About Us

One of the top children’s museums in the nation, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a wondrous place of imagination, inspiration, creativity and just plain fun! Designed for children ages birth to 10, this is not your typical Museum…here we want you to touch EVERYTHING!  And with over 48,000 square feet of space, there’s plenty to touch.

The Museum offers more than 300 play experiences, spread throughout three floors in the magnificent and historic Monroe School Building.

In addition, we offer a diverse range of classes and programs – from music and yoga, to math and science, and our Art Studio is a budding artist’s dream come true!

You can find us in the heart of downtown Phoenix on the SE corner of 7th Street and Van Buren in the historic Monroe School Building.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a proud recipient of many awards!

Awards

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is the proud recipient of numerous prestigious awards. We, of course, think the Museum is awesome and, apparently so do many of you! Thank you for your continued support!

2023

  • MSN.COM
    Best Museum in Arizona

  • AZ BIG MEDIA
    One of Top 10 Best Museums in Phoenix

  • PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEST OF THE VALLEY
    Best Place to Take the Kids (Readers’ Pick)
    Best Kids Party (Readers’ Pick)
    Best Free Museum Experience for Kids – Free First Friday (Editor’s Pick)

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY
    Best Kid’s Entertainment
    Best Museum
    Best Annual Gala

  • RANKING ARIZONA
    One of the Top 2 Indoor Attractions in Arizona

  • PHOENIX JEWISH NEWS
    Best Family Friendly Activity
    Best Children’s Entertainment
    Best Art Gallery/Museum

2022

  • MSN.COM
    Best Museum in Arizona

  • USA TODAY 10 BEST READERS’ CHOICE
    One of the Top 10 Children’s Museums in the Nation

  • PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEST OF THE VALLEY
    Best Place to Take the Kids (Readers’ Pick)
    Best Kids Party (Readers’ Pick)

  • PHOENIX NEW TIMES BEST OF PHOENIX
    Best Place For Kids

  • KIDSOUTANDABOUT.COM
    #1 Place to Take the Kids in the Phoenix Area

  • RANKING ARIZONA
    One of the Top 3 Indoor Attractions in Arizona

  • PHOENIX JEWISH NEWS
    Best Children’s Entertainment (Readers’ Choice)

2021

  • PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEST OF THE VALLEY
    Best Place for a Kids Party (Readers’ Pick)

  • KIDSOUTANDABOUT.COM
    One of Top 2 Places to Take Kids in Phoenix

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY
    Best Educational Exhibits & Experiences

  • AZCENTRAL.COM BEST OF THE DESERT: CENTRAL/NORTH PHOENIX
    Top 2 Finalist for Best Event Venue

  • PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL
    Most Admired Leaders, Kate Wells, CEO

  • RANKING ARIZONA
    One of the Top 2 Best of Arizona Business

2019

  • PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEST OF THE VALLEY
    Best Place to Take the Kids (Reader’s Pick)

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY
    Best Museum

  • KIDS OUT AND ABOUT.COM
    #1 Place to Take Kids
    Favorite Kid-Friendly Museum

  • JEWISH NEWS
    Best Playground in the Valley (Reader’s Choice)

2018

  • READER’S DIGEST
    10 Best Children’s Museums in America

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY
    Best Museum

2017

  • 2017 GOVERNOR’S ARTS AWARDS
    Finalist in the category of Arts in Education: Organization

2016

  • RANKING ARIZONA
    Top 2 in Entertainment|Attractions

2015

  • EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ZONE
    Among Top Three Children’s Museums in the Nation

  • PHOENIX MAGAZINE BEST OF THE VALLEY
    Best Place to Take the Kids (Reader’s Pick)
    Best Kids Stuff/Best Hot Day Diversion (Editor’s Pick)

  • TRIPADVISOR
    Certificate of Excellence for 2015

2014

  • AZCENTRAL.COM READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
    Best Family Entertainment Venue

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY
    Best Annual Gala

  • NORTH CENTRAL PARENTING GROUP
    Favorite Indoor Place to Play, Summer 2014

  • JEWISH NEWS’ BEST OF JEWISH PHOENIX 2014 MAGAZINE
    Best Museum for Children

  • TRIPADVISOR
    Certificate of Excellence 2014

2013

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY 
    One of the 10 Best Indoor Birthday Party Locations in Phoenix

2012

  • CVENT
    One of Top U.S. Special Event Venues

  • AZSHRM (Arizona Society for Human Resource Management)
    Workforce Diversity Award – Organization

  • ARIZONA FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE
    One of the Top Children’s Museums in Phoenix

  • PHOENIX.ORG
    Best of 2012 Educational Activities for Families
  • TRIPADVISOR
    Certificate of Excellence for 2012

