Acting on the principle that learning is a joy, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s mission is to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them. With hands-on, interactive exhibits designed for children ages birth to 10, the Museum focuses on learning through play, with emphasis on early childhood education and school-readiness.

The Museum’s vision is to foster a joy of learning and to:

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix was founded in 1998 as the Phoenix Family Museum by a small group of volunteers. In 2001, Phoenix voters overwhelmingly approved $10.5 million in bond funds to purchase and partially renovate the historic Monroe School as the Museum’s new home.

In 2005, plans began to renovate and restore the Monroe School building, developing a strong support base among private individuals and corporations and providing the type of inspirational and diverse programming to make a wonder-filled museum. The Museum launched its Childhood Dreams Built By You capital campaign with a goal of raising $12.3 million prior to opening. In December of that year the Phoenix Family Museum officially changed its name to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix to more clearly convey the Museum’s focus.

Renovation on the Monroe School began in 2006 and the Children’s Museum opened its doors to the public in June 2008.

Prior to opening the permanent facility, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix fulfilled our mission to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children through a traveling exhibit program called Museum without Walls (MWW). Consisting of eight hands-on learning experiences, MWW visited schools and community events across the Valley. Over 275,000 participants took part in MWW traveling exhibits between 1998 and 2008.

The history of the Monroe School building – home of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix – is rich and relevant to children.  Opening in 1913 as the largest elementary school west of the Mississippi, this school was home to thousands of children. The school closed its doors in 1972 due to declining student enrollment.

We’ve been fortunate, prior to opening and in the years since, in welcoming back some of the students that attended here as a child.  We have collected some of their stories and photos into a self-published book entitled Monroe School Stories: Honoring the Past Through the Present.  Black and white class photos of children who attended Monroe School have been turned into banners that hang in our historic front entrance which houses our cafe.  We also pay homage to one of our more famous alumni, Jackson Pollock, with a short biography and photo of the artist as a child as well as two canvas paintings inspired by his unique form of abstract expressionism which you will also find in our historic front entrance.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix still seeks alumni to share their memories and photos of their time and experiences here when it was known as the Monroe School. We are looking for items such as photos, memories, or newspaper clippings that honor alumni’s childhood, history and culture.

Alumni can contact the museum: