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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, , the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in Arizona on as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#30. Hackberry General Store

- Rating: 4.5/5 (768 reviews)
- City: Hackberry
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#29. Amerind Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (137 reviews)
- City: Dragoon
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#28. Tucson Desert Art Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (93 reviews)
- City: Tucson
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#27. Show Low Historical Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (59 reviews)
- City: Show Low
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#26. Phoenix Police Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (121 reviews)
- City: Phoenix
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#25. Rose Tree Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (267 reviews)
- City: Tombstone
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#24. Gunfighter Hall of Fame

- Rating: 4.5/5 (154 reviews)
- City: Tombstone
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#23. Pete's Rt 66 Gas Station Museum

- Rating: 3.9/5 (273 reviews)
- City: Williams
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#22. Dwarf Car Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (78 reviews)
- City: Maricopa
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#21. Poozeum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (43 reviews)
- City: Williams
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#20. Franklin Auto Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (153 reviews)
- City: Tucson
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#19. Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,035 reviews)
- City: Tombstone
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#18. The Thing

- Rating: 3.7/5 (255 reviews)
- City: Benson
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#17. S'edav Va'aki Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (297 reviews)
- City: Phoenix
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#16. Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (511 reviews)
- City: Bisbee
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#15. Arizona Copper Art Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (547 reviews)
- City: Clarkdale
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#14. Superstition Mountain Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (474 reviews)
- City: Apache Junction
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#13. Arizona Capitol Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (248 reviews)
- City: Phoenix
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#12. Museum of Northern Arizona

- Rating: 4.6/5 (610 reviews)
- City: Flagstaff
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#11. Penske Racing Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (350 reviews)
- City: Phoenix
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#10. Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting

- Rating: 4.7/5 (431 reviews)
- City: Phoenix
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#9. Arizona Museum Of Natural History

- Rating: 4.5/5 (377 reviews)
- City: Mesa
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#8. Castle Dome Mines Museum & Ghost Town

- Rating: 4.3/5 (470 reviews)
- City: Yuma
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#7. The Mini Time Machine Museum Of Miniatures

- Rating: 4.6/5 (651 reviews)
- City: Tucson
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#6. Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (591 reviews)
- City: Mesa
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#5. Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

- Rating: 4.7/5 (689 reviews)
- City: Scottsdale
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#4. Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum

- Rating: 4.1/5 (4,448 reviews)
- City: Winslow
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#3. Pima Air and Space Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (4,958 reviews)
- City: Tucson
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#2. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (8,962 reviews)
- City: Tucson
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#1. Musical Instrument Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (6,616 reviews)
- City: Phoenix
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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