The Chandler Museum offers a wide array of engaging and educational public programs for early childhood, youth and adults. The programs include lectures, activities, demonstrations, outreach events and more. Programs are free to attend.
Food Truck Friday: A Night at the Museum
Friday, Jan. 28 | 6-9 p.m. | Special Event
Enjoy music, food, and an evening viewing of Bigger than Boxing.
Chandler Museum will stay open late to celebrate the Bigger than Boxing exhibition about our local legend Zora Folley. Bring your family and friends for great food from local Black-owned food trucks, music, and double-dutch jump rope performances!
Kickstarting a series of “closing celebrations,” Food Truck Friday: Night at the Museum honors the contributions of Chandler’s Black community—past, present, and future—a few days before the official start of Black History Month.
Presented in partnership with BASE Arizona and Chandler4Change.
Our Stories: A Conversation with the Folley Family
Saturday, Jan. 29 |10:30 a.m. - noon | Adult Programming
Zora Folley was a hometown hero in Chandler, an elite athlete in boxing circles, and a heavyweight contender followed by fans around the country. His name was prominent in glowing media accounts, and he earned the esteem of competitors, but Folley never boasted about his achievements. Who was this quiet and private man away from the ring? Join us as four of his children share stories of the Zora Folley they loved and admired: not the celebrity or boxer, but the man and father.
After the program, view the exhibition “Bigger Than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title,” open through February 13, 2022.
Guarantee your seat by registering.
In the Exhibits: Pound for Pound
Sunday, Jan. 30 | Drop in anytime between 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Family Programming
Think kids and museums don’t mesh? Think again! In the Exhibits immerses kids in interactive activities throughout the museum’s exhibits. Kids will participate in activities throughout the exhibit and gain deeper insights into the display. Expect the museum to be bustling with energy and fun.
Is it the moves, the gear, or the determination? Uncover what it takes to become a champion during the final weeks of the Bigger than Boxing exhibit. We will be stepping into the shoes of Zora Folley as he goes up against Muhammad Ali and practicing our moves, trying on the gear, and learning what it takes to become a local hero.
Registration encouraged.
History Bites: Phoenix Madison Square Garden: Equality in the Ring
Tuesday, Feb. 1 | 12 - 12:30 p.m. | Adult Programming
How many people know there was a Madison Square Garden right here in Arizona? It was built in 1929 as the region’s largest indoor arena. Countless local boxers and wrestlers got their big breaks at Phoenix Madison Square Garden, and Chandler’s own heavyweight contender Zora Folley was one of its star attractions. Imagine yourself ringside as historian Vincent Murray traces the 50-year arc of this legendary locale.
After the program experience the exhibition “Bigger Than Boxing,” on view at Chandler Museum until Feb. 13, 2022.
Guarantee your seat by registering.
“Fight Like Folley”
Thursday, Feb. 10 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Adult Programming
Are you ready to rumble? Swing by Chandler Museum to find your inner fighter and learn about Zora Folley, Chandler’s own boxing legend!
In this 1-hour class, you’ll get a mini-tour of our signature exhibition, Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title, and a heart-thumping cardio boxing class led by Title Boxing Club Ahwatukee.
Guarantee your seat by registering.
Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title
On view through Feb. 13, 2022 | Exhibition
March 22, 1967, Madison Square Garden, New York City. Two men face off in the ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. In the blue corner, the Champ, Muhammad Ali. In the red corner, the Challenger from Chandler, Arizona, Zora Folley.
What follows is a fight at the crossroads of race, religion, sport, and the politics of the 1960s. “Bigger than Boxing” features the stories of these two boxers, the circumstances that weighed heavy on each man, and the fight that was a turning point in both of their careers.
Join a docent-guided campus tour of Chandler Museum
Free 45-minute tours led by our volunteer docents will give you insights into the architectural and artistic components of the museum campus as well as details about Chandler’s history. Pre-register to guarantee your spot.
Have a group of 8 or more? Call 480-782-2879 to schedule a group tour.
First Tuesday of each month | Noon - 12:30 p.m. | Saguaro Room
Get a taste of Chandler history during 30-minute talks led by museum curators. Bring some take-out or a brown bag lunch.
Phoenix Madison Square Garden: Equality in the Ring
Tuesday, Feb. 1 | 12-12:30 p.m.
How many people know there was a Madison Square Garden right here in Arizona? It was built in 1929 as the region’s largest indoor arena. Countless local boxers and wrestlers got their big breaks at Phoenix Madison Square Garden, and Chandler’s own heavyweight contender Zora Folley was one of its star attractions. Imagine yourself ringside as historian Vincent Murray traces the 50-year arc of this legendary locale.
After the program experience the exhibition “Bigger Than Boxing,” on view at Chandler Museum until Feb. 13, 2022.
Guarantee your seat by registering.
Think kids and museums don’t mesh? Think again! In the Exhibits immerses kids in interactive activities throughout the museum’s exhibits. Kids will participate in activities throughout the exhibit and gain deeper insights into the display. Expect the museum to be bustling with energy and fun.
Pound for Pound
Sunday, Jan. 30 | Drop in anytime between 1 - 4 p.m.
Is it the moves, the gear, or the determination? Uncover what it takes to become a champion during the final weeks of the Bigger than Boxing exhibit. We will be stepping into the shoes of Zora Folley as he goes up against Muhammad Ali and practicing our moves, trying on the gear, and learning what it takes to become a local hero.
A monthly series featuring unique Arizona and local history topics and conversations presented by the Chandler Museum and the Chandler Public Library, with support from the Friends of the Chandler Public Library and the Chandler Historical Society.
