Town of Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey will be in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 6, welcoming visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky” exhibition about the global loss to light pollution of the night sky, in which Fountain Hills has a prominent role in the display as a Dark Sky community.

While visiting family in the area, Mayor Dickey will share Fountain Hills’ story as part of the Museum’s “Experts Within” program. The exhibit opened on March 23, 2023, in a new 4,340-square-foot presentation area.

The exhibit covers the history of lighting, the connection between humanity and the night sky, the unintended consequences of excessive outdoor lighting, and the principles which can reduce light pollution. According to the announcement, “Lights Out” allows visitors to learn what is at stake as the stars and cosmos fade from view at night.

Fountain Hills is highlighted in the exhibition due to its dedication to protecting local night skies through public policy, and promoting quality outdoor lighting, outreach to residents and visitors – all as part of the metropolitan Phoenix area.

Mayor Dickey will interact with interested visitors and share stories about what it’s like to live in a Dark Sky community like Fountain Hills, a town of 24,000 that was selected as the 17th selected International Dark Sky Community in 2018.

Find out more at si.edu or visit the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Community page at experiencefountainhills.org.