Reviews of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (Museum)

Jim Orchard

It was our first time at SMoCA and we loved it! There are interactive displays and amazing drawings and paintings. The best part to me was the glass exhibit though, the pieces were incredible. It doesn't take long to see the museum but entry is cheap and it's definitely fun. I would recommend going!

Mona Lee

Unfortunately most of the galleries were closes when I visited. Admission was free on Thursday.

Melissa Sanchez

Few exhibits but friendly staff and well organized environment

Jessica James

Very neat place. The Ocean of Light exhibit is fun. Okay place for kids, except for the light exhibit and lounge room I was having to stop my kids over and over from touching exhibits. The museum is small and you can see it all in under an hour. There is a gift shop and large clean restrooms. Kids 14 and under are free. The shops, restaurants and grounds around the museum are nice. You will find the large LOVE exhibit outside behind the museum, great photo spot.

Armando Zires

This is a great activity to experience with the family and escape the heat for a couple hours. I appreciated the knowledgeable staff providing feedback of the art pieces. It helped me enjoy the art gallery more. Please note some exhibits are interactive and others are not allowed to be touched**Once you’re finished, walk over for gelato at Barista Brothers. Enjoy!

Tarah Ausburn

If you can go while they have the light display, DO IT! They only give you four minutes to be in there, which kind of sucks, but that alone is worth the trip.

Lisa Soke

Very small but packs a punch! Great for the whole family.

First Last

Nice interactive gallery.

Derek Pospisil

Really cool interactive exhibit and glass sculptures

Brittany Graf

Small gallery, only about 5 exhibits. I have been to numerous art museum and I would argue this one was one of the biggest wastes of money.

Junlong Huang

Lots of cool exhibitions

Valencia Johnson

Very fun and interactive experience. Free on Thursdays. Highly recommend

Sylvia Van Giersbergen

Just loved it, especially the exhibition of Shizu Saldamando.

Erika Clary

Wished we had given ourselves more time to thoroughly examine every art piece. What we did see was fantastic.

Alex Swedenborg

Friendly staff, nice small room with hole in ceiling, affordable (5$) when all exhibits are not out.. show cases some excellent local and native American art .. plan to be back soon...

Candice Quinerly

We came here because our plans changed and the manager (?) saw us and offered us two free admission tickets. It has several rotating art galleries. It was beautiful and well thought out. Would definitely return.

Charles Tombazian

The evening as a celebration paled in comparison with past Smoca Nites. Cake and a free drink were fine. But the atmosphere lacked enthusiasm and excitement. Videos were mostly just weird avant garde.

Mike Reed

Date night here and I really enjoyed the interactive art pieces! I'm not really an art guy, but the interactive displays were memorizing!

Teppo Dama

I love it. The Infinity Room, in particular, is one of the most impressive installations I've experienced. Start there, and it will change the way you engage the rest of the exhibits.

Laura Kelley

You can get free passes to this place at the ASU library or just any library! It doesn’t take too long to go through the whole thing. My husband wasn’t too impressed with this place. I liked all the glass art that I saw, but then we got to the interactive art. Some were cool, but others didn’t work, which was embarrassing...All in all, it was a pretty okay place. Not bad. It was neat, but I don’t have to go back any time soon.

Devon Bowsher

Much smaller than I expected. Infinity Room was interesting but the 4 minutes allotted was not enough to experience it.

Honest T

Small but full of nice experiences, from very modern art to the classics.

Jody Packer

Go and enjoy some modern art. Definitely catch the Infinity Room

Geo clau

The building is very nice. Glass, concrete, steel. The layout is very simple and small. As soon as you enter to the vestibule you can choose to go to the gift shop, patio with sculptures, or to the two very large exhibit rooms. The layout flows very well and it did not feel crowded. Check out the free days on their website. The bathrolms were so nice and clean. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable about the exhibits.

p k

Four. Rooms of non-modern art that took 15min's to see, it's the worst modern museum we have seen.

Amy Maxey

I've been twice and the exhibits were fascinating. The guides were unobtrusive but very informative about the artists and pieces. Love this place!

Jared Slattery

It's a neat little museum.

Priscilla Williams

I had a great experience. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable about the exhibits. There was also a variety of artwork on display. Priscilla W.

