Taliesin West

Tours take visitors through Wright’s living quarters, to the theater, his office and other buildings. Specialty tours are offered including tours of the desert shelters built by Taliesin Fellowship apprentices. 

Welcome to The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, established in 1940 by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of America’s most prolific architects whose life and career spanned the steam age to the space age.

As the only organization founded by Wright to be the repository of his life’s work and ideas and the first to bear his name, we are building upon our rich heritage to help 21st century society adopt a more innovative and humane approach to design and construction – one that better marries architecture with the arts, sciences, and the natural environment to create buildings and spaces that enrich the quality and dignity of everyday life

Wickenburg was again named one of the “Top 10 True West Towns” for the third year by True West Magazine. An article appears in the January issue!

The 61st Annual Gold Rush Days was named No. 6 of 12 “Things to Do in 2009” by The Arizona Republic. The article appeared in the Sunday Travel Section just after Christmas. Most recently the town received two other distinctions from other publications. American Cowboy Magazine named Gold Rush Days as “One of 101 Best Western Events”, and Phoenix Magazine has Wickenburg listed as “One of 52 Weekend Adventures for 2009.” Chamber staff has a long-standing relationship with these publications, writers and advertising representatives, and with that comes great publicity and promotion to this community.

Arizona Travel Show

The Chamber’s goal is to help promote local business and the community to a targeted group of consumers and we will again have a booth at the Feb. 21 and 22 Arizona Travel Show at the University of Phoenix Cardinal’s Stadium in Glendale. The last two years has brought more than 4,000 people to the show and many inquiries about this community. The tourism committee and Rancho de los Caballeros will man booths during the two-day show. 

New Wickenburg map arrives

The 2009-10 Wickenburg Map produced by The Chamber and printed by Spring Hill Press has arrived. New streets have been added, colorful easy-to-read information along with chamber member advertisements are included. The map will go online  for easy access to Wickenburg 24/7.

Tuscany in March

The Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce is inviting everyone to join us on a weeklong trip to Italy, March 24 to April 1. The trip costs $3,450 per person with double occupancy in a four-star accommodation, and the cost includes round-trip airfare from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, meals, tickets to tourist attractions and English-speaking tour guides with deluxe tour buses. For more information about this spectacular trip, contact Megan McKeever at 928-684-5479

61st Annual Gold Rush Days February 12-15

It’s just around the corner, and plans are underway for our 61st Annual Gold Rush Days. The location remains the same, main festival and carnival area around the Community Center, and rodeo at the Everett Bowman Rodeo grounds. The Wickenburg Art Club will again have their arts/crafts booths set up at Stone Park between the Library and Town Hall. Tickets are on sale now for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Concerts at The Webb Center, and rodeo and dance tickets are available from The Chamber. The Arizona Outlaws Band will play at the rodeo dance on Saturday night. Parade applications are available from the office, with the parade sponsored again by Cox Communications.

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Lots to do this fall in Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale is ready to wine and dine visitors preparing to make the trek to the Southwest this fall with these upcoming culinary events.

Kicking off the festivities is Arizona Restaurant Week, debuting Sept. 20-26. The event gives patrons the chance to experience Arizona’s finest fare at a variety of quality restaurants for a special rate. Nearly 100 restaurants, including some of Scottsdale’s best such as Digestif, Sol y Sombra, Roka Akor, Olive & Ivy, and Taggia, will offer a three-course menu for $29 per person or $58 per couple, excluding drinks, tax and tip. .

On Oct. 7 and 8, travelers can savor fresh, straight-from-the-farm food at the latest installment of Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar’s dinner series, Locavore 4: Cultivation. Locavore is a term used to describe a person who only eats locally produced food, and every bite and sip of Tapino’s five-course dinner will come from an Arizona farmer, food producer, rancher or wine maker. For $65 a person, diners experience Chef James Porter’s globally-inspired creations while supporting local businesses. Locavore 5: The Hearth, will take place Dec. 1 and 2.

