The Arizona Historical Society's Pioneer Museum in Flagstaff has been honored by a national organization for an exhibit that explores the contributions Hispanic people have made to Northern Arizona's history.

The American Association for State and Local History awarded the AHS an Award of Merit in its annual Leadership in History Awards, the Arizona organization announced in a news release last week. The award was tied to "Todos Unidos: The Hispanic Experience in Flagstaff," a temporary exhibit at the Pioneer Museum.

The Historical Society says the exhibit "recognizes the countless contributions people of Mexican, Spanish and Basque descent have made to Northern Arizona through their labor, their traditions and their community service."

The group will receive the award at the national organization's annual meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, in September.

The Arizona Historical Society was founded by the Territorial Legislature in 1864, making it Arizona's oldest cultural organization. It operates museums and research facilities in Flagstaff, Tempe, Tucson and Yuma.