Gyles Allen

The museum isn't vast (about four medium-sized rooms), but the exhibits that were on display were interesting and thought-provoking. The ideal time to visit the museum is on Thursday when admission is free. It's the perfect first stop to Old Town Scottsdale's Artwalk every Thursday in which the local galleries showcase their works for sale. After you've had your fill of art, you're within walking distance to some bars and restaurants as well as the aforementioned art walk, so there's no reason to skip this place of culture.

Denise Peterson

Exhibits change quartly. Free during Sunday A'fair starting January 13th, 2019. Last event April 7, 2019. See you next year.

James Mitchell

Nice museum experience. I'm glad Scottsdale has this resource.

Irene Onyema

Great place to introduce art to teens and also baby friendly & infinity room was the best part even the baby loved it !

Patrick Philbin

Good place if your into that kinda thing

Will Danner

Small, but nice museum with a good rotation of exhibits. Worth a stop for any art fan

WRAGGS VEVO

Staff members were either nice or mean, other than that it was fun and I recommend this place for parents and families.

Paolo Piro

SMoCA is always a great way to do something different with the family. Friday evenings are free and the exhibits change regularly. This combo makes for a great way to take the kids out for something special on a budget. Exhibits very greatly, so each trip feels fresh and new. The art is never the same thing twice. I've seen exhibits by greats like; Paolo Soleri and Frank Lloyd Wright as well as many new and up-and-coming artists. Treat yourself, see some art.

Josh Scotia

One of the Hidden gems of downtown Scottsdale and yes there is culture in downtown Scottsdale! They have a great man collection gift store and their rotating displays are always on point. get there early to have the place to yourself during the week and make sure to talk up the tour guides as they have all the good information! don't miss out on the surrounding coffee shops restaurants and a walk through the park.

evelyn valdez

Thursdays are free! It's always interesting to see the revolving artist in the gallery spaces. The staff are always welcoming and incredibly friendly.

Valentina Iancu

A very fresh museum.

Kim Davis

Outstanding juxtaposition of conventional art (paintings, sculpture, etc) and interactive digital art. A true demonstration of how art can be in many different mediums and forms. My children also loved it. My older child learned that art can be high tech and digital, and my daughter appreciated the Smart Zone as an opportunity to paint on her own. As a family, it was great, but I get the impression that if I was there with adults I would have an equal, but very different experience. Awesome museum!

Lance Gibler

Pretty cool place but they have private parties unannounced and not made aware to the public of such private events. I called and checked website and it said open. After driving a hour to get there I found out it was closed for private event. No person to answer the phone!!! No recording or website notice!!

Jonathan Martine

Nice and small location. Not a lot of walking to do. The art there is truly spectacular. You can spend a lot of time there despite the small size.

Carl Valle

Glass exhibit ... people were friendly

Downtown Jon

It is beautiful and exciting and free parking

Aaron Jay Lev

I've been to Contemporary Art museums across the country but I think the one in Scottsdale is the most approachable. It offers a variety of programming to reach out to different groups of people (including teenagers). I appreciate the community outreach. It is conveniently located in Old Town and they have a GREAT Gift Shop. Plan on bringing a few bucks to get a memorable gift on your way out. Many of the exhibits are interactive so I was able to get lost in the experience for a bit. Great times.

Maia Knighton

Interesting exhibits but not a very big museum, don't plan on spending a long time here. Loved the word wall!

Jeff Baker

Not enough exhibits and some were not functioning. Still, some nice displays!

Philip Velie

Small but high quality exhibits

Marie Axman

Small museum but well presented with knowledge personnel

William Moffatt

Interesting mix of old and new. Avoid the "spirit" movie, waste of time

Emmanuelle C.

Fun exhibit of the "Infinity" theme. We can only stay in the room for 4 minutes so it's not enough time to get into the element but it was interesting. The Wild Life exhibit was very diverse, several mediums were used and combined together, check out my photos, definitely worth the visit. Lastly there was a room with funky seat that swivel wildly. I tried it and there l ended my visit with a smile. Please note that visits are free on Thursdays!!!

