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1 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE OUR MISSION & VISION MISSION: Be a catalyst! Ignite our community’s passion for nature and science. VISION: An empowered community that loves, understands, and protects our natural world. CONTENTS & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE 04 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & THE CHAIRMAN 06 YEAR END FINANCIAL REPORT 08 OUR STORIES 18 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE 20 DONORS 26 EDWIN CARTER LEGACY SOCIETY 28 ENDOWMENTS 29 COLLECTIONS DONORS 30 SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS 34 SCIENTIFIC + CULTURAL FACILITIES DISTRICT WWW.DMNS.ORG 3 3 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE We closed out another revolutionary purpose—are leading us. Every smile year in 2019, having worked hard that spreads, every idea that takes to fulfill our mission and to connect root, and every spark of inspiration with more people about nature and that ignites happens because of science in ways that are meaningful people like you and organizations to them. like yours. We love it when a connection with George Sparks Harold Logan Jr. the Denver Museum of Nature & President & CEO Chairman of the Board, 2019 Science causes sparks of curiosity to ignite into flames of excitement. And it’s supporters like you—providing us 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE with energy, ideas, and resources— REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE who help the Museum continue to fan those flames of wonder inspired LETTER by our natural world. You are the true heroes of our story. Several years ago, we started on an FROM THE incredible journey, one that involved purposefully developing new relationships within the community, PRESIDENT encouraging people to share their desires with us, actively listening to them, and then using those insights to create Museum experiences & THE for the future. It’s exciting to see where these relationships—which are built on trust, a pure love of fun CHAIRMAN and lifelong learning, and a shared George Sparks & Harold Logan Jr. 4 2019 IN REVIEW (, ,) + 62,582 265,268 ~85,800 7,312 MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS STUDENTS, CHAPERONES VISITORS ATTENDED VISITORS ATTENDED THE . MILLION AND TEACHERS HOSTED MARS OUTPOST GIRLS & SCIENCE EVENT One of the largest PEOPLE SERVED ONSITE & OFFSITE programs of any 82% served for free Opened June 18 or reduced cost Onsite: 1.4 million (1,486,793) people, a third of whom (444,000) were served for free. paid natural history organizations in the Offsite: 844,805 people through our education programs and offsite experiences. country DISTANCE NEW VOICE BOX LEARNING FOR SABER TOOTH PROGRAMS CAT DONATION STATION 10 YEARS , DIVERTED VOLUNTEERS GAVE REACHED: CELEBRATED YEARS OF EXPEDITION HEALTH® FROM FIELD EXCURSIONS LANDFILL STATES OVER DAYS , CANADIAN HOURS OF THEIR TIME PROVINCES (IN TONS) THE NETHERLANDS PARTICIPANTS IN GENES 22.45 COMPOST & GRAINS TASTE STUDY 5.75 GLASS NEW OBJECTS ENTERED 19.47 METAL INTO COLLECTIONS 4.3 million objects in 4.28 ELECTRONICS total to date George Sparks President and CEO 5 5 SUPPORT & REVENUE 2019 2019 2019 Operations Initiatives All Museum Admissions 12,218 - 12,218 SCFD 9,752 - 9,752 Gifts and grants 8,466 3,520 11,986 Memberships 5,853 - 5,853 Gift shop and food service 1,772 - 1,772 (net) DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE City & County of Denver 1,511 7,966 9,477 Program 1,433 - 1,433 Other 662 - 662 Total Support & Revenue 41,667 11,486 53,153 EXPENDITURES Program Activities Exhibits/Visitor Experiences 6,532 2,384 8,916 Physical Plant 7,121 9,576 16,697 Admissions 3,102 - 3,102 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE Collections & Research 5,971 112 6,083 Education 5,984 882 6,866 Total Program Activities 28,710 12,954 41,664 Supporting Activities General & Administration 5,856 - 5,856 YEAR END Marketing 2,549 - 2,549 Fundraising 1,976 160 2,136 FINANCIAL Membership 1,476 - 1,476 Total Supporting 11,857 160 12,017 Activities REPORT Total Expenditures 40,567 13,114 53,681 Year ending December 31, 2019 Changes in net (in thousands) assets from operations 1,100 (1,628) (528) 6 *Excludes DMNS foundation operating results. THE TREASURER’S REPORT The Denver Museum of a stable and growing economy, our operations, the Museum bond proceeds provided by & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE Nature & Science is pleased SCFD revenue for the Denver conducted work in 2019 on the City’s Elevate Denver bond to report another successful metropolitan area increased several initiative projects program. On the following year. In 2019, the Museum 4.86% percent in 2019 from specified in the Museum’s page, we present our financial achieved operating revenues the previous year. The District’s Everyone, Everywhere results with these strategic of $41,667,036 driven in renewal was approved by Strategic