Savor Scottsdale, a group dedicated to increasing local pride and national recognition for the city’s culinary scene, is adding to the fall festivities with EATS³ Oct. 23-25. The event focuses on the three S’s – sizzle, sip and swizzle – and will showcase Scottsdale’s finest with a cocktail-infused ArtWalk, exclusive in-gallery dinners by famed Scottsdale chefs, a national Iron Bartender competition, a Grand Tasting featuring the finest chefs and wine makers, and the signature BBQ & Bubbles Finale. Among the event’s slated 40 chefs and special guests are Emmy award-winning Chef Ming Tsai and winner of Bravo’s Top Chef, Stephanie Izard. Arizona chefs will include James Beard award winners Nobuo Fukuda, Chris Bianco and Robert McGrath, and Iron Chef winning chefs Beau MacMillan and Mark Tarbell. Patrons may purchase tickets to individual events or buy the $500 Ultimate Savor Scottsdale Pass.

VISITORS EXPLORE THEIR ARTISTIC SIDE WITH NEW PUBLIC EXHIBITS
Since its inception in 1985, the Scottsdale Public Art Program has worked to bring new and creative artwork to the streets. The downtown area will soon be home to three new interactive exhibits that will allow visitors to take part in Scottsdale’s unique arts community.

Art lovers can enjoy beautiful fall evenings by taking a stroll downtown and experiencing a stunning light show at the Scottsdale Waterfront. Beginning in October, the collection’s new Night Lights exhibit, a premier music and interactive, light-based art installation, will be on display. Launching the attraction will be Tucson artist Mary Lucking whose light installation will grace the Waterfront every third Thursday from October through December, using the water of the nearby Arizona Canal as a canvas. Visitors can give the light show their own artistic touch by speaking into a microphone set up at the exhibit, which then triggers and changes the patterns projected onto the water.

A second all-new piece, Bell’e Art, will transform the bell tower adjacent to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts into an outdoor gallery. The first exhibition, on view Sept. 8 through Dec. 3, will feature New York-based artist Béatrice Coron’s series of papercuts inspired by Scottsdale landmarks, lifestyle, history and more. Coron’s piece will feature 24 iconic Scottsdale scenes hand cut on black and white Tyvek, a lightweight waterproof paper, suspended from the top of the tower. Each cutout image will serve as a window that invites passersby to peek through, invoking memories and dreams of Scottsdale and the Southwest. Visitors inspired by Coron’s piece will have the chance to create their own works of art when she hosts a workshop, Sharp Arts: The International Papercutting Scene, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library on Nov. 1.

Crocheters get out your hooks and take part in Scottsdale Public Art’s crocheted exhibit at the Civic Center Library. In April 2009, the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project, a globally touring exhibit of a crocheted coral reef ecosystem, will be on display at the library before heading to its next stop at the Smithsonian. The 2,000-square-foot reef has already made its rounds from London to Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Visitors eager to learn the art of crocheting can take part in organized workshops.

GOLF INITIATIVES PRESERVE NATURAL SONORAN DESERT SURROUNDINGS
Golf operators in Scottsdale are making strides to preserve the city’s Sonoran Desert surroundings through modern technology, innovative practices and a commitment to environmental stewardship. The golf industry’s efforts not only ensure a protected environment for generations of future visitors, but also help put Scottsdale on the forefront of eco-friendly golf destinations.

