Museums in the Verde Valley

We list seven museums: two each in Jerome and Clarkdale, and one each in Camp Verde, Cottonwood and Sedona. Five publish opening hours, and all seven have a website.

Mining is the through-line. Jerome’s two and Clarkdale’s two exist because of copper: the mine, the smelter, and the towns that grew around them. The Arizona Copper Art Museum in Clarkdale, the Jerome Mine Museum and the Gold King Mine and Ghost Town all come out of that one industry, so visiting two or three in a day makes more sense here than it would in most places.

Archaeology is the other half. The Verde Valley Archaeology Center in Camp Verde covers the Sinagua sites the valley is full of. It pairs well with the national monuments at Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot rather than competing with them.

Check the hours before you go. Five of the seven publish them, but several run with volunteer help and close on days a larger institution would stay open. One of the seven does not list a phone number. Where there is one, call before you make a special trip, and especially in midwinter and around holidays.