I ran into a single father of two young children Thursday at Desert Ridge Marketplace. He was browsing through the gift shop of the Arizona Pop Culture Experience, a museum featuring pop culture fare from baseball cards to action figures.
Think comic books, posters, music with sci-fi themes and more. My 21-year-old son Christopher tagged along, and was excited to see Hot Wheels cars like those he played with as a child.
Turns out the Arizona Pop Culture Experience was part of a special preview screening of the new movie titled “Green Lantern” and that the dad, Tim, had seen it. He described it as “much better than I expected” but said the film, rated PG-13, was a bit too intense for little kids.
Call ahead before you hit the museum if you want to enjoy a full tour. I popped in during off hours so I wasn’t able to see the venue in all its glory. There are actually two stories, and some new exhibits in the works — so my photos below offer just a taste of all the Arizona Pop Culture Experience has to offer.
I didn’t see some of the things I’ve come to expect at more traditional museums, like signs explaining materials I wasn’t familiar with. For those well-versed in pop culture, no such descriptions are necessary — but I’m a mere neophyte at best. Next time I’ll bring my 18-year-old daughter Lizabeth along to translate.
You can click here for Arizona Pop Culture Experience hours, location and such. It’s unlikely I’ll get out to see “Green Lantern” this weekend, so I hope those of you who do will take a few minutes to add a comment to this post — telling me what you think of the film and whether you recommend it for other families.
— Lynn
Note: Tim shared that he’ll soon be moving his family to a small town called Victor, Idaho. He asked about finding parenting resources (like those we share in RAK each month), and I’m happy to report that there’s a library in Victor — which means they’ll get to enjoy plenty of outdoor time plus the summer reading program and other activities presented by the library. Libraries make a great first stop when you’re new in town or vacationing with kids.
Coming up: One World, Many Stories
Stage Mom Musings 