Water Use – Because Scottsdale is in a desert environment, conservation and efficient use of water is always top-of-mind for the city’s golf industry. Nearly 75 percent of Scottsdale’s golf courses use sophisticated computerized irrigation systems and weather monitoring stations to maximize the efficiency of their water use. These systems apply the minimum amount of water required to maintain the health of individual plants in addition to minimizing evaporation and maximizing transpiration.
Maintenance – Scottsdale golf courses also have modified their regular maintenance practices to increase the sustainability of their properties. Efforts include using organic fertilizer rather than petroleum-based fertilizer, switching gas-powered equipment from two-stroke engines to four-stroke in order to reduce emissions, and frequent testing of soil conditions to ensure proper application using the minimum amount of product to ensure the plants’ health.
Environmental Stewards – Scottsdale golf properties like Sanctuary Golf Course at West World, TPC

Scottsdale and Camelback Golf Club continue to look for new eco-friendly opportunities to ensure that golf maintains its overall positive impact on the city and state. The courses have all achieved, or are achieving, certification in the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program, a program that requires golf facilities to protect the Earth by enhancing precious natural areas and wildlife habitats. In addition, Scottsdale-based Troon Golf Management has made the commitment to have its entire portfolio of 190 golf properties worldwide certified through the Audubon initiative.

TURNDOWN IS AN EXPERIENCE WITH SCOTTSDALE’S UNIQUE AMENITIES
Scottsdale’s resorts are committed to providing a luxurious, unforgettable experience for their guests. Beginning at the moment of check-in, guests are welcomed by hospitable service and world-class amenities that extend to the tiniest of details. Even Scottsdale’s turndown programs go above and beyond, greeting guests with more than just folded over sheets and pillow mints. The following is just a sampling of Scottsdale’s unique turndown amenities.

The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North looks to the stars for its turndown amenity that includes a constellation chart calibrated to the Arizona night sky. Every Friday evening, the property plays host to astronomer Richard Allen who leads stargazing sessions using state-of-the-art telescopes and charts. Guests can bring their constellation chart to the free session and navigate the nighttime sky alongside Allen, discovering different celestial bodies like Jupiter, Saturn and Mars depending on the time of year. 

Turndown service at FireSky Resort & Spa relays the property’s theme of earth, air, fire and water to guests with each day of the week corresponding to a particular element. The program is filled with unique turndown items such as Fire Balls candy, organic sweet chocolate, and bottles of bubbles. Each amenity is accompanied by a turndown card tailored to the specific theme. 

Guests at The Boulders Resort can enjoy a mini Golden Door Spa experience at turndown with the resort’s complimentary skin care amenities. Each new day brings a different sample like the Botanical Body Oil, which is a potent remedy for dry, sun-damaged skin, or the lavender cream that promotes the grown of new skin cells and whose scent can be helpful with headaches and nervous tension.

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Family has a tunnel of fun soaring at SkyVenture in Eloy

To experience the adrenaline rush of a free fall without the risk of jumping out of an airplane, all roads lead to Eloy.

At SkyVenture, part of Skydive Arizona, visitors can take flight in a 175-foot-tall wind tunnel, the largest of eight indoor-skydiving facilities in the country.

Though jumping out of an airplane isn’t everybody’s idea of a good time, “body flying” in the wind tunnel poses little risk. The key to the popularity of this fast-growing activity is that there is little training involved for basic flights and it’s safe for ages 4 to 94.

Body flying was featured during the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Today, competitions are held worldwide. Locally, the 2008 Gauntlet competition will be Oct. 11-12 at the Eloy facility. It offers $21,000 in prizes.

Tresha Baldwin, who owns 360 Physical Therapy and Aquatic Center in Chandler, recently organized a day trip to Eloy for her 17 employees to show her appreciation for their work.

“We had a great time,” she said. “It was a good team-building experience, wasn’t outrageously expensive and was something different and fun to do.”

For my family, indoor skydiving was the result of a search for Christmas gifts for my four grandchildren. The first to cash in their gifts were Katrina, 13, and Olivia, 10.

At SkyVenture, we were instructed to suit up before being ushered into a room for a short orientation led by our crew instructor. We learned how to step into the tunnel and, by lying on a table, how to hold our bodies while in flight.

I had reserved four minutes of basic flight time for each of us at a cost of $80 per person.

