Del Webb Sun Cities Museum

Del Webb Sun Cities Museum The Del Webb Sun Cities Museum is located at 10801 W. Oakmont Drive in one of the first five model ho

In 2009, to coincide with the impending 50th anniversary of Sun City, the Sun Cities Area Historical Society decided that it was time to focus on sharing its extensive collections and artifacts with a larger community. It renamed its headquarters the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum, and had a grand opening of the new museum on January 1, 2010. The Museum preserves and presents records and artifacts thr

ough carefully designed exhibits that chronicle the more than 50-year history of Sun City and the 25-year history of its sister city, Sun City West.

Two years after the overwhelmingly successful launch of the original Sun City in Arizona, Del Webb announced the opening...
06/22/2026

Two years after the overwhelmingly successful launch of the original Sun City in Arizona, Del Webb announced the opening of Sun City Florida near Tampa. Just as was done in Arizona, the opening was set for three days around New Year’s Day. For the Florida opening, the launch was on December 30, 1961 thru January 1, 1962. While Sun City in Florida was the second Sun City branded community by Del Webb, it was actually the third Webb retirement “city.” Kern City near Bakersfield, CA opened earlier in 1961. Sun City California followed Florida in 1962. The opening in Florida drew nearly 50,000 visitors over the three day grand opening. Today Sun City Florida still thrives, now as part of a much larger collection of communities in Sun City Center, FL, but its heritage all started as the first east coast Sun City.

To learn more about the original Sun Cities, come visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum. We are located in the very first model home of the original Sun City in Arizona, 10801 W Oakmont Dr. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 12-3. Group tours are also available at other times by reservation.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum and The Webb Spinner company newspaper.

Spectators line the course of the 1980 Phoenix International LPGA Tournament, hosted by Sun City West at the brand new H...
06/20/2026

Spectators line the course of the 1980 Phoenix International LPGA Tournament, hosted by Sun City West at the brand new Hillcrest Golf Course in 1980. This high profile event brought in golf enthusiasts and showed off the newest Sun City Community. Pro golfer Jan Stephenson won the 1980 event, capturing a $15,000 first place payout. Sun City West hosted the event until 1983 when the venue was moved to the Arizona Biltmore.

Come visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum to learn more about the history of the original Sun Cities and the important role golf played in the launch of Sun City West. The museum is located in the first model home of Sun City, AZ at 10801 W Oakmont Dr, Sun City, AZ. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday 12-3. Private group tours also offered by reservation.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum.

Our museum is grateful for the support of our members, guests, amazing volunteers and our business and community partner...
06/19/2026

Our museum is grateful for the support of our members, guests, amazing volunteers and our business and community partnerships. We could not thrive without all of you. We appreciate the friendship and support of Sunshine Service in Sun City. Sunshine Services supports Sun City by helping make life easier in times of need for medical care equipment and other useful items. If you have a need, Sunshine Service may be able to help. Thank you to our friends at Sunshine Service for being a part of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum.

In the Spring of 1961, fourteen months after the successful grand opening of Sun City, the community celebrated the open...
06/17/2026

In the Spring of 1961, fourteen months after the successful grand opening of Sun City, the community celebrated the opening of a brand new collection of models and a brand new community center aptly named Town Hall (where Fairway Rec Center sits today). It was a big deal, kicking off a phase of 2400 new homes. In its short life so far, Sun City already had 1600 occupied homes and 200 occupied apartment homes, totaling 3,000 residents. The new phase would continue Sun City as the fastest growing community in the state. A crowd of current Sun Citians celebrated the kick off with a party at the brand new recreation center.

Come visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum to learn more about the history of Del Webb and the original Sun Cities. Located in the first Sun City Model Home at 10801 W Oakmont Dr in Sun City, AZ. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday 12-3pm. Group tours are also available on request.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum and The Webb Spinner company newspaper.

06/14/2026

An historic artifact originally created to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial has found its way back home to the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum.

The “Sun City Bicentennial Quilt,” created by Sun City residents in 1976, was initially donated in the 1980s to the Sun Cities Area Historical Society but turned over to the West Valley Art Museum for safekeeping.

The two-sided quilt has officially been turned back over to the historical society, owners of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum, and is featured in a new display at the museum.

Clubs existing in Sun City during the 1970s stitched squares for the front side of the quilt, and patriotic symbols for the reverse side were sewn by residents. All pieces were then woven into a large quilt first unveiled during a community celebration on Jan. 14, 1976.

The new exhibit featuring the quilt includes panels and a video explaining how the quilt was made, the clubs and crafters involved in the making of the quilt and the history of how it ended up at the museum.

