Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeologicial Park

Frommer's Review

Located near Sky Harbor Airport and downtown Phoenix, the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park houses the ruins of an ancient Hohokam village that was one of several villages along the Salt River between A.D. 300 and 1400. Sometime around 1450, this and other villages were mysteriously abandoned. Some speculate that drought and a buildup of salts from irrigation water reduced the fertility of the soil and forced the people to seek more fertile lands. The small museum here displays many of the artifacts that have been dug up on the site. Although these exhibits are actually more interesting than the ruins themselves, some furnished replicas of Hohokam-style houses give a good idea of how the Hohokam lived. The museum sponsors interesting workshops (some just for kids), demonstrations, and tours (including petroglyph hikes). The Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market, held in mid-December at Steele Indian School Park, which is on the northeast corner of Indian School Road and Central Avenue, is the largest of its kind in the state and features more than 450 Native American artisans.

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