Besh Ba Gowah
Besh Ba Gowah
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Welcome to Besh Ba Gowah, the heartland of the Salado people. Here visitors will see the partially restored ancient ruin of the Salado people who occupied the site between A.D. 1225 and A.D. 1400. Enjoy the self guided tour of the village which allows visitors to experience the mysteries of those who came before. The adjacent museum provides a fascinating glimpse at prehistoric pottery, stone and woven artifacts excavated from the site and a video interpreting the lifestyle of the people who occupied this region over two centuries before Columbus discovered the 'New World.' A seasonal ethno-botanical garden provides information about and showcases plants used by the people who made this desert landscape their home.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
225 reviews
Excellent
128
Very good
76
Average
16
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Deereguy1
Renville, MN73 contributions
Feb 2021 • Friends
We stopped here while in globe to look around, and stretch our legs. The museum held mostly pottery, which I guess isn’t our thing. The gift shop had a lot of neat stuff in it. I wish when we were walking around the ruins or what ever you want to call it, that it would have been guided and someone would have been pointing stuff out and explaining things. It was still pretty neat to see, and because of COVID it was free/ donation.
Written February 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marlene H
Emmaus, PA6 contributions
Feb 2022
We stopped here on the way to somewhere else. In beautiful weather, this is a great stop on the way to somewhere else. It's inexpensive ($5 for adults) and not a large area to cover. The building has helpful docents and clean bathrooms. There is a short introductory film and a small selection of gifts and souvenirs. Outside, the archeological dig is easy to walk through, with signage explaining what you are waling through. The cacophony of a delightful selection of birds accompanies you as you explore rooms that have been uncovered, as well as an area that awaits further discovery. The botanical garden area is similarly compact. Not more than about an hour is needed to explore outside, unless you stop for detailed photos. Too small to bore young children; not large enough to take you out of your way for long.
Written February 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jjo
Chicago829 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Modest sight with the ruins of what was a village back in the 1300s. You need to use your imagination quite a bit, but definitely a worthwhile stop that can been seen in about .5 an hour. The small museum is also worthwhile.
Written December 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tyrrellsadventure
Glendale, AZ95 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
I really didn’t know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. It is much bigger than it looks in photos. The inside gift shop/museum was not open but that was ok. We had so much fun exploring and learning about this great site and imagined how it was for those people. There are so many different types of cacti and some I had never seen before this trip. This was our favorite place in Globe!
Written September 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RollTideRollAZ
Peoria, AZ946 contributions
Sep 2020
Stopped through here while in Globe. Check hours, as it was closed on Sunday. Next to the community center and a playground, so with little kids, you can take them over there after touring the ruins. Well maintained and preserved. Nice short visit.
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gwen C
Prescott, AZ640 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
This was an unexpectedly interesting exhibit and visitor center. Definitely watch the short video before walking around the ruins, it adds to the understanding of the inhabitants. A beautiful area with picnic benches under shade trees nearby. A great way to spend a couple of hours while in Globe.
Written May 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DaveLD
Gaborone, Botswana1,372 contributions
Apparently, Besh Ba Gowah is the crown jewel of Globe. There are well-marked signs that lead to the site that is literally on the other side of the tracks.
Besh Ba Gowah is a Native American dwelling that has been completely restored and is actually quite nice.
The gift shop is quaint and has a small museum with artifacts from archealogical digs of the site. There are also models of what the site might have looked like and its current reconstruction. There is a conference room where you watch a 15 minute DVD about its history and the efforts that led to its preservation.
There is a fee to tour the site and museum ($3 for adults, $2.25 if you have AAA). Walking the site only takes a few minutes if the sun is hot. There is a reconstructed pueblo that you can climb a ladder to the second level and get a better look. On the walk out, there is a very small botanical garden with local plants.