CaptainKat Ricca

Only had 3 exhibits, took maybe a half hour to see everything. But the spinny chairs were awesome

William Clove

The museum is really quite small, much smaller than I expected. I went on an evening with free admission, and I'm glad I did. It was one of those things I'd do once and not return, and if you're in the area looking to kill a few minutes, you can that here (especially as there are other free admission art galleries in the area you can walk through, all of which are, in my opinion, better). Overall, contemporary art is not my style, so I can't say I really enjoyed it. My rating is for the museum itself, not the art exhibits. It's small and serves its purpose, but really does leave something to be desired. The gift shop was nice, however.

josh scott

Cool exhibits, great vibe

Jasmin buchanan

Amazing place! the photo ops are great and the place is small and straight forward. I came here with my brother and my daughter, she's 6 months old and really liked it too! The gifts in the gift store are amazing and the staff totally cares about the museum and the visitors. I cant wait to go back and bring my son and cousins! Grab a culture pass at the library and head down. Thank me later.

Josh Stavenjord

Not as well advertised as it needs to be, it's a gem at the core of Scottsdale. With new exhibits all the time it's a part of the sleepier side of old town that shouldn't be passed up

paul Baker

Interesting little museum. Make sure you spend some time on the spin chairs

Estera Florescu

It's pretty chill. Cool exhibits. The infinity room was a plus

Lucio Pihanna

There are 3 installations presented in this museum at this time and until Oct 6, I believe. There is a contemporary glass art exhibit which I found fascinating; some of the items on display were similar to things I have viewed before but others were totally different and some didn't even look like glass. Another gallery showed the paintings, drawings and video created by a mid-career Southwest region artist named Shizu Saldamando.The 3rd gallery displayed Art on the edge of Technology and this gallery was fascinating. Arm movement or body movement could make the art on the wall change based on the movement of the viewer - quiet fascinating. There were a few wheelchair bound visitors and this is a fun and wonderful display for them and everyone.

Cruz Iskenderian

Wonderful had a great time !

Yvette P

They have free parking to the west of museum. The museum itself is pretty cool, I went to see the Infinity Room and that was so awesome! Check online for free dates, I know Thursdays are free for sure.

Marcus escalante

It was nice but very underwhelming for the price they ask for.

Michelle Miranda

The staff are incredible! They make everyone feel welcomed and will definitely visit again.

Leina M

3 out of the 5 galleries were closed when I went, gift shop was full of feminist garbage, but thankfully the admission price was reduced. Of the 2 galleries open, the infinity room by Refik A. was definitely very fascinating. the other gallery smartly utilized the "salon" technique of cramming as many pieces on the wall space seeing as how the other galleries were under renovation. most were all right, had a few inspiring pieces that I was able to hone in on amid the clutter. they also had some fun spinning chairs in a seperate lounge room where I guess they were supposed to have a film playing every now and then? the museum should be fully opened by now.

Maria Alvarado

I went along with my sister, to help her with a school project and I really enjoyed the exhibition. It was clean and calm and quiet. I loved that the atmosphere really felt like a place where art spoke for itself. The lady at the front desk was welcoming and kind. Totally worth taking a look at. Loved it.

Michael

Very cool little museum. The infinity room is awesome. I pooped my pants, but it was worth it.

Kevin Brannin

The art works here are incredible. The rotating works of art are my favorite part, they keep the gift store very neat and well stocked.

Luana Tapernoux

They were updating exhibits. Only had video exhibit which we skipped. I lady told me video exhibit was rather good.

JKatarina Castaneda

Engaging, and provocative yet, informal and relaxed. My entire family, ranging from ages 4 and 6, to 46 thoroughly enjoyed our time here!

Margarita Guerra

Great staff and great exhibit !

Brian Leve

Very modern avant garde works. The musical exhibit made up out of recycled gun parts was the most interesting.

Shannon Hazlitt

this is a nice to go walk around see what is playing here and see Differt shows and go to the gift shop thete are differt things in there to buy go check out for yourself today.

Kim Mehring

It is always a treat to be at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. This month they have technology and interactive art. I always find it fascinating to submerged in the art and be part of it. Always something new and exciting you should come visit the Museum.

Kiran Antony

The museum is not big but there's a lot of cool art here. The ones where you can interact is pretty phenomenal.. The private glass art collection is pretty nice as well.

