Families across the Valley are invited to step back in time next month as the S’edav Va’aki Museum hosts its 24th Annual Ancient Technology Day.
Set for Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the event transforms the museum grounds into a lively hub of hands-on discovery. Designed for visitors of all ages, the annual celebration highlights the ingenuity and craftsmanship of Arizona’s earliest communities while encouraging guests to try traditional skills for themselves.
Throughout the day, demonstrators will showcase technologies rooted in the lifeways of the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People. Guests can experiment with flint knapping, learn to throw an atlatl spear alongside the Study of Ancient Lifeways and Technologies (S.A.L.T.), and explore time-honored crafts such as basket weaving, pottery-making, and crafting gourd pendants. Harmony Animal Behavior will also return to explain the cultural and archaeological significance of parrots at the site.
The event also shines a light on techniques introduced by early European settlers. The Lacey Ladies of Arizona and the Teleraña Fiber Arts Guild will demonstrate bobbin lace and traditional weaving methods, offering a glimpse into domestic crafts of centuries past. At the adobe station, visitors can mold and take home their own handmade brick, while guided tours of the museum’s platform mound — known as the Va’aki — will depart hourly from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additional interactive stops include artifact show-and-tell sessions and a popular “Detective Archaeology” station.
This year’s celebration introduces a new digital twist. As part of the Arizona Explorer Campaign powered by Agents of Discovery, young participants can complete an augmented reality mission through a free mobile app. The initiative connects public spaces such as Arizona State University – Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve with STEM-based outdoor challenges, encouraging children to explore local landmarks in a whole new way.
Guests can also purchase Indigenous cuisine from The Rez: An Urban Eatery, featuring favorites like Navajo tacos, frybread, and blue corn specialties.
All activities are included with regular museum admission. Organizers say the annual event continues to grow as a celebration of culture, innovation, and community — offering a day where Arizona’s past and present come together in interactive fashion.
