**Unfortunately, this museum is permanently closed.**
A small gem in Tempe is the Halle Heart Children’s Museum, where kids can learn about cardiovascular health. There are exhibits about eating a balanced diet, the benefits of exercise, how tobacco and smoking affects your body, and more. It’s easily accessible just north of the I10/Hwy 60 intersection, making a fun stop when visiting anything in Phoenix.
The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. We had one staff member pause to help us with a small craft and was great at explaining the representation of arteries and veins.
Our favorite exhibit was the visual and audio comparison of a human heart to animal hearts. It’s truly astounding to see how tiny a hummingbird’s heart is, or how massive a giraffes heart must be to pump blood up its neck! The kids talked about this numerous times on the drive home.
They also enjoyed the grocery shopping area, and the active corner. We probably played Fruit Ninja longer than we should, but hey, it got us moving!
Our six year old also was shocked at the visuals of how smoking affects more than just your lungs. This is a strong point of the museum: lots of visuals for things that kids hear every day. Don’t smoke, it kills your body! Make sure to eat your veggies. Move at least 30 minutes a days. Words are powerful, but pictures and hands on interaction go a step further to help kids (and adults!) understand how healthy food strengthens your body, or how exercise gets the blood flowing through your body.
Don’t expect to spend a full day at this museum. Our visit was just under two hours, which allowed us to experience everything a couple times. This place is small but fun; some of the displays weren’t responsive, and the short movies were dated in quality and graphics. But for $5/person (3 and under are free) it’s definitely worth a stop! We would go back.
The Halle Heart Museum is also included in the Culture Pass at your local library, allowing free admission for two people.
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Halle Heart Children’s Museum
2929 S 48th St
Tempe, AZ 85282
(602) 414-2800
hhcm.org
Interested in spending more time in Tempe? Check out our list of kid-friendly attractions, and restaurants!
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