Pueblo Grande, Phoenix

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The Pueblo Grande Museum is best to visit on a cool day since most of the points of interest are located outside. Experience what it was like to be a Hohokam watch the short video that can be played inside the theater room to get a brief overview of the Hohokam people. Inside there is a also a hands on exhibit for kids, a gallery about the land and the people and a museum store. Outside are the incredible archaeological finds of how the Hohokam people lived here in Phoenix so long ago. This museum is an important part of the history of modern day Phoenix.

The outside trail (accessible for both wheelchairs and strollers) is 2/3 of a mile and will take you past several important ruins starting from the latest to the earliest. First you will wind up to the Platform mounds,
Continuing along the trail you will come to a replica of a later style Hohokam home called an Adobe and also Pit houses. You can go inside one of each of the houses. This was the kids favorite part. You will then wind around to one of the few ballcourts that have been discovered and a replica garden of veggies the Hohokam people would have grown.

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Pueblo Grande are the 1500 year old ruins of a Hohokum city. This small portion of what once was a large city are preserved at this museum, including an adobe ceremonail house built on a platform and a ball court. The ruins are still mostly buired in dirt to prevent any further erosion.

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Discover Hokum culture while inside the museum. Kids will like some of the interactive exhibits such as the design your own pots and going on a pretend dig. A 10 minute movie about Hokum culture should be seen before you go outside to see the actual ruins. The movie will help you imagine what life was like during these times. If you venture out without seeing the movie you will see the ruins out of context and they will probably bore you. This was the case for my mother who did not understand the exhibit since he was hard of hearing and her hearing aid battery was depleted. However, I enjoyed the exhibit. When outside I tried to imagine what the people who lived among these ruins did. While at the ancient ball court created 750-1200 AD, I tried to imagine the games they may have played. You can see recreated ruin which show what archaeologists think Hokum homes may have looked like.


Bottom Line: If you have an imagination or are intrigued by native American culture this exhibit will interest you.