Welcome to Fall at the River of Time!

Let me start by letting you know that we celebrated our best summer ever, in terms of visitors and increased revenue! Summer remains our slowest time of the year, but it’s encouraging to be able to say, ‘Best Summer Ever!’  We can’t thank our small, but mighty corps of summer volunteers enough who were on hand to greet our guests, work the special events, and help out with every little thing that needed to be done.

Spreading the Word!

Key to our long-term sustainability is spreading the word about the River of Time Museum & Exploration Center beyond Fountain Hills! I’m happy to say that we’re experiencing a decided increase in visitors from throughout the Valley, thanks in part to the Maricopa County Libraries “Culture Pass” program. Former staff member, Linda McThrall was able to get the River of Time accepted into this county-wide opportunity for library members to visit cultural institutions for free. It’s really been interesting to meet with folks from all over our region. The most common comment heard? “This place is really fantastic!”

More great news! The River of Time is now also a part of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association. River of Time members at the $125 level just need to show their membership card at any of the over 1,300 membership museums, cultural centers, botanical gardens, zoos and more across the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico. So to our members, if you’re planning a trip…Check out the NARM website to visit the cultural institutions in that locale.

Fantastic Programs and Events Coming Up This Fall

We are so pleased to announce the dates for the 2023-24 Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation/River of Time tours. These extremely popular experiences always sell out, so be sure to get your reservations in early. Added this year are more experiences at the FMYN Cultural Center, including viewing an authentic Yavapai dwelling, and delicious fry bread tasting. We have ten dates from October to April so check out our calendar for all of the information – find the date you want and book your tickets right there!.

We’re celebrating Native American Month in our Gallery with Coctaw artist, Stephen McCullough. View Mr. McCullough’s outstanding works through November 11th; a reminder that entrance to our gallery is free during regular River of Time hours. Also a good time to let you know that we have switched to our winter hours; we’re open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Next up is a great partnership with the Maricopa County Fountain Hills Library; Fright Night at the Museum & Library is on Tuesday evening, October 24th. Young ghosts and ghouls can explore the haunted museum and create spooky crafts at the library. The River of Time will host a Morning Haunting at the museum on Saturday, October 28th. Both events are free, and perfect for families with kids under 12!

We’re grateful to Lisa Berry and Chill Boutique for partnering with us to present our second annual Fall Fundraising event on November 2. Over 50 folks joined us last year for this exclusive, entertaining look at the latest in sustainable fashion. This year’s theme, “Midnight in Paris” pairs chic Parisian fashion with tidbits of info about the Fountain Hills “French Connection”. Make your reservation now as tickets are selling fast.

And finally everyone’s favorite holiday happening, 2023 Holiday Mart opens on November 18th. Our storage unit is stuffed with amazing gently-used holiday décor, donated by members of our generous community. Our volunteer elves are busy decorating and upgrading to get everything out for your perusal!

Staff Change

On a sad note, we regret to announce that Linda McThrall, our Director of Development and Community Outreach, will not be returning to her position following her summer hiatus. Unfortunately, the grant funding for her position did not come through. As we continue to source funding for this much needed position, we wish Linda well and look forward to her return!

Volunteer Opportunities

Here’s a quick message from Mary Endorf, Volunteer Coordinator

Do you have a special skill and a desire to support Fountain Hills only attraction?! We have several professional opportunities available to community members wishing to become involved. Please contact Executive Director, Cherie Koss at director@riveroftime.center for a volunteer job description or more information. The current positions include: Social Media & Marketing Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, Art Gallery Coordinator and Development Coordinator.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

We are always looking for folks interested in providing guided tours through the museum. These folks are also often involved in interpreting at special events and creating new programming. Extensive training is provided. We also accept applications for general volunteers. If you’re interested in working behind the scenes at an event, or supporting operations we’d love to hear from you. For more information on volunteer opportunities contact Mary Endorf at maryendorf@comcast.net.