The site is very nice and it seems that there has been a big effort to preserve this historic site. It took us about an hour to browse the museum, watch the DVD and walk the site. It is well worth doing if in the Globe area, especially if you enjoy Native American history. However, I would not make a special trip to Globe just to see Besh Ba Gowah.
Besh Ba Gowah is a Native American dwelling that has been completely restored and is actually quite nice.
The gift shop is quaint and has a small museum with artifacts from archealogical digs of the site. There are also models of what the site might have looked like and its current reconstruction. There is a conference room where you watch a 15 minute DVD about its history and the efforts that led to its preservation.
There is a fee to tour the site and museum ($3 for adults, $2.25 if you have AAA). Walking the site only takes a few minutes if the sun is hot. There is a reconstructed pueblo that you can climb a ladder to the second level and get a better look. On the walk out, there is a very small botanical garden with local plants.
The site is very nice and it seems that there has been a big effort to preserve this historic site. It took us about an hour to browse the museum, watch the DVD and walk the site. It is well worth doing if in the Globe area, especially if you enjoy Native American history. However, I would not make a special trip to Globe just to see Besh Ba Gowah.
Written August 14, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thunefeld
Borrego Springs, CA599 contributions
Nov 2013 • Solo
I spent two week in November 2013 circling Arizona looking at ancient Native American ruins. It was pleasant to arrive at this site because there has been a substantial amount of reconstruction giving the antiquities enthusiast a good feel for what these villages were really like. There is an excellent little museum & visitor center as well.
Written November 23, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CJ_Ranch
Phoenix, AZ67 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Watch the short video in the Visitors Center first; it gives you a better understanding of the museum artifacts and the ruins. "Besh Ba Gowah" translates to "Place of Metal". If you have an interest in history and how southwestern civilizations lived so many centuries ago, this is a worthwhile stop. It is very fortunate that the Globe forefathers had the foresight to preserve this piece of ancient history.
Written March 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1john19
Baker City, OR38 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
This minimally disturbed site with still-unexcavated areas was fascinating; it's not Disneyland, it's an archaeological gem. The community effort to preserve and share this important pueblo culture site is commendable. Adjacent to the Globe Community Center/ Sports Complex, the ruins are protected by the distant park perimeter fence but can be entered from the common parking area via barrier-free flat, sandy pathways. Unlike many ruins, you can walk throughout rather than looking at staged displays from a distance.
A previous review notes an empty car park; we appreciated being able to enjoy the site with only a few other end-of-the-day visitors. The museum staffer was professional and friendly, encouraging us to stay on after the official closing hour while she completed some work.
Information in the museum was very complete and well designed. Minimal signage in the ruins--- which consist of low walls with a few excavated below-ground rooms and reconstructed enclosures--- highlight the ruins themselves rather than distracting from them. It was a very peaceful, natural setting.
Pottery recovered from the site and displayed at Besh Ba Gowah surpasses collections in much larger museums elsewhere. For those interested in Native American culture or archaeology in general, a couple of hours here will be memorable.
A previous review notes an empty car park; we appreciated being able to enjoy the site with only a few other end-of-the-day visitors. The museum staffer was professional and friendly, encouraging us to stay on after the official closing hour while she completed some work.
Information in the museum was very complete and well designed. Minimal signage in the ruins--- which consist of low walls with a few excavated below-ground rooms and reconstructed enclosures--- highlight the ruins themselves rather than distracting from them. It was a very peaceful, natural setting.
Pottery recovered from the site and displayed at Besh Ba Gowah surpasses collections in much larger museums elsewhere. For those interested in Native American culture or archaeology in general, a couple of hours here will be memorable.
Written January 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is this attraction respectful of the original inhabitants? Are Native Americans actively involved in operating this site?
Written March 6, 2016
It is very respectful of the original inhabitants. A lot is not known about them since they left that area somewhere around the 1400s. I do not know if more recent native Americans are active there but I am sure they would be welcome.
Written March 7, 2016
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