2022 Mesa Visitors Guide

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