If you haven’t visited downtown Phoenix in the last five years, welcome to the renaissance of the heart of the “Valley of the Sun.” What began in 2006 has resulted in an investment of more than $4 billion in the 1.5-square-mile downtown and a myriad of things to do and see, all connected by an efficient light rail system. From new hotels and restaurants to four professional sports teams to multiple cultural and museum options, the once-ghost-town-like streets now entertain more than 10 million visitors per year. Although much of the city is new and improved, a large part of that success is capitalizing on the city’s Wild West heritage with a full slate of museums.

I admit a long-time fascination with the Native American tribes. Ask anyone in the know and they’ll direct you to the Heard Museum. I discovered this world-renowned tribute to the indigenous peoples of the Americas on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix. The museum inspires 200,000 annual visitors with its 12 exhibit galleries, outdoor courtyards and more than 40,000 objects.

The most powerfully moving exhibit was “Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience.” The exhibit describes the U.S. Government’s forcible removal of the Native American children and the relocation to militaristic boarding schools. The dark, sad eyes of the children carried meaning when I read that their spiritually symbolic long hair was cut when they arrived.

The museum’s founders also struck a chord with me. More than 80 years ago, a prominent Chicago couple of True Value Hardware fame, Dwight B. and Maie Bartlett Heard, moved to Phoenix. An early philanthropic pair, their love of native cultures and art resulted in an extensive personal collection of Native American artifacts. When their pieces numbered an estimated 3,500, their daughter suggested they build a museum. When her husband died unexpectedly, not only did Mrs. Heard still open the museum, she also acted as museum director, curator, maintenance staff, lecturer and guide at the Heard for more than 20 years.

Before leaving the Heard Museum, browse the Berlin Gallery for your chance to purchase contemporary Native American art. The finale? Dining in the Southwest cuisine-inspired Courtyard Café surrounded by fountains and the museum’s Spanish colonial architecture.

Lovers of fine art should also include a stop at the Southwest’s largest art museum. The Phoenix Art Museum contains more than 17,000 artworks divided into themed exhibits. And if your visit coincides with a weekend, put First Fridays ArtWalk on your calendar. It’s one of the nation’s largest, with more than 80 galleries and art-friendly businesses participating.