Great things come in small packages for museum

FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated $1 million dollars to the University of Alaska Museum this week. The donation is the largest ever made in Alaska through the foundation created by the Microsoft Corporation magnate and his wife.

When the check arrived in a simple business-sized envelope addressed to UA Museum Director Aldona Jonaitis, there was nothing but the return address to give any clue to the treasure inside. "It proves that great things really do come in small packages," Jonaitis said.

The funds will be used to expand the museum facilities, a project which is estimated to cost $31 million, including deferred maintenance to the existing building. To date, more than $12 million has been raised for the expansion project.

"This gives the campaign a boost at a very appropriate time," said Richard Wien, vice-chair of the UA Museum Expansion Campaign. "The UA Museum is already a world-class educational facility, so with the expansion it promises to deliver the standard for museum-based education for years to come."

When upgrades are complete, the UA Museum will include a 3,000 square foot state-of-the-art Learning Center designed to enhance learning opportunities for visitors of all ages. New facilities will include an education center for younger visitors, classrooms and laboratories for university students, and an art study room.

In addition, computer networked study rooms will be available to scientists, visitors, and students to explore the museum's vast cultural and natural history collections. Computer connections at the Learning Center will give Alaska's rural children - many of them Alaska Natives - the opportunity to explore the museum's Alaska Native artwork and holdings on the Internet.

"We have an excellent docent teaching program, but because of our space limitations, we have to turn away eager schoolchildren every year," Jonaitis said. "This donation will allow us to expand our education and outreach programs so that those students - and their parents - can take advantage of everything the UA Museum has to offer."

The expanded educational programs will fit well into continued outreach efforts by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, according to UAF Chancellor Marshall Lind. "As Alaska's land, sea and space grant institution, we are charged with the duty to educate the children of this state," Lind said. "With expanded facilities, the museum will continue to teach the lessons from the past to future generations."

In addition to the Learning Center, the museum's 30,000 square foot expansion will include more collections space for one million cultural artifacts and natural history specimens, state-of-the-art research laboratories, an auditorium and theater, a café, expanded store, and the 10,000 square foot Rose Berry Alaskan Art Gallery for the museum's extensive fine art collection. When the project is complete, the museum is expected to become one of Alaska's major architectural landmarks, attracting international visitors to see the museum's extensive art collection and learn about Alaska's natural and cultural history, Jonaitis said.

Last month, the UA Board of Regents voted to include a request for $15.5 million towards the expansion project in its Fiscal Year 2001 capital budget request to the Alaska State Legislature.

The UA Museum is the primary repository for northern natural and cultural history collections - collections that play a central role in addressing questions about global climate change, public health, and the health of our environment, Jonaitis said. "Each item in its collections tells a story - about Alaska, its people, lands, waters, and wildlife," Jonaitis added. "But with more than one million artifacts and specimens, and 500,000 more expected from an archaeological dig in Sitka, the museum is simply out of room." For more about the museum visit www.uaf.edu/museum/.