Plan, including activities detailed separately. part by temporary exhibition voters in 2016. design completion and With these planned performance, successful construction preparation projects, the year ended fundraising efforts, the The Museum continued in for the Space Odyssey with an operating surplus of support of membership 2019 with important capital Reimagined project, feasibility $1,100,054. households, and increased projects that enabled it to on the new Future First guest funding from the Scientific handle increased attendance experience in the heart of The Museum received a & Cultural Facilities District and to improve the visitor the Museum on the first floor, clean audit opinion from our (SCFD) due to higher sales tax experience. Projects included developing a concept for independent accounting firm. receipts for the district. carpet replacement and Nearby Nature, and fabrication REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE painting throughout the of the new mobile Curiosity We owe special recognition building, technology upgrades, Cruiser. In addition, work to the citizens of the seven- and minor improvements to continued on the $18 million county metro region, the City permanent exhibits. of infrastructure improvements and County of Denver and to HVAC, electrical, and life the SCFD for their ongoing In addition to these capital safety systems that are being operational support. Thanks to maintenance investments in paid for by general obligation Edward D. Scholz Vice President, Finance and Business Operations Steven Halstedt Chair, Finance and Audit Committee 7 7 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE 2019 GRATITUDE REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE SHAPING REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE TOMORROW STARTS BY INSPIRING TODAY The exposure to field work and scientific inquiry comes at what is a critical point for many participants who are staring adulthood in the face and wondering, “what am I supposed to do next?” 8 PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS The late Dr. Paul Rosen had a her peers for plant fossils in a other researchers, labored on. many of whom will likely be & SCIENCE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE keen interest in paleontology quarry and politely tapped Dr. They collected thousands of the first in their families to that inspired him and his Miller on the shoulder to show fossils and pieced together the complete a four-year college wife, Harriet, to help fund the him the rock she’d just split most complete understanding degree, with the opportunity creation of the Teen Science open. She wanted to know if it of how life returned after the to work shoulder to shoulder Scholars program in 2007. was “anything good.” asteroid and led to the end with Museum scientists on their But from dozens of generous of the age of dinosaurs. The research projects. The program donors who helped make the When Dr. Miller blew the dust discoveries – which were is approaching its 13th summer program come to fruition to off the rock and held it to catch documented by film crews – season and has more than Museum staff to aspiring teen the sunlight, he knew Aeon revealed Corral Bluffs to be 175 alumni. scientists – no one thought had indeed found “something more than just a beautiful it would ultimately open an good,” as later analysis sight to behold; it held The exposure to field work historic window into how life revealed it to be the oldest secrets to unlocking mysteries and scientific inquiry comes rebounded in the aftermath of bean pod fossil on the planet. surrounding the re-emergence at what is a critical point for a cataclysmic asteroid striking “So, it’s pretty cool,” Aeon of life after the dinosaurs many participants who are REPORT 2019 GRATITUDE the earth some 66 million years admitted about her discovery. went extinct. staring adulthood in the face ago. And yet, that’s exactly and wondering, “What am I what happened. Meanwhile, Dr. Lyson was In 2019, after years of supposed to do next?” traversing the bluffs, testing a meticulous planning, the In 2017 – more than a decade new fossil hunting strategy and Museum shared the incredible Donors like you make scientific after the Teen Science Scholars focused on concretions. When discoveries with the world research possible – from PhD program was launched – he cracked open one to reveal through news media, virtual curators to curious teens. Museum paleobotanist Dr. a near complete mammal education programs, an on-site Thank you! Ian Miller and paleontologist skull, it presented yet another experience, a documentary Dr. Tyler Lyson took a group stunning discovery. Previously, film, and a website. These of Teen Science Scholars to a paleontologists had only efforts provided avenues for stunning location just east of coaxed tiny teeth and other millions of people to connect Colorado Springs called small fossil fragments from with fresh glimpses of history Corral Bluffs.