McAllen, TX — The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) is pleased to announce a grant from the PNC Foundation in support of early childhood programming and museum access for families. The grant recognizes the museum’s commitment to providing unique, educational experiences for preschool-aged children and their families. This milestone investment in early childhood education has brought free, high-quality programming to young children across the Rio Grande Valley, culminating in two landmark initiatives: the ongoing Young Adventurers STEAM workshop series and PNC Adventure Day which took place on March 18, 2026 bringing over 1,000 visitors to the museum to engage in early learning activities.
PNC Grow Up Great® is a $500 million, multi-year, bilingual initiative dedicated to helping prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. IMAS is honored to join a national network of trusted community partners working alongside PNC to eliminate barriers to early education and create lasting opportunities for the next generation.
“We are deeply grateful to PNC for their commitment to families with hands-on early childhood education in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Ann Forescue, Executive Director of IMAS. “This partnership allows us to bring hands-on STEAM learning experiences directly to our youngest community members at no cost to their families, because every child deserves access to the joy of discovery and learning through exploration.”
Roni Cortez, IMAS Education Director (far left), and Ann Fortescue, IMAS Executive Director (far right), pose with PNC volunteers at PNC Grow Up Great Adventure Day at the International Museum of Art & Science.
A budding chef gets hands-on during the Mini Chefs workshop at PNC Grow Up Great Adventure Day at the International Museum of Art & Science, where families explored food preparation and healthy eating through interactive activities.
The Young Adventurers workshop series is a free monthly science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) program designed for preschool-aged children and their caregivers. Each session introduces young learners to the world of STEAM through guided play, hands-on activities, and take-home projects, from exploring the world of insects to kite-making and outdoor science. The grant additionally supported a limited number of free IMAS memberships for qualifying families.
PNC Adventure Day welcomed visitors on March 18 for a free, community event celebrating early childhood development and family exploration. Families enjoyed interactive presentations, art and science activities, early childhood resources, and special programming for children ages six and under. The event brought together a network of outstanding community partners, including Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas, UTRGV’s Bilingual and Literacy Studies Department, UTRGV Early Head Start, the Junior League of McAllen, and local vendors. Visit theimasonline.org for more upcoming workshops and events supported by PNC.
Upcoming Young Adventurers workshops include “Movin’ and Groovin’” on April 23 and “Outdoor Classroom” on May 20. Space is limited; registration is available at: theimasonline.org/young-adventurers.
About the PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