  • MUSEUM ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION AWARDS 
    Contribution Award: Exhibits Director, Nancy Stice

2011

  • PARENTING MAGAZINE
    Designation: 25 Best Children’s Museums
  • PARENTING MAGAZINE
    Designation: Ten Best Children’s Museums in the Country

  • WOMAN’S DAY MAGAZINE
    10 Best Children’s Museums to Visit This Summer

  • AZCENTRAL.COM’S READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
    Category: Best Museum for Kids

  • RED AWARD FOR SPECIAL MERIT
    Recipient: The Schuff-Perini Climber

  • BUSINESS JOURNAL’S 2011 WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARD
    Honoree: President & CEO, Deb Gilpin

2010

  • JEWISH NEWS OF GREATER PHOENIX
    Category: Best Museum for Kids

  • INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE: BEST OF YEAR – INSTALLATION, TOP 4 MERIT AWARD
    Recipient: The Schuff-Perini Climber
  • SOUTHWEST CONTRACTOR MAGAZINE: BEST OF 2010 – SMALL PROJECT
    Recipient: The Schuff-Perini Climber
  • ENGINEERING NEWS RECORD: BEST OF 2010 – SMALL PROJECT
    Recipient: The Schuff-Perini Climber

  • HERITAGE FUND HISTORIC PRESERVATION
    Category: Project of the Year Award
  • AZ FOOTHILLS MAGAZINE BEST OF OUR VALLEY
    Best Museum
    Best Kid’s Entertainment Indoors

  • AZCENTRAL.COM’S READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
    Categories: Best Museum, Best Museum for Kids & Best Free Museum Day
  • NICKELODEON’S PARENTS PICKS 2010
    Category: Best Museum

  • HEMMY (Health Education Media Makers Yearly) AWARD
    Recipient: ASU Faculty Debra Vincent and Lorraine Hirani for their outstanding work with ASU Nursing students at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.

2009

  • AZCENTRAL.COM’S READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
    Categories: Best Museum & Best Museum for Kids
  • NICKELODEON’S PARENTS PICKS AWARDS
    Category: Best Museum
  • GOVERNOR’S HERITAGE PRESERVATION HONOR AWARD
  • PHOENIX NEW TIMES BEST OF PHOENIX AWARDS
    Category: Best Place to Take a 2-Year-Old: The Noodle Forest
  • JEWISH NEWS OF GREATER PHOENIX AWARDS
    Category: Best Museum to Take a Child
  • GIRL SCOUT WOMAN OF DISTINCTION WORLD OF ARTS AWARD
    Recipient: Former Museum President & CEO, Deb Gilpin

2008

  • PHOENIX NEW TIMES BEST OF PHOENIX AWARDS
    Category: Best Downtown Building to Poke Your Head Into

Common Sense Green

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s “Common Sense Green” environmental initiative provides an over-arching roadmap for creating a museum that lives and breathes healthful choices.

While many definitions of “green” or “sustainable design” are used, the most common looks at meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Basically, being ‘green’ means being innovative and thinking ecologically, keeping in mind that everything done is part of the ecosystem.

As a children’s museum we have a tremendous opportunity and an incredible obligation to positively inform and shape the future of our community. We support the healthy minds, muscles, and imaginations of visitors by taking many actions that foster environmental stewardship. Some examples:

  • Using non-toxic materials throughout the building and exhibits, including office supplies, printing materials, and janitorial supplies, creating a healthy and safe environment in the Museum.
  • Using materials that are earth-friendly and sustainable throughout their life cycle as in renewable, sustainable, and recycled building materials like wheatboard, and recycled cardboard.
  • Choosing materials and practices that are socially responsible. The Museum chooses, whenever possible, local vendors to cut down on transportation, get to know green industries in the community, and make sure that the materials and services being used are made fair and equitable.
  • Offering incentives that support earth-friendly behavior, like carpool and public transportation benefits, bike racks, and easy recycling throughout the museum.
  • Spark ideas, innovation, collaboration, and conversation about sustainability and environmental stewardship. The Museum provides interactive projects that spark hands-on participation with recycled materials, educational programs that promote environmental stewardship at home, and information on-site and online about making green choices.

Some examples of our Common Sense Green Initiative in the Museum:

  • Those sparkly bathroom floors are made of repurposed toilets, sinks and mirrors
  • The Museum walls are painted with VOC-free paint
  • Everyday items are recycled and utilized as art installations in the Museum such as: The CD Wall, The “chandelier” and wall hangings in Texture Cafe, the SOMEPLACE exhibit which uses recycled denim, the fish hanging by the Climber, and the Climber itself.