D.E. Arellano

This is a nice cozy little museum. Lately the exhibitions seem to be centered around projections mapping with video and audio which can be hit or miss depending on your taste. The gift store always has cool stuff to look at. Also the Center for Performing Arts is right there so you can combine visits. Close proximity to some eating and drinking as well as a little park.

Alexis Orozco

Such a fun place with rotating art exhibits! It is free all day on Thursdays and free on Fridays and Saturdays after 5 PM! Easy place to get out of the heat and spend some time to looking at modern art., definitely bring a friend with you to take some pictures.

M Chethana

The art exhibition is excellent. So diverse and immensly talented artists

Lori Spataro

I went to the museum and there was no art it was all a video every single thing in the museum was a video I want to see art in front of me real not a video I can watch TV at home anyway I'm going to give you a one-star because of it

Donna Hunnicutt

Very popular

Bob K.

Nice modern museum

Carl Siegrist

Very pleasantly surprised how nice this museum was. Highly recommend.

Deseree Mitchell

The museum is worth going to for it's crazy chairs alone. I was not a fan of the current exhibit, but look forward to the next one. Free on Thursday and every other Saturday. Try the chairs. My neighbor and I spent 45 minutes laughing and riding the chairs. Great fun!

Janis Rolfe

Quite interesting..

Nicole Kridler

Interesting place to go. I like the museum but it seems kind of small. Maybe it was just the layout. But they had a selection of a few different types of art when I visited. Really something for everybody. The staff is informative and friendly about the art and surrounding areas of Scottsdale too.

Sarah Belisle

It's small but the exhibits are worthwhile, so combine it with doing downtown Scottsdale, especially the other art installations such as the Solari sculpture, the Choi-Shine crocheted installation along the waterfront, and various cowboy-style sculptures. Some people will like all the turquoise and silver jewelry in the storefronts. Every Thursday the museum is free.

Mikella S

Excellent exhibitions. Overall a nice art museum experience.

Faris Luther

Wonderful museum. A great place to enjoy some free art when you are in the area.

Terry

Disappointing. Not really any art. 2 gallery open with very little in them. A 15 minute walk thru and you done. Not worth the effort.

Angelica Gonzalez

Cool.

Larysa Moler

Great place to see work from interesting, sometimes under shown artists, ranging from local to those from around the world, many however are world famous and are a treat to see in this intimate space. Perfect amount of galleries displaying variety of works to enjoy and absorb without feeling overwhelmed.

Dale Cummings

Very great exhibits

Its me

One of my favorite things to do

Pavel Sidakov

Nice small museum to visit when you are around old Town Scottsdale. They change their collections pretty frequently and the gift shop is definitely very entertaining to browse. Make sure to visit the SkySpace that tucked away to the side. Highly recommend

Bradley Dennis

I love this place. I always feel kinda retro future when I visit this museum. I enjoy Scottsdale too. I often miss the contemporary abstract art from the 1980s.

Bea Tobol

We love this museum!!! Fortunately we had a Saturday night flight and Saturday after 5 it was free! The museum is very interesting . It’s a must to see in Scottsdale. They have a nice room with “wobbly swinging chairs and mirror room with lights and music.BeHind the store in the museum they have a little arts and crafts room kids can color and post their creations on the wall . People working there were VERY polite and informative. Loved it .Well go again when in Arizona . It’s like 20 min drive from Phoenix and when you park near the museum not to go to the parking site right away but drive behind. It will take you around the parking to the side. It’s free parking there so you don’t have to pay for parking.

M.

Usually great rotating galleries. Thursday's are the best value..

ken cooper

The museum is small, but usually has some interesting exibits. Free admission every Thursday and on 2nd Saturdays. If visiting Old Town Scotsdale, it is a nice side trip on the free days. There are restaurants near the museum that you will miss if you only visit the street part of Old Town.

Daniel Hiek

It's an ok museum. It's pretty small but has a few interesting pieces. If you're in the area check it out but don't go only for this.

Terrica America

Beautiful location and gift shop. Got to do a backstage tour.

evan isaac magidovitch

I've never been here and not seen something interesting, this place is a part of my childhood. I remember one time about 15 years ago that an architecture firm moved its offices into the exhibit space, that was weird and fun. There's always something weird and fun going on here, as pictured below. If you're in town check the place out.