You get two minutes per increment, or flight rotation, and “they go by fast,” as Katrina later noted. The first two minutes give you a chance to relax and practice body alignment. The second flight was for pure fun and went by even faster.

Olivia volunteered to go first. As she stood at the tunnel entrance, she was partially sucked in by the airflow as she pulled herself in as we had been instructed to do. If she was a little anxious, it didn’t show.

Her face broke out into a huge smile as she was lifted by the approximately 175 mph wind, which is constantly adjusted to maintain your position. The wind in the tunnel feels a lot smoother than the wind that hits you when you actually skydive, we learned.

Olivia opted to fly on her own. If you’re feeling insecure, your instructor, who is always with you in the tunnel, will hold onto you during your flight.

To leave the tunnel after the first two minutes, the instructor guided Olivia into a vertical position and gently moved her toward the exit, where she grabbed hold of the sides and swung herself out.

Katrina was up next. She was a little more apprehensive, judging by the expression on her face during the first two minutes, but she flew on her own, too. When it was time for her second two minutes, however, she was “ready to fly like Icarus,” she said. “It’s like you have wings, and you don’t want it to stop.”

Both girls agreed this was the most exciting present ever. Olivia thought of her cousins and said, “Brice and Jake are going to freak, and we should all do it again.”

Now it was my turn. As I stood at the entrance, fell into the tunnel and was lifted by the wind, I knew I had found my sport. By the time my second round began, I was so taken with the experience that I began to seriously consider trying the real thing. Yep, skydiving!

To complete our quickie extreme adventure, we watched crew members perform unbelievable stunts and aerobatics all the way to the top of the tunnel. It was a great finish to our extreme adventure

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America’s Historic Hotels

When it comes to luxury hotels, “historic” and “high-end” don’t always go hand-in-hand. Sometimes, old is just plain old. But there is a growing legion of upscale travelers who want more than Egyptian cotton sheets, WiFi and flat-screen TVs. Fans of America’s historic hotels want to experience the past in all its facets.

To find a hotel with a true sense of place, many travelers consult Historic Hotels of America, which has more than 200 member properties across the country. The HHA is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and is operated by the Preferred Hotels Group. According to executive director Thierry Roch, the organization offers independently operated properties, each with its own character and quirks. Many, of course, have the requisite five stars and top-notch amenities that put them squarely alongside the big names.

In Arizona, Scottsdale’s unique Hotel Valley Ho didn’t open until 1956 – but it boasts a historical legacy nonetheless. The youngest member of Historic Hotels of America, this Mid-century Modern hotspot was a desert home-away-from-home for celebrities of the day. It was built in a Frank Lloyd Wright retro style, with glass walls, balconies, patios and a courtyard pool, and featured one of the original Trader Vic’s restaurants. The luster wore off in the 1970s, but thanks to an $80 million reconstruction and restoration, it’s once again hip to stay at the Ho.

From 19th-century hotels and mansions to 20th-century cultural icons, it’s easy to find and stay in America’s historic hotel gems.

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Scottsdale ‘places to go this summer’

Three places in Arizona made The New York Times list of “31 Places to Go This Summer,” providing a potential boost to the state’s tourism.

Two of the places – Monument Valley (No. 12) and Lake Powell (No. 22) – may seem obvious choices.

The not so obvious choice was downtown Scottsdale, which came in at No. 9 despite the summer being the Valley’s off season.

“Downtown Scottsdale is turning into a desert version of Miami’s South Beach. No ocean of course, but plenty of late-night partying and a buzzing hotel scene,” The Times said.

The story mentioned the August opening of the W Scottsdale Hotel & Residences as the latest addition to Scottsdale’s stable of luxury hotels.

“Being on a list of the New York Times, people from around the country and world will see that,” said Rachel Pearson, director of corporate communications for the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The listing comes as the bureau targets southern Californians with an advertising blitz in San Diego Magazine, San Diego Union-Tribune, SignOnSanDiego.com and LATimes.com.

