Arizona Science Center

The Arizona Science Center is a science museum located in "Heritage and Science Park" in the heart of downtown Phoenix. Home to over 350 permanent hands-on exhibits, the Center provides 400,000 annual visitors with interactive experiences. Aside from the permanent exhibitions, Arizona Science Center has featured a number of nationally traveling exhibitions. Along with daily demonstrations throughout the Center, the Center provides shows in the Dorrance Planetarium and in a five-story, giant screen IMAX Theater. This non-profit corporation provides special educational programs and science activities for visitors of all ages including, summer science camp, "Adult’s Night Out", thematic events, "Stroller Science" preschool programs, and the Science on Wheels outreach program.
History.
Arizona Science Center, formerly the Arizona Museum of Science & Technology, was conceived in 1980 as a pilot science center by the Junior League of Phoenix. Incorporated as a private, non-profit corporation in 1982, the Science Center opened its doors to the public in 1984 as a small storefront exhibition space located in the parking garage level of the downtown Phoenix Hyatt. The Science Center’s first year of operation saw more than 87,000 visitors. Some of the original hands-on exhibits are still found in the Center today.
Growth in attendance and an increasing demand for informal science education programs led to the Science Center being awarded more than $33 million in voter-approved disbursements by the 1988 City of Phoenix bond to provide the land and construction of the Science Center’s new permanent home. Construction of the , Antoine Predock-designed facility was completed in 1997. An additional $4.1 million City of Phoenix bond in 1998 added of much needed classroom and dedicated gallery space for traveling exhibitions.
The Center has grown to be one of the most popular cultural attractions in the state of Arizona. Arizona Science Center has served more than three million patrons since opening its downtown Phoenix facility in 1997. The current facilities include more than of gallery space; an IMAX Theater seating 289 people; the Dorrance Planetarium, which can seat 210 people; a suite of multimedia classrooms; amenities including a gift shop, food service and lunchroom; and support facilities.
Transportation.
Public transportation for the Center is currently under the service of METRO Rail's Washington at 3rd Street station. Service began on December 26, 2008.
Parking for the Center can be found at the Heritage Garage, located in the northwest corner of the Heritage and Science Park.