Ken Miner

Small facility. I was expecting more. Not bad but not great either. Helpful staff.

Jayant Kumar

Wonderful Belkis Ayon show from Cuba.

Alejandro Navarro

Great exhibits. The kids ended up having a great time. Enjoyed the overall experience!

Mariam Valdespino

Loved it we went to see Native Trails performance...learned quite a few things. Beautiful outdoor setting.

PG Raddi

I wish there was more to see. But what was there to see was very interesting considering that it was a free exhibition. I really enjoyed the gravity chairs that will literally send you spinning.

Dean Frio

Great little museum. I went on a free admission day, so I don't know what the actual cost is, but it was a great way to kill about an hour. The gift shop was filled with awesome merch and great little trinkets! If you visit keep in mind it is a smaller museum and probably won't take you an entire day to go through it's exhibits but there are amazing surrounding restaurants!

Erik Anderson

Small and interesting place to stop by if you're in old town Scottsdale. There's many times when it's free to enter so look them up before heading over.

Rachel Ewell

Exhibitions here never fail! The building is a gem of gorgeous architecture as well. Great spot to spend some time

cal S

The experience was lovely for the Smithsonian FREE museum day, but I would love it if they had more art pieces.

Tia Wooley

So cool. Very helpful people, interesting displays, worth going to see.

Howard Gerber

Gem of a local attraction

Thatonegirl

This place is so wonderful to visit! I love how they have a mix of visual and interactive art. The art work that they display is powerful and captivating.

A D

Great! I enjoyed my visit here. I got free tickets from the library to come here. (Normally tickets are $10 a pop). It's easy to access- just park at the Civic Parking Garage (free parking), and then cross the construction bridge, walk past the Performing Arts center, and there you are. :) The lady at the front desk was very nice and courteous. The guides inside the museum are very helpful too. One guide in particular stood out with how friendly and laid back he he was. He showed everyone how to interact with that motion-sensored music exhibit. The museum, itself, was pretty small- with 4 total exhibits with one more exhibit outdoors and it look about an hour to slowly see it all.

steve doyle

Thursdays it's free. I have come here plenty of times and love their interactive displays as well as their paints, sculptures, ceramics, or glass work, and everything they have to offer. Thursdays it's free so be ready to enjoy it, otherwise you can show up whenever they are open and have a blast whether it's with friends, family, or your significant other. I know I have had plenty of successful dates with my girlfriend and friends in which we always leave with a smile and had fun, so without a doubt come.

Alejandro Rios

Fantastic museum! Very interesting pieces when my wife and I went. A bit on the small side but that just means quality over quantity here. Great place to beat the heat for a couple of hours.

Virginia Miller

The infinity room exhibit was phenomenal! Worth the trip itself! I also really liked the lounge area with the spinning chairs. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed letting our inner children out to play for a while. The museum itself was smaller than I expected, but there's plenty to see and do if you have an hour to spare.

Emily Sinecio

On Fridays after 5 it's free! It has some cool exhibits, always something new!

Frank Franks

Great installations . It was a great time !

Hector Jimenez

It was ok. A little small.

Jose

Great exhibitions, loved the glass section of the museum. This place is quite small though, and you can kinda of fly through it rather quickly.

Suzy Berens

This is a small museum that showcases contemporary art. Location is a little off the beaten path. The woman that greets you and takes your money for entrance is not very friendly. I would not return for the simple fact that their gift shop is nothing but a "man hating" store filled with liberal ideology of how women are victims and men are evil. I don't think museums are a place to voice your political views; but that's just my opinion. I will not return.

Brandon Brooksby

Fantastic small art gallery! Takes little time to see it all, but well worth it especially considering the extended amount of time it is free to visit every week!

Jerry Levitt

The glass display was great, the hands on stuff was wonderful, and really enjoyed those chairs in the lounge room.

Elson Varkey

Free on second Saturdays and the staff are very helpful in understanding the meaning behind many of the artforms. Although if you wanted to keep to your self there are descriptions for each art piece along the walls.

Kathryn Bucklin

We had a lot of fun at the Museum of Modern Art in Scottsdale. There's a couple new exhibits that are interactive and really fun!

