The Perot Museum of Nature & Science, the result of a merger between the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place, and the Dallas Children’s Museum, is scheduled to open in early 2013. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Nature & Science )
Dallas’ Perot Museum of Nature and Science announced that it has surpassed its $185 million fundraising goal at an event held by the museum Thursday.
The goal was met a year in advance of the museum’s projections.
“Despite the challenges of raising money during an extremely tough economic environment, the importance of science education and the desire to invest in our future prevailed,” Forest Hoglund, chair of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science Expansion Campaign, said. “The North Texas community has warmly embraced our mission.”
The announcement came off the heels of the museum’s announcement that it secured funds from the Moody Foundation to name the museum’s children’s museum and forum.
A $5 million gift went to the naming the children museum and $1 million was reserved for the forum.
The Moody Family Children’s Museum will accommodate young learners — from babies to age 5 — with the them of “River in the City.”
The exhibit will feature child-sized versions of Dallas attractions, such as the Trinity Forest, Farmers Market, a Dallas skyline climber and a Trinity River waterplay area.
“As not only a museum team member but also a mother of two preschoolers, I am personally so appreciative of The Moody Foundation’s generosity,” Nicole Small, CEO of the Museum of Nature and Science, said. “This $6 million gift will have an enormous impact on future gnerations because stuides show that early childhood is an optimal time for learning.”
The Moody Foundation made headlines earlier this year as it donated $20 million for the renovation and expansion for SMU’s Moody Coliseum.
“If we can get kids exctied about science and math in the early years, we believe that enthusiam will continue and will ultimately lead to more children pursuing careers in the sciences,” Small said.
Other major donors for the museum’s construction include the Perot children, who gave $50 million, the Rees-Jones Foundation who donated $25 million, and the Hoglund Foundation and family and T. Boone Pickens each gave $10 million.
Even though the museum has met its goal, the organization isn’t going to stop raising funds.
“There is still work to be done,” Hoglund said. “The money we’ve raised to date will be used to construct the museum, install the galleries and open the doors. But to be a world-class museum, we can’t stop now. To build upon this positive momentum, we will continue our push for excellence to build the Perot in different ways.”
The Perot Museum for Science and Nature is scheduled to open to the public next year.
