definitely a big part of this world renown museum. Perhaps they didn't take the opportunities given to learn. The movies were unavailable to watch (due to the virus and social distancing), and the tours are currently on hold also. A far cry from just an art museum!
The exhibit upstairs of the Indian Boarding Schools is a must see. This exhibit was expanded this past year and is a heart breaker. Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories is the name of the exhibit.
There are always special temporary exhibits in addition to the permanent ones previously mentioned. Today I saw David Hockney's Yosemite and Masters of California Basketry, Grand Procession (gorgeous), and Maria Hupfield: Nine Years Towards the Sun (this one was my least favorite).
There are often special exhibits in the auditorium during the year, such as Hoop Dancing.
We all hope the coronavirus goes away soon and things are able to return to normal. Until then this is a beautiful and educational way to spend time. I highly recommend this museum!

Easily one of the very best museums of Native Americans anywhere — great exhibits on Native American culture, history and art. Outstanding permanent collection with always-great changing exhibits. Terrific museum shop and book store, too. We go whenever we’re in Phoenix and love it every single time. Highly Recommended.

We had a great visit at the Heard Museum. Staff and customers are masked. .Lots of galleries to wander in and out of. We went to see the Leon Polk Smith exhibit. His graphic paintings were bright and colorful. The Sandra Day O’Connor gallery featured beaded dolls by two native American women. The details on the dolls were exquisite. There’s also an open patio featuring Allan Housers bronze sculptures. There were woven rugs with intricate designs. Another room featured Hopi and Navajo turquoise and silver jewelry. Beautiful to look at. There was also another room with smaller type items of pottery and jewelry. There are two gift stores on the site. One of the gift stores was featuring several Kachina carvers. It was nice to see their works and ask them questions. Free parking lot. We enjoyed our time there.

We enjoyed the old stuff, but there was a lot of current stuff also. Good lunch at the cafe. Must have been 1000 katsinas.

This museum highlights the cultures of Southwestern Native American tribes. There is a permanent exhibit called a Home with beautiful and interesting artifacts: basketry, weaving, Katsina figures, jewelry, etc. there is also an exhibit about the Native American boarding schools that is both heartbreaking and yet uplifting. There is a coffee shop and cafe where u can eat in a courtyard with fountains. The gift shop is generally expensive but there are real works of Native American hand crafted art that are worth the steep prices. The staff is friendly and there are frequent free guided tours. There is ample free parking.