Jeremy Shelley

When there for a party for work. Had a scavenger hunt was a lot of fun.

Pirate fitzpatrick

Always have a good time there.

Shivam Trivedi

A little gem in the city of Scottsdale if you like art. Not particularly big, but has a cool music exhibit and a good gift shop. Free on Thursdays so an excellent spot for nice Thursday afternoon.

Liz Cardenas

Small museum but it showcases great exhibitions. Offers student discounts on already afordable prices. Surrounded by many other fun stops.

F M

Interactive and sensory art kept every member of the family engaged. Please visit the gift shop for famous women "rulers" for your favourite girls for school.

Curtis Hisao

Great interactive museum! So worth the small cost.

Erin Belden

We went for the first time yeasterday and i was very pleasantly surprised. It wasnt as big as i originally thought it waa going to be but the kids had a lot of fun. Especially with the interactive exhibits. Before we got to the car they already asked when we would be able to go again. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable!

Chris Hunkins

Nice museum with a super piece by James Turrell.

Freedom Essence

Great art

Beth D'alavays

Fantastic experience

Steve Cockrill

Small but interesting art museum. Art work changes frequently so you never know what you will encounter. Some interactive displays.

Gay Dybwad

Fun and educational. A little hard to find with limited parking. Nice gift shop. Rotating exhibits.

Kenneth Carr

A beautiful museum. Eco friendly! Located in Old Town Scottsdale

John Linscheid

I need to go back another time when there is some other exhibit. The exhibit was all video projects which seemed more conceptual than either challenging, moving, or interesting

Daniel Wint

Very clean friendly people great place to bring family visit

Naptural Beauty

My girlfriend and I were on vacation for our anniversary and ran across this gem. Denise gave us the ultimate tour of the museum! There was a lot of unique pieces. She was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed her take on things about each short film. Luckily we ran into her. I recommend giving this museum a visit. Thank you Denise!!!!!

JKatarina Castaneda De FRANKOS

A very happy place! My entire multi-generational family- ranging from age 4-45 thoroughly enjoyed SMOCA! Everyone loved the play area because it is engaging and inspires creativity! The gift shop is charming. We are grateful to the donors/volunteers etc. for SMOCA!

Raven Skysong

It's an interesting mix of art. Small museum, but i still spent a couple hours looking at the different art styles. The light show was really cool

Blaine Horrocks

A small but interesting mix of artworks. When we visited there were three primary installations. An abstract, a multigenerational collection of Inuit pieces and some great pop culture paintings.

Michael Jablonski

Always love coming to this place!

cgyro14

Very cool exhibits and the docents we're very knowledgeable as well! They even have us great tips on driving routes that proved very helpful!!

Brenna Bucklin

This is hands down one of my favorite museums in Arizona. Its exhibits are changing frequently and they even have interactive exhibits on occasion. A great place to see a different forms of art at a great price

Chris Plaisier

Nice museum. Lots of things were empty when we went.

Manish Bhardwaj

Great place.

Vincent Ruiz

A very cool place for your dose of contemporary art. The infinity room was my favorite. A recommendation to anyone.

Antonio Nelson

I definitely had fun here. My imagination grew a lot more after leaving this place. Money well invested in this place. My wife and I really enjoyed the visit. My wife's idea to come here was a great spot to visit during our vacation. Customer service was pleasant and even had more information than what was posted so I learned even more to make the experience. The infinity room was the highlight.

Jana Snyder

Everything depends on the current exhibition. The "top" chairs are permanent & fun. But everything else is rotating exhibit & what was there during our visit was a big disappointment. So check before you go & make sure the current exhibit looks interesting to you.

Laurie Haskett

Always exciting and engaging art! Their frequently changing and topical exhibits draw us from Tucson often.

Donald Webber

Do you like music? pretty much nothing else here but pure music. I love it.

Krista Pace

We really enjoyed the interactive exhibits as well as the paintings. The gift shop contents seems a bit out of place, but still is nice to look around. I definitely will continue to return since the exhibits change every season.

Elizabeth Snyder

Excellent all the way around

Eric Carlson

Excellent films tonight, if I do say so myself.

Joel Friedman

Interactive installations were very cool, the museum is well worth a visit