The Perot Museum of Nature & Science at Victory Park held a (small) photo-op milestone this morning.  Last November was the groundbreaking for the Thom Mayne-designed building. Today at 9 a.m., it was the handing of the “Notice to Proceed” to Balfour Beatty Construction by Margot Perot and four Perot daughters, Katherine Perot, Carolyn Rathjen, Suzanne McGee and Nancy Mulford.

The Document Hand-Off  Celebration is a traditional, joyous event in the history of any building, marked by toasting, incense-burning, church processions, random hole-digging, an animal sacrifice, ritual face painting and drunken folk dancing through the night. Actually, according to the announcement below, the real deal sounds much more festive, what with putting the first links of the safety fence in place and the hanging of safety signs.

But contrary to the announcement, H. Ross himself did not attend the activities.

MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE GETS ITS “NOTICE TO PROCEED” FOR NEW VICTORY PARK MUSEUM

H. Ross and Margot Perot to attend ceremonies

Margot and H. Ross Perot will join officials from the Museum of Nature & Science to hand the official “Notice to Proceed “ document to Balfour Beatty Construction on Monday (April 26) morning at 9 a.m. at the Victory Park Museum Construction Center (1155 Broom St., Dallas, 75202). After brief remarks outlining the major milestones to come, Museum leaders will put the first links of safety fence in place and hang safety signs.  The Victory Park facility will be named in honor of the Perots.  In May 2008, the Perot children announced a $50-million gift to the Museum of Nature & Science expansion campaign in honor of their parents, Margot and H. Ross Perot.   SEE ADVISORY BELOW.

MEDIA ADVISORY – April 25, 2010

MARGOT AND H. ROSS PEROT TO JOIN MUSEUM OF NATURE OFFICIALS MONDAY (APRIL 26) AT  9 A.M.

TO HAND OFFICIAL “NOTE TO PROCEED” TO BALFOUR BEATTY FOR VICTORY PARK FACILITY

Official “Note to Proceed” allows museum to place fencing around site and begin construction

WHO:               Margot and H. Ross Perot will join officials from the Museum of Nature & Science to hand the official “Notice to Proceed “ to Balfour Beatty Construction on Monday (April 26) morning at the Victory Park Museum Construction Center (1155 Broom St., Dallas, 75202).

After brief remarks outlining the major milestones to come, Museum leaders will help put the first links of safety fence in place and hang safety signs.  The Victory Park facility will be named in honor of the Perots.  In May 2008, the Perot children announced a $50-million gift to the Museum of Nature & Science expansion campaign in honor of their parents, Margot and H. Ross Perot.

WHAT:              With the “Note to Proceed” in place, major construction can now begin.  Within the next several weeks (pending weather), the safety fence will be completed and the “big dig” outlining the footprint of the 180,000 square foot facility will be made.

The new museum, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne, will be constructed on a 4.7-acre site at the northwest corner of Woodall Rodgers Freeway and Field Street in Victory Park just north of downtown Dallas.  The 180,000-square-foot structure will include five floors of public space housing 10 exhibition galleries, including a children’s museum and outdoor playspace/courtyard.

WHEN:             Monday (April 26).   Ceremonies at 9 a.m.

WHERE:           Museum Construction Site,
1155 Broom St., Dallas (northwest corner of Woodall Rodgers Frwy. and Field St.)
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Dallas+&state=TX&address=1155+Broom+St.

About the Museum of Nature & Science

The Museum of Nature & Science – the result of a unique merger in 2006 between the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place and the Dallas Children’s Museum – is a non-profit educational organization located in Dallas’s Fair Park. In support of its mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The facility also includes the TI Founders IMAX^® Theater and a cutting-edge digital planetarium. The Museum of Nature & Science is supported in part by funds from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Texas Commission on the Arts and HP. The Museum of Nature & Science also is building a new $185-million museum on a 4.7-acre site in Victory Park to complement the Fair Park facilities.  To learn more about the Museum of Nature & Science, please visit natureandscience.org.