NEW TIMES LAST FOUR GUIDE APRIL 4TH-APRIL 10TH, 2024 25 Odysea Aquarium 9500 E. Vía de Ventura Suite A-100, Scottsdale 480-291-8000 Yes, there’s an aquarium in the desert. And it’s pretty great. Odysea, the largest aquarium in the Southwest, is the home of 6,000 animals from sharks and penguins to otters and seahorses. The Odysea Voyager is a rotating aquarium experience that takes guests past enormous tanks full of sea life, while the touch pools let them get up close and personal with some of the residents. Odysea is part of the sprawling Arizona Boardwalk, an enter- tainment complex that includes Butterfly Wonderland, Pangea: Land of the Dinosaurs, a laser and mirror maze, the UFO Experience, the new Museum of Illusions, and more. Old Town Scottsdale Technically bounded by Chaparral Road to the north, Earll Drive to the south, 68th Street to the west, and Miller Road to the east, Old Town Scottsdale is one of the livelier parts of metro Phoenix. There’s world-class shopping at the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall, or if you’re just looking to pick up some souvenirs, streets like Fifth Avenue and Brown Avenue are lined with shops full of Arizona- themed goods. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West has permanent and temporary exhibitions on view, as does the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Bars, restau- rants, and nightclubs are in heavy supply, and you can hear live music any night of the week at places like Belle’s Nashville Kitchen, the Rusty Spur Saloon and Old Town Tavern. Phoenix Art Museum 1625 N. Central Ave. 602-257-1880 Phoenix’s premier art museum has several cool exhibitions on display at the moment, including the blockbuster “Barbie: A Cultural Icon” show. And the museum’s permanent collection is no slouch either. Highlights include “You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies,” a Yayoi Kusama infinity room; and the Thorne Rooms, a charming set of painstakingly created tiny replicas of historic rooms. Phoenix Art Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday; admission is $24 online or $26 in person, with discounts for seniors, students, and children. Children under 5 and military members with ID get in free. Phoenix Zoo 455 N. Galvin Parkway 602-286-3800 Zoos are fun for all ages, and the Phoenix Zoo is no different. The nonprofit zoological park holds about 3,000 animals, including lions, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, The entrance to the Phoenix Art Museum. (Photo by Lynn Trimble)