The Museum of Justice in Maricopa County, Arizona is an underrated gem that deserves more attention. Located in downtown Mesa, this museum is dedicated to promoting conversation about public policy issues related to justice in Arizona. It houses a variety of exhibits and programs that are designed to educate and engage visitors. From traditional works of art to large-scale installations created with unconventional materials, the museum offers something for everyone.
The Museum of Justice is distinguished by its thoughtful and imaginative approach to showcasing works by local, national and international artists. Its solo and group exhibitions often feature women artists and artists of color, bringing much needed diversity to the art scene. One of the museum's most popular pieces is El Mac's mural, which depicts an immigrant from Guatemala holding a beautiful long-stemmed rose. The museum also hosts fabulous season openings where art, live music, and conversation converge to create a strong sense of community.
Visitors can explore rows of assembled skateboards and large-scale installations created with unconventional materials, such as plastic bags. Best of all, the museum regularly exhibits works by local artists such as Rachel Bess, Colin Chillag, Joe Willie Smith, Marilyn Szabo and Fred Tieken. In addition to the Museum of Justice, downtown Mesa is home to more than 200 sculptures and art centers. The Mesa Arts Center is a true one-stop shop for creativity with event spaces such as WordPlay Café (an open mic for poetry, storytelling, and music), performing and studio art classes, Broadway shows and concerts, and museum exhibits.
The MCC Performing Arts Center presents a wide variety of music, dance, and theater, and the school's new art gallery showcases student art. The i.d.e.a Museum is another great place for children to explore creativity and learning. The MAC's recently completed Day of the Dead celebration consists of two days of live music and dance performances, activities for children and crafts. In keeping with the Mexican Christmas tradition, which has pre-Columbian roots, the centerpiece of the event is a community altar where visitors make offerings in honor of their deceased loved ones. The proliferation of art rooms in Maricopa County has been a boon for local residents who don't want to drive 20 miles to see a show.
The Mesa Arts Center stands out from the crowd due to its attractive campus that can be explored on foot with an artistic stream. The four theaters host local performance groups as well as national artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Death Cab for Cutie and Lily Tomlin. In addition to the art galleries and the museum store, MAC attracts the community with face-to-face classes in art, ceramics, performance, dance and more. The Mesa Arts Center has established itself as a prime concert venue in recent years. Independent acts like The Weepies and The Decemberists are on an equal footing with bluegrass groups like Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers and the avant-garde jazz of Return to Forever.
The seats are luxurious and comfortable, and while it's hard to rock on the MAC, the sound quality is superb, the lighting is top notch and the environment is beautiful. The Museum of Justice was recently recognized by A&BC as one of Maricopa County's most underrated exhibits. According to Steve Carr of The Kur Carr Group Inc., the list of nominees included 14 other arts organizations based in Arizona including the Arizona Theater Company, Phoenix Children's Museum, Herberger Theater Center and Rosie's House. A&BC says that the Museum of Justice demonstrated its excellence when it launched four major initiatives to expand the reach of arts and culture in its community. Designed by two different architects hired by Maricopa County and Phoenix City respectively, this museum is supported by the & Learning Center Foundation of Maricopa County Museum of Justice - a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit entity. By visiting this museum you'll get an idea about legal history of Maricopa County along with its court cases plus important elements related to rule of law including individual rights & freedoms guaranteed in constitutions of United States & Arizona. Special thanks should be given to Reclamation Office along with Maricopa County Parks & Recreation Department for making Discovery Center a beautiful place to visit & connect people with nature while sharing wonderful history related to Lake Pleasant. So if you're looking for an interesting way to spend your day in Maricopa County then make sure you don't miss out on this underrated gem - The Museum Of Justice!.
