The Salt River Project History Center is a niche but telling Tempe stop, focused on the water and power systems that made modern Phoenix possible. In a desert city, canals, dams, electricity, and irrigation are not background infrastructure; they are the story.
This is a short visit for history-minded travellers, not a broad museum afternoon. Pair it with a walk around downtown Tempe or the lake if you want to understand how engineered water shaped the valley.