I had to drive over to Phoenix, Arizona on family business. Fortunately, KJ volunteered to ride shotgun as I would never want to drive across the desert alone. I was looking forward to visiting my 94-year-old aunt who moved into an assisted living facility but what to do the rest of the time? I had previously checked out the Pueblo Grande Museum on the internet. When we arrived at our Motel 6 we found a brochure on the Heard Museum. Both museums concentrate on Native American Indian art and culture.Serendipitously, we decided on the Heard Museum first, located in downtown. Phoenix is in the throes of building a light rail transportation system with all the closed streets and detours you can imagine, so after driving around in a state of bewilderment for quite a while we finally found the correct parking entrance.
The building itself is delightful, designed in the Spanish style with courtyards and fountains. The exhibit spaces inside were well thought out, flowing naturally from one space to the next. Near the entrance was a spectacular 30-foot glass and clay fence by Tony Jojola, "Isleta." (Pictured, a little blurry as I couldn't use a flash.) Although all the displays were interesting, I particularly enjoyed Barry Goldwater's collection of Hopi Katsina dolls and the exhibit explaining the controversial federally run boarding school system designed to forcibly assimilate, Americanize and "civilize" American Indian children.
The next day we visited the Pueblo Grande Museum out by the airport (which, of course, led to more circumventing of the light rail construction). This is an archaeological site on an excavated 1,500 year-old Hohokam village which you can walk around on trails. The galleries house artifacts and displays of the history of the area plus an exhibit on two excavations at the nearby airport before they are covered up by runways.
I'm glad we visited the Heard Museum first as that set the stage for the Pueblo Grande. Both museums are unique in their own way which is first noticeable with the museum buildings, the Heard in a Spanish style while the Pueblo is designed to represent a truncated pyramid (hinting at the relationship between the Hohokam and Mexican cultures) and I could not suggest choosing one over the other, so I'm happy we had the time to visit both. Although I have to admit I have never been overly excited about studying the Native American cultures (my first love being the Roman Empire) I am warming to it, and this trip only added to my appreciation.
Of course, no museum trip is complete without shopping at the store. Both museums have first-rate shops. We bought American-Indian earrings at both locations and a t-shirt at the Pueblo. So, if you need to be in Phoenix for any reason, don't miss the Heard Museum or the Pueblo Grande!
(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)
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