Located near Sky Harbor Airport and downtown Phoenix, the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park houses the ruins of an ancient Hohokam village, one of several villages along the Salt River between a.d. 300 and 1400. Sometime around 1450, these villages were mysteriously abandoned, perhaps because drought and a buildup of salts from irrigation water reduced the soil’s fertility and forced the people to seek better growing conditions elsewhere. The small museum here displays many artifacts that were dug up at the site. These exhibits are actually more interesting than the ruins themselves, although some furnished replicas of Hohokam-style houses give a good idea of how the Hohokam lived. The museum sponsors interesting workshops, demonstrations, and tours (including petroglyph hikes). The Pueblo Grande Indian Market, held in mid-December, is one of the largest of its kind in the state and features more than 250 Native American artisans.