Flagstaff Arizona Pioneer Museum

The Flagstaff Pioneer Museum in Arizona has been the central point for the city's archives of history for over 100 years. It has been enthralling visitors since the mid-sixties and is one of the city's central points for both tourism and local education. The history of how it came to be is equally as interesting.

As the main venue for educational studies of history for all ages, and a must see destination on many visitors' agendas, the Flagstaff Pioneer Museum (Arizona) never ceases to amaze. It has a wide collection of artifacts, as well as various programs and tours. In fact, it hosts a couple of interesting festivals, as well as a history all of its own.

The museum began its days as the homestead of one of the area's most well-known settlers and characters, Ben Doney. The cabin was filled with all sorts of treasures, but due to its location, needed to be moved to a more manageable spot (1908). Then in it was temporarily used as a hospital, boarding facility and private home for aging male farmers during the same year. However, it was not until 1960 that the Arizona Historical Society, who owned the property, did final conversions to ensure it reached full museum status. Then, after a lot of work, it finally opened its doors to the general public (1963).

It has some interesting features, including a converted horse barn and a vegetable root cellar, that now house many of the museum's biggest exhibitions. The famous Baldwin Articulate Locomotive sits out front, a symbol of the introduction of train travel through the state. The collections include over ten thousand pioneering artifacts, ranging from livestock work equipment to medical tools and pioneer toys. Its festivals celebrate the art of sheep rearing (June) and the American Independence Day.