If you have questions or would like more information on Our Stories, call 480-782-2751.
A Conversation with the Folley Family
Saturday, Jan. 29 |10:30 a.m. - noon
Zora Folley was a hometown hero in Chandler, an elite athlete in boxing circles, and a heavyweight contender followed by fans around the country. His name was prominent in glowing media accounts, and he earned the esteem of competitors, but Folley never boasted about his achievements. Who was this quiet and private man away from the ring? Join us as four of his children share stories of the Zora Folley they loved and admired: not the celebrity or boxer, but the man and father.
After the program, view the exhibition “Bigger Than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title,” open through February 13, 2022.
Guarantee your seat by registering.
Playtime: History and Current Trends in Chandler Playground and Park Design
Virtual Program
City of Chandler Community Services Director Andy Bass and Community Services Planning Manager Mickey Ohland will discuss the local history of play and recreation as well as current trends in playground equipment and park design. Gain insights on City of Chandler projects past, present, and future in this virtual talk. This Our Stories program coordinates with "Once Upon a Playground," a traveling exhibition on display at the Chandler Museum, that showcases historic playground structures.
Watch Now
Fight Night in Chandler: March 22, 1967
Zora Folley, a professional boxer from Chandler, got his shot at the heavyweight title when he fought Muhammad Ali on March 22, 1967, in New York’s Madison Square Garden. With the television broadcast blacked out, and without a radio broadcast, it looked like Chandler residents would miss out on their hometown hero’s biggest moment. “Fight Night in Chandler: March 22, 1967” tells the story of how Chandlerites were able to overcome these obstacles and find a unique way to experience the biggest fight night in Chandler's history.
Dive into culture, history, and art at home with a themed activity box. Each Chandler Museum in a Box includes instructions and supplies for three-five activities.
Museum in a Box is available for sale in the Museum Store.
Family Editions
Build It! Frank Lloyd Wright in Chandler
Explore architecture with a Frank Lloyd Wright themed activity box. Design a city, test your building skills with edible construction supplies, and review shapes hidden within authentic Wright drawings. This Chandler Museum in a Box contains all needed supplies for three activities, stories about Wright’s time in Chandler, and the book Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright from the popular Who Was? series.
$18, Great for ages 7-10, includes enough supplies for two users.
Date Night Edition
Sweat and Spar: Boxing Fun for Two
Ready for a date night that packs a punch? Don’t worry about your fitness level, grab your partner and step in the ring. Round 1: Duke it out with your partner in a series of jump rope challenges. Round 2: Find out who can talk the talk. Round 3: Weigh in on issues that matter with conversation cards centered on the exhibition Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title. Round 4: Take a breather by expressing your artistic side. This box also includes movie suggestions, drink recipes, and a sweet treat.
$24, Designed for adults
Holiday Edition
Merry & Bright: Southwest Holiday Traditions
The holiday season is filled with unique traditions—and the Southwest is no exception! This Museum in a Box contains supplies for four Southwest-themed holiday activities and a book. Families will learn about The Legend of the Poinsettia, and then follow instructions to make bright flowers out of felt. Other merry projects include: working together to design luminarias, arranging mini cotton-boll wreaths, and assembling a tree inspired by Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree!
$15, Great for family members of all ages to complete together
Treat your audience to a story from Chandler’s fascinating history. Chandler Museum offers insightful and engaging presentations to community organizations, libraries, schools, and other groups. Book your free presentation and we'll bring history to you.
- Broadacre City: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Chandler Project
- Death and Diamonds: A Holocaust Survivor’s Journey from Kraków to Chandler
- Dr. Chandler and the Land Fraud that Built the Valley
- Fight Night in Chandler: March 22, 1967
- Japanese Internment: When Some Americans Looked Like the Enemy
- Visual Stories: Dorothea Lange’s Depression Era Photography in Chandler, Arizona
Pack your bags and travel back in time where everyday objects look completely different. These 45-minute programs are led by our friendly educators who compare everyday items, then and now. With new themes each month, program participants will begin together with a central topic and then break off into family groups to engage in several activity stations. Geared towards ages 3-5. | FREE
News
Wednesday, Jan. 5 & 19 | 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Take part in our buzzworthy reveal as we investigate the chronicle of the newspaper. With opportunities to create your own headlines in our newspaper route relay race.
Tools
Wednesday, Feb. 2 & 16 | 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Have a little one that wants to help in the kitchen and garden? Using water play, come experiment with various tools from the past and present as we get hands on, and dirty with kitchen and garden tools.
Want to make art with your little one but don’t want to clean the mess? Come for a 45-minute program led by our friendly educators that is an age-appropriate introduction to different art styles and concepts. With new themes each month, program participants will begin together with a central topic and then break off into family groups to engage in several art-centered activity stations. Join us and get messy with your little one!
Geared towards ages 3-5. | FREE
Mix and Match
Wednesday, Jan. 12 & 26 | 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Match the colors to the paintings or mix them up to create something new. Explore the colors and how they are made.
Art and Emotions
Wednesday, Feb. 9 | 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Does a song make you feel joy, or a painting make you sad? Come read a book with us and explore the different ways that art can make us feel.
What People Are Saying About Museum Programs
"I absolutely love bringing my three kids to C-Town (ages 5, 3, and 2) because the program staff is warm and competent; there are quality activities that engage multiple age levels; and it is consistent and fun! My kids will often sing the songs and discuss local history we learned well after our visits to the Chandler Museum." - Melanie, parent
"I love C-Town because we sing lots of songs and do lots of crafts and learn history every time we go." - Ava, age 5