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CULTURAL CONNECTIVITY<br />
museums not to miss<br />
AN OASIS IN THE DESERT<br />
WATER WORKS<br />
<strong>Mesa</strong> Arts Center<br />
ARIZONA COMMEMORATIVE<br />
AIRFORCE MUSEUM<br />
Tour combat aviation history and revel in<br />
the freedom of flight. More than a dozen<br />
exhibitions and displays share education<br />
and remembrance of war history and<br />
aviation’s role in these unforgettable<br />
time periods. A visit here offers a rare,<br />
multi-sensory ‘edu’-venture.<br />
ARIZONA MUSEUM OF<br />
NATURAL HISTORY<br />
Exhibiting natural and cultural history<br />
from the Southwest region, this is the<br />
leading natural history museum in<br />
Arizona. Home to “Dinosaur Mountain,"<br />
the largest dinosaur exhibit in the West,<br />
you will be transported back to the land<br />
before time and experience life as a<br />
pre-historic creature dating back over 65<br />
million years ago.<br />
I.D.E.A. MUSEUM<br />
Art is the focus and parents (and<br />
kids!) love the hands-on activities that<br />
support early learning and nurture<br />
creative thinking. Stop in at ArtVille,<br />
the experiential play place designed<br />
exclusively for young crawlers to curious<br />
toddlers who keep busy in a town built<br />
to cultivate awareness of color, line,<br />
shape and texture. Next door is the HUB,<br />
an interactive gallery ready to trigger<br />
the imagination.<br />
MESA ARTS CENTER<br />
AND MESA CONTEMPORARY<br />
ARTS MUSEUM<br />
The <strong>Mesa</strong> Arts Center is a<br />
212,755-square-foot performing arts,<br />
visual arts, and arts education facility,<br />
the largest and most comprehensive<br />
arts center in the Southwest. The sevenacre<br />
campus includes a complex of four<br />
theaters, two buildings with visual and<br />
performing arts studios and classrooms,<br />
informal performance areas, a 700-foot<br />
Shadow Walk that creates an inviting,<br />
shaded outdoor oasis plaza, and the<br />
<strong>Mesa</strong> Contemporary Arts Museum.<br />
Admission is always free. This exciting<br />
visual art exhibition space is made of<br />
five stunning galleries with curated<br />
and juried exhibitions of contemporary<br />
art by emerging and internationally<br />
recognized artists. Check online for<br />
lectures and events held by significant<br />
artists and arts professionals, including<br />
art workshops.<br />
Arizona Museum of Natural History<br />
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT<br />
MUSEUM<br />
Immerse yourself in the “language of<br />
the soul” with music from across the<br />
globe. The Musical Instrument Museum<br />
celebrates music as a global culture<br />
by displaying and paying homage to<br />
the finest traditional, contemporary,<br />
instrumental, and vocal acoustics.<br />
Displaying more than 6,800 instruments<br />
collected from around the world,<br />
MIM, offers a one-of-a-kind, hands-on<br />
experience for visitors to tune in and<br />
feel the rhythm.<br />
ODYSEA AQUARIUM,<br />
BUTTERFLY WONDERLAND<br />
AND PANGEA: LAND OF<br />
THE DINOSAURS<br />
Experience the thrill of the mesmerizing<br />
attractions at OdySea Aquarium ® ,<br />
Butterfly Wonderland, and Pangaea:<br />
Land of the Dinosaurs, part of Discover<br />
Salt River. Whether you want to marvel<br />
over nature’s most beautiful winged<br />
creatures, take a walk back in time or<br />
dive into learning more about life under<br />
the sea, Discover Salt River is an ideal<br />
stop for travelers seeking the ultimate<br />
entertainment destination. At OdySea,<br />
explore more than 200,000 square feet<br />
of expertly designed aquarium space,<br />
home to more than 6,000 animals. The<br />
theme-park-style amusement features<br />
highly engaging presentations of aquatic<br />
life tailored to all ages.<br />
<strong>Mesa</strong> is a water recreation paradise. There are three<br />
lakes and two rivers allowing easy and quick access<br />
for <strong>Mesa</strong> visitors with desert boating, fishing, rafting,<br />
kayaking, water skiing, paddle boarding, and jet skiing.<br />
Check out the locals favorite thing to do, “tubing!" This<br />
leisurely float along the cool waters of the Salt River via<br />
inner-tube is a perfect way to soak up the sun’s rays<br />
and cool off while being surrounded by Mother Nature.<br />
Apache Lake: 17 miles long with secluded coves. Hotel<br />
lodging, camping, boat rental, and storage available.<br />
Day-use areas on-site. Fees apply. Fish species: Black<br />
Crappie, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth<br />
Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye. Apache Lake<br />
Marina, 928-923-6690, apachelake.com.<br />
Canyon Lake: 28 miles of shoreline, 950 surface acres of<br />
water and secluded coves. RV and tent camping, boat<br />
rental, and storage available. Day-use areas and ramada<br />
rental on-site. Fees apply. Depth: 141 feet. Fish species:<br />
Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Walleye,<br />
and Yellow Bass. Canyon Lake Marina, 480-288-9233,<br />
canyonlakemarina.com.<br />
Roosevelt Lake: 112 miles of shoreline and 22,000<br />
acres of surface water. Hotel lodging and RV park,<br />
camping, boat rental, and storage available. Fees apply.<br />
Depth: 300 feet (when full). Fish species: Largemouth<br />
Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Catfish, Bluegill, and Crappie.<br />
Roosevelt Marina, 602-977-7170, rlmaz.com.<br />
Saguaro Lake: 10 miles long and 22 miles of shoreline.<br />
Ranch-style lodging, day-use areas, and Butcher Jones<br />
Beach. Boat rental and storage available. Fees apply.<br />
Depth: 100+ feet. Fish species: Bluegill, Largemouth<br />
Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout,<br />
and Crappie. Saguaro Lake Marina, 480-986-5546,<br />
saguarolakemarina.com.<br />
Lower Salt River: At <strong>Mesa</strong>’s doorstep, most leisure<br />
recreation takes place in the lower portions of the<br />
Salt River where outfitters operate guided water tours<br />
via kayak, raft and inner tube. Six recreation sites are<br />
operated by the Tonto National Forest. Fishing permit<br />
required. Day-use areas throughout. 928-467-3200,<br />
fs.fed.us/r3/tonto.<br />
visitmesa.com<br />
<strong>2022</strong> <strong>Visitors</strong> <strong>Guide</strong> | Culture Seeker | 23