The Milwaukee Public Museum raises more than $430,000 in an online fundraiser.
Exhibit maintenance doesn’t stop when closed
It costs an average of about $50 a year to maintain one of the 4 million objects in the Milwaukee Public Museum. It costs roughly $1,000 a week to feed the butterflies in the interactive butterfly exhibit, whether anyone is there to watch them or not.
With the museum closed during the coronavirus pandemic, revenue stopped coming in, so the museum held its second annual online “Giving Day” at the end of April. The hope was to surpass last year’s total of $118,000 from 155 donors.
The people of Wisconsin showed up — 662 people in fact — and donated more than $430,000 to the museum.
“The day just really took off,” Kaye Leszczynski, the museum’s senior director of development, said.
The funds are to go to the museum’s general operations to pay for the workers and supplies needed to maintain the exhibits until it can open its doors.
Museum officials say a third of their revenue comes from admissions, store sales, food sales and events.
And being shut down during their busiest time of the year has placed added strain on the museum.
Museum officials were touched by the number of donations from different parts of the state.
“We had a child from Deerfield, near Madison, that sent $20 from her savings account,” Leszczynski said. “And her mom said it was because she heard about Giving Day and the museum is her favorite place in the world and so she wanted to be sure that she participated in it.”
Those that donated on Giving Day were entered to win some exclusive experiences such as a private tour with Ellen Censky, president and CEO of the museum; and a private stargazing show in their backyard with planetarium director Bob Bonaduer.
“It was mind-blowing to see the support,” Censky said. “The amazing thing was it was so many people and so many different levels (of giving), it was a great way to head into a weekend because these are trying times for everybody.”
Censky said her private tour will be tailored to the winning donor but one thing she does like to show people — and it’s not currently on display — is the museum’s bird specimens, particularly the colorful Carolina parakeets.
“These were collected in 1842 in Waukesha,” Censky said. “They went extinct, actually hunted to extinction in the early 1900s ... the amazing thing is these birds, they look tropical. You would never think they occurred in Wisconsin and yet they came up and nested in Wisconsin in the summertime.”
For those that missed Giving Day, the museum is still accepting donations at its website.
“People want to help right now,” Leszczynski said. “It’s our job to offer them those meaningful ways to contribute . ... This is a tangible thing you can do that is going to make Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin better when we open.”
The museum, like other businesses and nonprofits, has adjusted to life indoors. Another fundraiser, A Moveable Feast, which gives area chefs an opportunity to partner with the museum to raise money, moved online. As part of the event the museum held a silent auction that also brought in some funds.
Chefs from Amilinda, Lazy Susan, Braise and The Chef ’s Table created videos of them cooking their favorite comfort food in their kitchen and included the recipes. The owner of Waterford Wine Co. held a virtual wine tasting.
The museum posted the videos on its Facebook page and raised $35,000, which was shared with the chefs who participated.
“It was a really fun way to take something that we all look forward to every year and at least make it accessible while we’re at home,” Leszczynski said.
Like other places, Censky said the museum is itching to open its doors but the outpouring of support has really helped boost the spirits of workers.
“It was a big psychological boost for everyone because you want some positive things each day and that was certainly a major positive thing that re-energized and I think it helped us all really understand why we’re here,” Censky said. “We’re here for the community and this helps us be in the community.”