The Perot Museum of Nature & Science needs to raise $32 million before the end of this year –having already gotten $153 million toward completing the new Thom Mayne-designed building going up downtown along the Woodall Rodgers, set to open in 2013. Last month, as part of its Final Fifty campaign (to raise the final $50 mill,  natch), the museum announced it had received $15 million from the Rees-Jones Foundation.

Today, it’s announced that it has received a new $10 million challenge grant from an anonymous donor. But now the Perot has launched a new campaign called “Every Dollar Counts . . . Twice!” to meet that challenge.

The full press release follows.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANONYMOUS DONOR’S $10-MILLION CHALLENGE GRANT BOOSTS PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

Museum launches “Every Dollar Counts…Twice!” campaign and invites community to double impact of every dollar given

DALLAS (February 28, 2011) – Thanks to a $10-million challenge grant made by an anonymous donor, Museum of Nature & Science officials are closing in on their Final Fifty goal to complete the $185-million expansion campaign by year’s end. Inspired by the grant, Museum leaders are launching a community-wide fundraising campaign called “Every Dollar Counts…Twice!” in support of the Perot Museum of Nature & Science, currently under construction in Victory Park and projected to open early 2013.

“We recently hit the $153-million mark, leaving us $32 million to raise before the end of 2011,” said Forrest Hoglund, chair of the Perot Museum Expansion Campaign. “This fantastic $10-million challenge grant will act as a huge catalyst inspiring donations of every size. It essentially doubles the impact of each dollar contributed and gives everyone a new incentive to help build the new Perot Museum.”

Nicole Small, chief executive officer of the Museum of Nature & Science, said the grant is restricted to new gifts of any size, which will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The donations must be paid within a 20-month period spanning now through October 31, 2012.

Small added that the “Every Dollar Counts…Twice!” seeks donations of all sizes from all parts of the community.  Donors can give online through the Museum’s website and will be recognized on a special page that will track the results of the challenge grant.

“The Perot Museum is being built for all of Dallas and North Texas, and we want everyone to have the opportunity to help build it,” said Small.  “Large or small, every donation is important!”

This is the first time the Museum of Nature & Science has received a campaign challenge grant, and Hoglund is thrilled.

“This just illustrates the forward momentum of the Final Fifty campaign,” he added. “This wonderful gift is providing a big boost that’s going to make a meaningful difference.”

To donate to the Expansion Campaign, please visit our website at natureandscience.org and click on “Donate Now” or contact Mary Crain at 972-201-0555 or [email protected]. To learn more about the Perot Museum of Nature & Science and the expansion campaign, please go to natureandscience.org.

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 an AAM-accredited 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.