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Reynolds grant to fund museum network Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation announced a $7.37 million grant Monday for a museum network intended to make hand-on, interactive museum experiences accessible to children statewide. The Donald W. Reynolds Arkansas Children's Discovery Center Network will send exhibits throughout Arkansas in the first of kind museum collaborative, foundation officials said. "We know that many children in Arkansas seldom, if ever, have the opportunity to engage in the exciting experiential learning that comes from visiting our nation's first-rate discovery museums," foundation Chairman Fred W. Smith said. "The Discovery Network will allow children even in the most remote parts of the state to share in the hands-on learning and the sheer fun that comes from experiencing wonderful museum exhibits." The $7.37 million, five-year grant comes after two years of statewide planning for the museum network. As part of the grant, the network's seven member organizations will share exhibits and best practices, improve outreach to teachers, expand educational programs and increase capacities to operate efficiently, the foundation said. Network members include the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff, Texarkana Museum System in Texarkana, Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover and the Arkansas State University Museum in Jonesboro. The Museum of Discovery will act as the fiscal agent for the $7 million grant. The Center for Mathematics and Science Education in Fayetteville will host network exhibits until a permanent northwest Arkansas museum partner is determined, officials said. Member museums are dedicated to hands-on discovery learning for children, families and educators, officials said. "Our primary goal in funding this initiative is to touch as many rural children as possible in the state. Secondly, we hope to strengthen the individual member museums by providing resources through the network that they may never have had access to individually," said Steven L. Anderson, president of the foundation. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, headquartered in Las Vegas, is a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. The Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. |
