A trip to the Arizona
Science Center can be a full day, hands-on extravaganza for the entire family.
With four levels and a multitude of permanent and traveling exhibits,
experiencing any semblance of boredom is near impossible when visiting. I spent a summer during high school
volunteering at the center and had an absolute blast. It was a true joy being
in an environment that highly encouraged curiosity, creativity, and learning.
The criteria I use for judging a day at the Arizona Science Center include the
variety of choices for activities, the involvement and friendliness of the
staff, and the overall easiness of the building to navigate. In my opinion,
nothing can put a bigger damper on a day than being overwhelmed with a
confusing building layout. The Center exceeds in each of these categories with
a delightful array of fun exhibits, a mixture of hands-on and observable
experiments, a staff that actually enjoys what they do, and a very easily
traversed building with lots of maps and friendly faces along the way in case
you happen to get lost.
“The
Center was originally founded as the Arizona Museum of Science &
Technology. It was converted to the Arizona Science Center as a pilot project
in 1980. Thankfully, in 1988 the city of Phoenix realized the amazing potential
of this place and it was awarded $33 million for expansion.” (“Arizona science
center”). Since then, the building has flourished in the downtown Phoenix area
as a hot spot for families, field trips, and interesting dates alike. Fun fact:
my first date was to the Science Center. He was a real dream boat.

The staff the Science Center is truly committed to
everything the Science Center represents. I’m not only saying this as someone
who volunteered over 50 hours with the Center, but also a dedicated patron.
Each staff member is exceptionally friendly and love nothing more than to help
you enjoy your scientific day as much as possible. The Center would lose a lot
of its credibility if its staff had no idea what they were talking about. From
the top dog director to the groundling volunteer, each person sporting that ASC
apron or polo is knowledgeable about the inner workings of each exhibit. If
they don’t know the answer, you will not be snubbed for they will find someone
who does.
Now, let’s get down to business. A fantastic experience so rich and fulfilling as this must surely break the bank. Surprisingly, the Arizona Science Center offers every fair prices for general admission as well as their prices for membership packages. “A child (someone between the ages of 3 and 17) is $11, adults pay $14, and seniors pay $12. There are additional costs for IMAX movie tickets and planetarium seats, but nothing exceeding $8 extra. If you wish to become a member, there are multiple packages to choose from. The one I’m most a fan of would have to be the student option. This includes free general admission for a year, a guest pass, and other benefits for $25. Again, let me repeat that, $25. Other options include individual for $55, basic for $75, and family for $95.” (“Arizona science center”). Each package comes with different benefits. If you’re interested, take a gander at the Arizona Science Center website, conveniently titled azscience.org. Another beautiful aspect of this place is that it’s available every day of the year (excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas day) between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
A trip to the Arizona Science Center is an experience
that should be had by every Arizonan or every visitor to this valley of the
sun. There is no denying the truth of that statement when you walk in and
immediately hear the sounds of children laughing combined with the rattle and
shakes of the different exhibits surrounding you.
Sources:
Arizona
science center - about us. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://azscience.org/about_us.php
Arizona science center - join/renew.
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://azscience.org/become_a_member.php