Have you been to the River of Time Museum lately to see what has been happening in our own Fountain Hills Museum?

Under the leadership of the new Director, Mr. Luke Bates, the museum has developed several fresh exhibits. One of the new exhibits helps explain how water gets to your tap. The museum also is displaying a new temporary science exhibit prepared by fourth grade students from the Fountain Hills Middle School.

The museum has worked in collaboration with Mrs. Mary McDonald and other fourth grade teachers at the Middle School to encourage the students to prepare short science projects with a focus on living creatures in the Sonoran Desert around Fountain Hills.

In response to this, the students prepared posters and photographic exhibits, reviewing a variety of creatures ranging from birds, spiders and snakes to desert mammals. These are now being showcased as a temporary exhibit in the Pattea Gallery at the Museum.

You will be amazed at the information you can learn from the student exhibits, many of which are identified with catchy titles such as “The Ridiculous Ring Tail Cat,” “The Daring Desert Tortoise,” and “Toxic Drool.”

Do you know how fast a hummingbird’s heart can beat? Which desert animal in the dog family can climb a tree? From which desert animal has a new pharmaceutical been developed that is used in the management of Type 2 diabetes? What is a “Chuckwalla?” Is it harmless or dangerous? Of the many species of scorpion in our desert, which one has life-threatening venom that can cause serious systemic abnormalities? Which runs faster, a mountain lion or a desert road runner?

Come to our museum and learn answers to these questions and other interesting facts that relate directly to our community of Fountain Hills.