Papago Park is a desert area shared by the cities of Phoenix and Tempe. In addition to the picnic areas and hiking trails, the park houses the Phoenix Zoo, an 18-hole golf course, and the Desert Botanical Garden. You could easily spend a complete day exploring the attractions of Papago Park. The botanical garden has indoor and outdoor displays of every desert plant imaginable, including a 3-acre exhibit that has displays of the historic uses of Sonoran Desert plants. The Heard Museum features an outstanding range of exhibits on the art and culture of southwestern native peoples.
Indian artists demonstrate their craft skills daily in the galleries.
There are two notable Indian cultural centers in the area portraying the cultural history of the tribes that settled the area before the European settlement. The Hoo- hoogam Ki Museum is located on the Salt River Indian Reservation, a few minutes' drive east of Scottsdale. The museum features displays with artifacts from the Pima and Maricopa tribes. There is a botanical park and a gift shop, with accommodations available. Some exhibits show excavated material and some highlight other aspects of Native American culture.