Pioneer Living History Museum

About this adventure

Pioneer Arizona is a 90-acre open-air museum in the black-rock foothills of north Phoenix, off I-17 near Anthem, where families walk paved paths past about twenty 19th-century buildings — some original, some reconstructed — including a blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, dress shop, a community church and the original Gordon School, all set in Territorial Arizona (1863–1912). Costumed volunteers are on hand seasonally, and admission also covers the Telephone History Museum. School-age children who are studying Arizona history get the most from it; plan on a couple of hours of walking outdoors, with hats and water. The museum also hosts large historical re-enactments — Rebels and Redcoats on November 5–7 and Civil War in the West on November 19–21, with camps, battle demonstrations and talks with historical figures, included in general admission — but its event calendar does not print the year, so confirm before going.