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A museum with over 15,000 instruments drawn from nearly every country on earth, where the displays sense your approach and pipe the corresponding music through wireless headphones. It sounds gimmicky and it works beautifully. The Artist Gallery leans into celebrity worship without apology, and larger nations get subsections drilling into folk and tribal traditions. The cafe handles global food at reasonable prices, which is not a given for a museum this size.
Two honors, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- Phoenix New Times 2025 · Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner · Best of Phoenix
- Phoenix New Times 2024 · Best Museum Gift Shop · Best of Phoenix
One number, weighted & current 55
How we score
Nearby in the record closest first
- The Whining Pig Desert Ridge Eat · 62
- Backyard Eat · 54
- Desert Ridge Improv Do · 54
- Soda Jerk Co. Eat · 44
- Gin & Reel Eat · 19
- Kembara Eat · 75
- Tía Carmen Southwestern Mexican Eat · 70
- JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa Stay · 81
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