S'edav Va'aki Museum in Phoenix closes for renovations

The museum and archaeological ruins will be closed till September for a number of changes and upgrades.

July 16, 2024

Entrance to S'edav Va'aki Museum and Archaeology Park in Phoenix. Lynn Trimble

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S'edav Va'aki Museum is temporarily closed to the public for renovations. The first day of the closing was Monday.

The museum and its archaeological ruins, which were known for decades as Pueblo Grande Museum, are getting a number of upgrades.

The entrance lobby will get a new floor and a custom-made front desk. In addition, the space will become an introduction to the O'Odham people, the descendants of the original inhabitants of the site.

"In addition, after 20 years, the Dig It gallery will be transformed into a changing exhibit space so that the museum can present many new and exciting topics to our visitors. For example, when we reopen, our inaugural exhibit in the new Connections gallery is Following Their Roots, a comprehensive look at Indigenous farming techniques across the diverse ecosystems of Arizona. This will include a timely discussion of sustainable farming practices and Indigenous food sovereignty," the museum explained in the announcement of the temporary closure.

Would-be visitors may be able to use the outside trails as early as August, which will also include access to restrooms in the Community Room area, but the museum will remain closed through September.

During the closure, guests can experience S'edav Va'aki Museum through its website, which has several platforms to view permanent and past exhibits and a virtual tour along the Interpretive Mound Trail.

Pueblo Grande Museum changed its name last year in order to "more accurately represent the heritage it preserves and to recognize the living cultures and homelands of the Native peoples who have inhabited the land for centuries," we wrote in a May 2023 story.

S’edav Va’aki (pronounced “suh-UH-dahf VAH-ah-kee) is an O’odham name for the large central (S’edav) platform mound (Va’aki) that was the ceremonial house of a village in the Salt River Valley. This 1,500-year-old archaeological site is viewable from the outdoor trails at the museum.

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Jennifer Goldberg is the Music and Culture editor of Phoenix New Times. She joined the New Times staff in February 2016. In her role, Jennifer writes and publishes profiles of both local and regional musicians, previews upcoming performances and provides guides on the best of Phoenix’s entertainment scene. She also oversees the Best of Phoenix. Jennifer previously worked for Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. During her career, Jennifer has received awards from the Arizona Press Club, the Arizona Newspaper Association and the American Jewish Press Association. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in English from Arizona State University.

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