“People are always looking for great bargains and great deals closer to home,” Pearson said, noting the search for cheaper travel destinations is greater this year because of higher fuel and transportation costs.

Topping the Times travel list was Texas’ hill country, the rolling landscape west of Austin and north of San Antonio, which features 22 wineries.

Of Monument Valley, the newspaper said, “You’ve seen it in countless spaghetti western and Marlboro ads. But the iconic red buttes and mesas of Monument Valley, in the heart of Navajo country, offers more than just postcard-ready views of the quintessential American West. The wind-scraped valley . . . also draws horseback riders, mountain bikers, river rafters and other outdoor enthusiasts.”

Of Lake Powell, The Times said, “With nearly 200 miles of clear blue water and stark red rock, Lake Powell is a boating paradise.”

But we knew that.

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Retailers happy with results at growing Riverview

The Theater District, a Main Street venue stretching between Cinemark Theatres and Bass Pro Shops, will soon bring Mesa Riverview to life with more entertainment, specialty shops and eateries, the same mix that is drawing big crowds to Tempe Marketplace and San Tan Village in Gilbert.

And with the announcement that Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill will be part of the mix, retailers and small businesses are checking out spaces for business, a Riverview business owner says.

“Last Friday it was packed with people with notepads asking about putting a business in here,” said Robert Guertin, owner of Big Sticks Fine Cigars.

To date new tenants include Howie’s Game Shack, a family activity center; Mattas Mexican Restaurant, a long-time Mesa icon; Jump N Shout, an interactive child’s play facility; Taco Time; Surf City Squeeze; Samari Sam’s; Omega Gyros and Hubbard’s Swim School.

Guertin, whose cigar store was the first independent business to open in the district in May 2007, isn’t fazed by how long it’s taken to develop the area.

“I am very happy,” said Guertin, whose storefront faces the planned Toby Keith restaurant. He’s also banking on future traffic from the Waveyard, a planned water park coming to Mesa.

Guertin said Mesa Riverview is twice the size of any mixed-use project in the area, “so it’s going to take twice as long to build it. And I knew this going into it.”

He said some small businesses that couldn’t wait for more retailers to open left.

“All those people that didn’t put a business here missed the boat,” he said.

Shoppers are also finding other activities in the district area by cooling off at water fountain features in front of the movie theater. Shaded benches surround the water fountain for individuals.

Dayna Birmingham, of Mesa, who often takes her three children to the movies, recently watched them cool off at the district’s water features. It was the family’s second trip to the district in two days.

“We’ve been watching them build,” said Birmingham. “It’s close to us and it’s going to be amazing.”

She is not the only shopper keeping an eye the on progress at the developing 250-acre mixed-use project near Loop 202 and Dobson Road.

“It’s awesome to see the different types of shops,” said Katie Gomez, who with her family spent an afternoon at Bass Pro Shops looking at fish featured in the sporting-goods store. Riverview also offers big-box and discount chains such as Home Depot, Party City, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart Supercenter and a slew of other major retailers.

To the east of the regional power center, passersby can view construction of elevator caps for a Hyatt Place hotel. Two buildings are up for offices. And, at Riverview Auto Mall, a Toyota dealership recently opened with Nissan on its way by the fall.

Jonikka Alder, of east Mesa, said she shops at Jo-Ann Fabrics, Ross and Marshalls once a week. The fact that Mesa Riverview is accessible just off Loop 202 is another plus, she said.

And though Alder does most of her shopping at Mesa, she still makes her way to Tempe Marketplace, just two miles from Mesa Riverview.

“Those (shops) are a little more high end,” she said of the Target, The Gap and other retailers offered there.

Mega anchors such as the Wal-Mart Supercenter and Bass Pro Shops say they are doing well and are pleased with the mixed-use development since they opened.

Ken Brown, a store manager at the Dollar Tree, agrees.