The museum’s summer hours are noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission is $5, but free for museum members. Visit www.delwebbsuncitiesmuseum.org for more information. See less

The early construction for Sun City West began in 1977 with grading and preparation of the earliest phases. By 1979, wi...
06/12/2026

The early construction for Sun City West began in 1977 with grading and preparation of the earliest phases. By 1979, with very strong sales, much of the community to the east of Meeker Boulevard was built out. Hillcrest golf course was complete and opened in January, 1979 (center of photo) and Pebblebrook golf course opened later the same year. Stardust golf course was already under construction. The Sundome and RH Johnson recreation centers can be seen just below Hillcrest golf course, still under construction. RH Johnson Blvd was only completed to the intersection with Meeker, and the first models built in Sun City West (the early sales were using the final models in Sun City) can be seen on the lower left side of Hillcrest golf course.

Come visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum to learn more about the history of Del Webb and the original Sun Cities. Located in the first Sun City Model Home at 10801 W Oakmont Dr in Sun City, AZ. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday 12-3pm. Group tours are also available on request.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum and The Webb Spinner company newspaper.

Hosting tournaments is nothing new to the Sun Cities. In 1980, Sun City West was the host of the first ever Senior Ches...
06/09/2026

Hosting tournaments is nothing new to the Sun Cities. In 1980, Sun City West was the host of the first ever Senior Chess Tournament for the US Chess Federation. Players from 18 states competed in the event and got a chance to also spend time exploring the then newest Sun City branded community.

Come visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum to learn more about the history of Del Webb and the original Sun Cities. Located in the first Sun City Model Home at 10801 W Oakmont Dr in Sun City, AZ. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday 12-3pm. Group tours are also available on request.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum and The Webb Spinner company newspaper.

By 1963, the success of Sun City in Arizona led Del Webb to build three additional Sun City communities, one in Florida ...
06/05/2026

By 1963, the success of Sun City in Arizona led Del Webb to build three additional Sun City communities, one in Florida southeast of Tampa, and two in California (Kern City near Bakersfield and Sun City in Riverside County). While marketing for each was often done independently, this advertisement from the early 1960’s shared the story of all three and the unique heritage they shared with the cotton fields turned into the original Sun City in Arizona. Sun City West would continue the story in the late 1970’s.

To learn how 10,000 acres of cotton became the launch pad for the communities that changed a nation, visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum. We are in the first model home for Sun City, 10801 W Oakmont Drive, Sun City, AZ. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday 12-3. Group tours at other times available by request.

Photo credit to the archives of the Sun Cities Area Historical Society and Museum.

Before there was a museum, the Sun Cities Historical Society’s roots go back to a windowless office at the Plaza Del Sol...
06/03/2026

Before there was a museum, the Sun Cities Historical Society’s roots go back to a windowless office at the Plaza Del Sol Medical Offices. It is here that the group began the process of sorting, cataloging, and reviewing the thousands of archive materials donated by the Del Webb Development Company to the fledgling new society. This photo in 1989 from the Sun City Daily News-Sun pictured early volunteers Jeanne Woodford (left), Emil Fischer, and Agnes Fansler sorting through materials. Many of those items are now part of the museum and are part of the extensive archives we house today. From humble beginnings to the 2025 Best of the West Valley Museum of the Year.

Come see the history of the original Sun Cities come alive, visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum at 10801 W Oakmont Dr in Arizona’s Sun City. We are in the first original model home from 1960. Hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday 12-3. Private group tours are also available by request.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum and the April 3, 1989 edition of the Sun City Daily News-Sun newspaper.

One of the Del Webb Company’s early big “build a city” projects was the construction of San Manuel, Arizona, pictured in...
06/01/2026

One of the Del Webb Company’s early big “build a city” projects was the construction of San Manuel, Arizona, pictured in its early phases in November, 1953. The Webb Corporation was one of the primary contractors enlisted to build an entire community to support the 40,000 employees of the Magma Copper Mines. Beyond houses, building San Manuel meant also building all the infrastructure to support an entire small city. San Manuel bustled with activity while the mining operation flourished, but has sadly declined in more recent years with the closure of the mines in 1999.

Come visit the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum to learn more about the history of Del Webb and the original Sun Cities. Located in the first Sun City Model Home at 10801 W Oakmont Dr in Sun City, AZ. Summer hours are Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday 12-3pm. Group tours are also available on request.

Photo credit to the archives of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum and The Webb Spinner company newspaper.

Address

10801 W Oakmont
Sun City, AZ
85351

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 3pm
Wednesday 12pm - 3pm
Sunday 12pm - 3pm

Telephone

+16239742568

Website

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