The Arizona Science Center at Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix is the Valley’s go-to for hands-on science — more than 300 interactive exhibits across several floors, plus a planetarium and a giant-screen theater. It’s also the perfect 110°-afternoon plan: all indoors, all air-conditioned.
What to do
- Hands-on galleries — everything from forces and motion to the human body, built for kids to touch and try.
- Dorrance Planetarium — immersive dome shows about the night sky.
- Irene P. Flinn Theater — giant-screen documentaries.
- Rotating traveling exhibitions — worth checking before you go; the big ones sell timed tickets.
Plan on two to three hours; more if you catch a show.
Tips
- Buy tickets online, and add planetarium/theater shows when you book — they’re timed.
- It’s right by the light-rail line, so downtown parking isn’t a must.
Make it a day
Heritage Square and downtown’s restaurants are right there, so it’s an easy full outing. The Science Center is about 25 minutes south of our North Phoenix salon — a favorite rainy-day or scorcher plan for our clients with kids. Family photos or a school event coming up? Book the kids’ cuts ahead, and grab your own refresh while you’re in.