Sales are up 25 percent, he said, compared with its former location just a few miles away at Alma School Road and University Drive.

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For many, plaza is ‘overall experience’

Italian-village atmosphere sets Scottsdale mall apart

With a faded turquoise-colored street sign pointing to places such as “Giotto Cortile” and “Via Montenapalone,” it’s easy to forget you’re sitting in the middle of a bustling city and not in a small Ialian village.

But since the Borgata of Scottsdale – which was modeled after an Italian village – was built in 1981, people have continued to flock to its center courtyard where tall trees and large green umbrellas shade those reading a book or newspaper near the echo of a spurting fountain.

“You can’t build a center like this today,” said Mark Holder, senior manager of property management at the Borgata. “We are fortunate to have this in place.”

While most shopping centers and malls offer a sensory overload for customers seeking everything and anything, the Borgata prides itself on its 31 shops and European architecture, which add to the center’s atmosphere.

“It’s the overall experience,” said Marketing Manager Bianca Marks, when asked what keeps people coming back after nearly 30 years. “There’s more of an intimate setting here. This has a special place in people’s hearts.”

To continue to attract more customers, however, the center has moved forward with new shops offering one-of-a-kind merchandise, including apparel, jewelry and a salon and beauty spa.

In January 2005, commercial developer Westcor, which owns the Borgata, began a $7 million renovation that led to the demolition of Mancuso’s restaurant.

Holder said the demolition opened up the center so traffic along Scottsdale Road could see the activities going on at the Borgata. “We wanted to make it more inviting.”

The renovation also made room for Taneko Japanese Tavern and the state’s first J. Alexanders restaurant. The 12,075-square-foot eatery is set to open in the fall.

J. Alexanders will be the newest of 30 restaurants the chain has opened in a dozen states, according to the company’s Web site. J. Alexanders menu includes steak, prime rib, seafood, salads, sandwiches and desserts. The restaurant will include a full-service bar.

A newcomer to the flagstone courtyard is Sugarbakers Café and Bakery, opened in January by Bill and Barbara Harris.

“Of all the places we’ve been, we have never seen a more beautiful setting for a restaurant,” Bill said, between sips of hot soup. “We could have chosen to go anywhere, but we chose to go here.”

The couple, who are in their 70s, moved from San Antonio, where they managed several of their Celebrity Café and Bakery stores before being bought out by a large corporation.

After visiting the Phoenix area, the Harrises decided to open a restaurant here.

“Phoenix is a rapidly growing area in the U.S. To me, it’s the place to be, right now,” Bill said.

Since opening, Internet bloggers and media exposure have sent business soaring. The Harrises are contemplating opening other stores in the area, but say they will first focus their attention on the current store and their catering business.

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Downtown adds another draw for children

Civic life in the Valley takes another step forward next week when the long-awaited Children’s Museum of Phoenix opens in the old Monroe School.

Ten years in development, the $22.8 million project expands the family-oriented attractions in the city’s downtown. The museum targets children up to age 10 with activities and exhibits aimed at intellectual and emotional development while providing parents with another family-friendly destination to take their kids.

“They are going to help build excitement for our downtown as a cultural destination,” said Chevy Humphrey, director of the neighboring Arizona Science Center. “We’re looking to keep downtown vibrant.”

The new museum fills 55,000 square feet of the 1913 Monroe School building with hands-on exhibits designed to draw in children and create interaction between them and their parents.

Unlike traditional museums, it will not be about art or science and will not have a collection of paintings or bones.

“What’s special about the children’s museum is that it is for someone, not about something,” President and Chief Executive Deborah Gilpin said. “The more we can give children educational and multisensory experience in those early years, we can achieve the greatest potential for them as they get older.

The children’s museum is the third such museum in Arizona but dwarfs the other two in ambition and budget.

With a planned annual budget of $3.5 million, it is more than twice the size of the Arizona Museum for Youth in Mesa ($1.3 million) and the Tucson Children’s Museum ($850,000) combined.

