Shape the Future

 

Campaign News

 

Be a part of history: Help us meet the Kresge Challenge! Find out how. Read the press release. Read more about the New Mexico History Museum. 

Andrea Waitt Carlton and Messengers of Healing Winds Foundation make a $1 million gift to the New Mexico History Museum. Read more.

Turning Passion into Purpose: Three couples who are translating personal interests into valuable long-term assets for the public good. Read about them.

Eileen Wells Campaign ChairA MESSAGE FROM THE CAMPAIGN CHAIR

Museums are more than repositories of art—they are repositories of experience. Through their distinctive collections, exhibitions, and public programs, museums hope to provide visitors with experiences they not only will learn from, but remember.

Many museums believe that a quality experience is simply about hanging paintings on a wall, or arranging artifacts behind plexiglass. But we know that visitors want to get past the plexiglass and see into the soul of the world-class collections that bring our exhibitions to life. They want to discover the stories behind the collections—stories of diverse peoples and cultures, of nearby and faraway; stories of today, tomorrow, and yesterday. They want to experience art and culture in the most active sense of the verb. They want museum experiences that matter.

Creating rich cultural experiences requires a dedicated investment in our institutions. Though we are part of a state museum system established for all citizens to enjoy, funding is limited: after operational support, only $20,000 remains each year to fund exhibitions, collections, public education, and other valuable projects. Without strong private support to supplement public funding, neither our past successes nor our future goals would be realized.

By working in partnership with you, our private supporters, we can make our cultural institutions stronger. Our “Shape the Future” campaign will establish a stable source of income to give our museums the financial safety net they need to grow and thrive. The fund will boost their ability to protect and build their collections; enrich visitors’ exhibitions experiences; expand their educational reach; and broaden research opportunities.

With your confidence and contributions, we can make the museum experience matter. We will shape a bright future for generations to come.

 

Eileen Wells

To learn more about the Shape the Future Campaign, please contact Colleen Kelly, Director of Development at (505) 982-6366 x 107 or email colleen@museumfoundation.org.