The L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum & Exploration Center received an award of $2,000 from Arizona Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the Arizona Humanities Mini Grant Program.

The funds, combined with a small grant from the Fountain Hills Community Foundation (FHCF), will support certifying the River of Time as a Pal Place-certified facility.

Pal Experiences, founded in Arizona and now a national non-profit, is dedicated to making places more inclusive and accessible for guests with developmental disabilities. According to a press release, Pal’s digital tools empower those who think differently to go out and explore their communities.

“Many families living with developmental disabilities are socially isolated. Anxiety over new experiences, difficulty communicating and sensory overload are often so overwhelming, families end up staying home,” the release read. “Pal Experiences creates digital tools, rooted in science, that address each of these challenges. Their vision is to create a vast network of inclusive Pal Places throughout the country.”

The River of Time Board of Directors President, David Corlett, said the River of Time staff is thrilled to work with an organization of the caliber of Pals Experiences and added that this grant will move the organization closer to accomplishing its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEAI) goals of creating a more inclusive experience for all visitors.

The mission of Arizona Humanities is to build a just and civil society by creating opportunities to explore shared human experiences through discussion, learning and reflection. Since 1973, Arizona Humanities has supported public programs that promote understanding of the human experience with cultural, educational and nonprofit organizations across Arizona.

The NEH is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. The National Endowment for the Humanities supports research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities.

FHCF is a 501 (c)(3), investing in nonprofit organizations whose work improves the lives of our youth, seniors, families and community. FHCF works with nonprofit organizations as a partner, helping them to identify problems, find solutions and become continually stronger and more effective.

The River of Time’s summer hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit riveroftime.center or call 480-837-2612.