The new museum will have a staff of about 85.

She said it hopes to draw 300,000 to 500,000 visitors a year.

“Children’s museums are the most highly attended of all museums combined, nationally,” Gilpin said.

The opening weekend has already sold out.

The new museum does not see itself as competition for the others.

“There are more than enough children,” Gilpin said, “so we don’t need to compete.”

The oldest of the three children’s museums is the Arizona Museum for Youth, which opened in 1981 and draws about 75,000 visitors a year.

“With there being close to 5 million people in the Valley, there are plenty of people to support both,” said Sunnee Spencer, executive director of the Mesa museum.

The new museum was conceived in 1998 by a group including Kim van der Veen, who spearheaded the project in the early years, when it was called the Phoenix Family Museum.

In 2001, Proposition 6, a voter bond issue, provided $66.3 million for various cultural facilities. Included was $10.5 million for the Arizona Family Museum.

The following year, $5 million of that was spent to buy the Monroe School building, which had been vacant since 1988.

The rest went to upgrading and renovating the building, including air-conditioning and a new roof.

Gilpin was hired in 2005 to spearhead the museum and its capital campaign to raise an additional $12.3 million. Large grants have raised most of that.

Children’s museums are the fastest-growing niche in the museum world.

The first was the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, which opened in 1899, but even by the 1970s, there were only about 35 in the U.S.

“Then, there was a growth spurt in the 1980s, when about 80 new children’s museums opened,” said Diane Kopasz of the Association of Children’s Museums in Washington, D.C. “And, since 1990, almost 150 have opened.”

In addition, most mainstream museums have beefed up their educational component, reaching out to children.

“In the last 25 years, there has been a much greater emphasis for education in museums,” said Tom Wilson, director of the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa.

Museums focusing on children in an urban area should have a huge impact on Phoenix, he said.

“It should get them started early in the museum habit that will spill over to the rest of their lives,” he said.

Children’s museums do this with hands-on exhibits.

“Art museums are usually a hands-off experience,” said Peggy Solis of the Tucson Children’s Museum. “But we build our exhibits sturdy as we can; we don’t have to tell kids, ‘Don’t touch.’ It’s ‘Feel this fossil, put your hand on the Van de Graaff generator.’ ”

It’s how children learn best, Kopasz said.

“Try to tell someone about paper making 2,000 years ago in China and blah, blah, blah, and it’s all fine and good,” she said, “but for a 5-year-old, you say, ‘This is chopped-up paper, and this is linen, and we’re going to mush it up in water and scoop it out on screens, and when it dries, we’re going to have a piece of paper you can draw on,’ and they have a fuller understanding of what you mean. And when they go home, they tell their parents, ‘Today, we made paper.’ ”

It is not just information, but the sensory stimulus that promotes learning, Gilpin said.

“If you look at all the research on how children’s brains are wired up, you see that when a child is exposed in the first three years to rich environments, the networks in their brains grow really rich,” she said.

The addition also helps the business environment.

“In a broad way, it is what makes a city desirable,” Kopasz said. “In terms of business relocating, they want to have something for families with children, and a children’s museum is a real mark of distinction.”

Downtown Phoenix is growing with new construction, Arizona State University’s campus, light rail and new businesses.

“I’ve been here for 13 years, and there are so many more things to do now,” Humphrey said. “You can shop, there are tons of restaurants, the ballpark,” Humphrey said.

“People can come to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix for half a day and to the Arizona Science Center for the rest of the day and make a vibrant experience for all.

“They are going to help build excitement for our downtown as a cultural destination.”

Tom Ambrose, executive director of Phoenix Suns Charities and chairman of the board of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, said, “It seems like every other major metro area has at least one viable children’s museum, and some have several. They are museums everyone talks about.

“You can build all the skyscrapers you want, but if you want a world-class city, you can’t forget the children.”

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