DENVER — An anonymous donor contributed $25 million to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and its supporting organization, the DMNS Foundation, which marks the largest gift in the institution’s 121-year history.
Ten percent of the donation will go to the museum to help with staffing, equipment and launch activities, the museum said. The remaining 90% will help establish an endowed fund at the DMNS Foundation. Annual distributions from this will support the museum's conservation work.
George Sparks, the museum's president and CEO, said they are all amazed by the donor's generosity.
“The support will vastly expand the museum’s capacity for collections conservation," Sparks said.
Museum Director of Anthropology and Senior Curator of Archaeology Stephen E. Nash said the gift will take the museum's work to another level.
"It will position the museum as a leader in culturally-inclusive object conservation in the Rocky Mountain region, nationally and internationally," Nash said.
The museum said its science division collects and cares for a natural history collection made of 4.3 million artifacts and specimens, including scientifically and culturally significant objects in archaeology, ethnology, geology, paleontology, health sciences, zoology and archives.
Scholars, source communities, artists, students and other groups use these collections in various ways.
For more information about the museum’s science division, visit DMNS.org/science.
StylusCroissant on December 23rd, 2021 at 17:34 UTC »
I work here, and we are STOKED. I just got out of a meeting in which we spoke about how we could allot those funds. It's a great day at the DMNS.
*edit* I just had a conversation with some higher-ups, and I heard that this $$ was given specifically towards scientific endeavors. That likely means beefing up several departments, going full force on our Colorado Springs dig (where we found our major discovery recently), and getting more hands-on with our current collection of finds and getting inside (literal) tons of sedimentary rocks. Many people don't know this, but we only display .1% of our assets! That's POINT one, not one. The job of discovery is always happening.
*2nd edit* You all are the best. I can't wait to share all the love that the DMNS is getting! We are proud of our museum, and I personally love my job and the cool and smart people I get to work with. There are not many jobs where you can have a casual conversation in the hallway with someone that made a major archaeological find, and there are also not that many jobs where you can see people flip out over all the cool stuff. The fun you have when you visit is the fun we get to have every day, and I hope it shows. I'm just as excited to see what's next as you are, so thanks again for all the positivity, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals! You've made my day, nay, OUR day.
RSPhuka on December 23rd, 2021 at 17:05 UTC »
I MEANT $25
pauliesfreakin on December 23rd, 2021 at 17:00 UTC »
It’s a hell of a nice museum that you should check out if you’re ever in Denver.